Totally given up on bacon

[Swervin_Mervin]

Murph7355 said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

Does seem pricey online. The stuff in the shop is generally cheaper than the main supermarkets.

£4.50 a packet (plus delivery) is very toppy. Is it the same price in the shop?

The packs are priced per weight in the shop. Generally can pick up a pack of 6 rashers of the black cure stuff for £2.50-2.80-ish. Can get a pack of 4 unsmoked plain rashers (back+streaky+rind) also for under £3.

[Murph7355]

Swervin_Mervin said:

The packs are priced per weight in the shop. Generally can pick up a pack of 6 rashers of the black cure stuff for £2.50-2.80-ish. Can get a pack of 4 unsmoked plain rashers (back+streaky+rind) also for under £3.

st the bed. That's some hefty markup on mail order then (the packs I have here are 8x rashers I think. But even so...).

On a side note, their smoked salmon's very nice.

[Bit of a Unit]

Murph7355 said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

MrOnTheRopes said:

For supermarket stuff I've found the Jolly Hog smoked back to be okay (no residue), but if I'm feeling extra posh I order online from Cheshire Smokehouse. Their produce is fantastic.

https://www.cheshiresmokehouse.co.uk/smokehouse-on...

I've just this lunchtime picked up a pack of unsmoked back (rind on ) and the sweet black back bacon.

Gorgeous stuff

Sounds like some stuff I used to get from a local butcher who's closed down...ordered some to see

Fellow smokehouse addict here. Their produce isn't over priced given its location and it is now stocking the local delis in didsbury and the Hollies farm shop near the old dear. The treacle cured stuff is like meat crack.

[7795]

I feel your pain OP as i've given up bacon too; however i've discovered turkey bacon on a recent trip to Beirut.

Low and behold, all the supermarkets do it here in the UK too and it is a reasonable substitute! (with 50% less calories!!)

[7795]

7795 said:

I feel your pain OP as i've given up bacon too; however i've discovered turkey bacon on a recent trip to Beirut.

Low and behold, all the supermarkets do it here in the UK too and it is a reasonable substitute! (with 50% less calories!!)

I had a real bacon today; my BB2016 (Bacon Boycott 2016) is over. It's soooo tasty...

[anonymous-user]

I've had a decent amount from here http://www.white-lodge-farm.co.uk/bacon.html via a local shop and liked it - especially their streaky.

I'm not a bacon expert at all 0 but cooked well, very little white stuff and tasted good

[Kermit power]

227bhp said:

Can you get dry cured lean? Everytime I see it it's streaky. I think this maybe the heart of the matter, I want lean, dry cured and cheap

An interesting article here: http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2010/04/a-guide-to-...

Bacon from an American's POV, seems theirs is all streaky, no lean stuff there.

Oh lord, you're a lost cause!

Bacon being too lean is one of the worst developments of modern farming practices. The fat, all nice and golden and crispy, is what gives it all its flavour!

[Swervin_Mervin]

Quite. It's bad enough that getting rind on bacon is so difficult, but bacon without fat is a step too far.

[WinstonWolf]

My brother and I used to argue over the rind as kids, we cut it off and ate it raw

[Kermit power]

These look like they might be lean enough for you!

[227bhp]

Kermit power said:

These look like they might be lean enough for you!

I've got a packet on order for Sunday morning.

You're right in a way of course; fat is flavour, but as I get older, fatter and watch the scare campaigns on TV I start to become more aware of what I'm pushing into my mouth. 'You don't eat with your eyes' My Mother always said, but we do. I realised I'm buying bacon, cooking the water out of it (until it's actually boiling in the pan) and cutting the fat off it so it's now gone. I'm not anti-bacon, I still eat it if given, just largely don't bother with it myself anymore.

[Kermit power]

227bhp said:

I've got a packet on order for Sunday morning.

You're right in a way of course; fat is flavour, but as I get older, fatter and watch the scare campaigns on TV I start to become more aware of what I'm pushing into my mouth. 'You don't eat with your eyes' My Mother always said, but we do. I realised I'm buying bacon, cooking the water out of it (until it's actually boiling in the pan) and cutting the fat off it so it's now gone. I'm not anti-bacon, I still eat it if given, just largely don't bother with it myself anymore.

Sugar is your real enemy, not fat!

[PoleDriver]

Kermit power said:

227bhp said:

I've got a packet on order for Sunday morning.

You're right in a way of course; fat is flavour, but as I get older, fatter and watch the scare campaigns on TV I start to become more aware of what I'm pushing into my mouth. 'You don't eat with your eyes' My Mother always said, but we do. I realised I'm buying bacon, cooking the water out of it (until it's actually boiling in the pan) and cutting the fat off it so it's now gone. I'm not anti-bacon, I still eat it if given, just largely don't bother with it myself anymore.

Sugar is your real enemy, not fat!

This!!

[ReaperCushions]

Try living in the US... You guys don't know you're born

[Saleen836]

I made the mistake of including a pack of smoked bacon with my last order from my local butcher, wasn't untill I got back home from collecting that the pack which I paid £11 for included approx 50 rashers!

[xstian]

I gave up buying supermarket bacon a long time ago. I used to buy it from the butcher which was fine, but I now dry cure my own. This is by far the best bacon I've ever had (modesty was never a strong point). I know its not for everyone, but its really easy and doesn't take much time really. Cost wise its really cheap and I still buy the pork loin from the butcher or local small holding.

It does get a little addictive though. I've now got a cold smoker and I've just finished some streaky for Christmas which was cured with Juniper berry and cloves. I've also got Salami, Chorizo and Pancetta curing at the moment.

[227bhp]

xstian said:

I gave up buying supermarket bacon a long time ago. I used to buy it from the butcher which was fine, but I now dry cure my own. This is by far the best bacon I've ever had (modesty was never a strong point). I know its not for everyone, but its really easy and doesn't take much time really. Cost wise its really cheap and I still buy the pork loin from the butcher or local small holding.

It does get a little addictive though. I've now got a cold smoker and I've just finished some streaky for Christmas which was cured with Juniper berry and cloves. I've also got Salami, Chorizo and Pancetta curing at the moment.

But you will have bowel cancer quite soon.

• Playing Devils advocate here.

[xstian]

227bhp said:

xstian said:

I gave up buying supermarket bacon a long time ago. I used to buy it from the butcher which was fine, but I now dry cure my own. This is by far the best bacon I've ever had (modesty was never a strong point). I know its not for everyone, but its really easy and doesn't take much time really. Cost wise its really cheap and I still buy the pork loin from the butcher or local small holding.

It does get a little addictive though. I've now got a cold smoker and I've just finished some streaky for Christmas which was cured with Juniper berry and cloves. I've also got Salami, Chorizo and Pancetta curing at the moment.

But you will have bowel cancer quite soon.

• Playing Devils advocate here.

I reckon Liver disease will get me first.

[mattdaniels]

I got chatting to a local farmer in my village yesterday and ended up with a sample of his home cured collar bacon to try. I'd never heard of collar bacon before.



I left it in the fridge overnight to defrost and had some for breakfast this morning. Dry fried, no oil, nothing. Just bacon and a hot pan. Almost nothing came out of it save for a few dribbles of fat, and there was zero shrinkage.



Have to say it tasted sublime. Very tender to cut and with a mild gently smoked flavour, more on the gammon/ham side than in your face smoked supermarket bacon and very unsalty too.



I'd definitely recommend trying something like this if you are bored of supermarket bacon.

[227bhp]

Yes that looks good, you've nailed it in your post though, it's Gammon.
I wonder if the butcher will slice me thin gammon (I have no bacon slicer at home).