Discussion
find a local butcher and become friends 
try getting bacon cut slightly thicker - mind-blowingly good...
our butcher can also trace history of all meant to exact animals on local farms - really good welfare / better taste / slightly higher cost...
as a comparison, when we moved to the area, we found the butcher and bought a lot of meat to sample everything from a chicken to steaks to bacon and sausages etc. - compared price against Waitrose, and not a lot of difference - bit more though than cheaper supermarkets, but not silly amounts more - but so much more taste!
try getting bacon cut slightly thicker - mind-blowingly good...
our butcher can also trace history of all meant to exact animals on local farms - really good welfare / better taste / slightly higher cost...
as a comparison, when we moved to the area, we found the butcher and bought a lot of meat to sample everything from a chicken to steaks to bacon and sausages etc. - compared price against Waitrose, and not a lot of difference - bit more though than cheaper supermarkets, but not silly amounts more - but so much more taste!
finding a butchers that makes their own is always the best option but It's really easy to make your own!
https://proqsmokers.co.uk/products/proq-cold-smoki...
This kit has everything you need to get started except a belly/loin joint
I've even got a deli slicer now to get consistent slices but a very sharp knife can do the job just fine with some patience.
A vacuum packer is very useful for keeping the bacon even longer but you're curing it so it lasts a good amount of time anyway
Just don't expect to save much money if you buy good meat..
https://proqsmokers.co.uk/products/proq-cold-smoki...
This kit has everything you need to get started except a belly/loin joint
I've even got a deli slicer now to get consistent slices but a very sharp knife can do the job just fine with some patience.
A vacuum packer is very useful for keeping the bacon even longer but you're curing it so it lasts a good amount of time anyway
Just don't expect to save much money if you buy good meat..
I'm fortunate enough to have (in their own words), epic bacon in the village from these guys https://piggery-smokery.co.uk/.
Pepperback Finn is probably favourite in this house, with my son preferring the streaky, and my daughter the back... I like both.
Pepperback Finn is probably favourite in this house, with my son preferring the streaky, and my daughter the back... I like both.
Or make your own.
1. Buy some belly or loin from a butcher, he will advise you on what to use.
2. Make your cure. 50/50 salt and brown sugar. I add crushed black pepper, Juniper, and torn bay leaves.
3. Put a 1 cm layer of the cure into a plastic container, place the pork on top and then more cure on top of the meat.
4. Leave for a couple of days in the fridge pouring off the liquid that is drawn out of the meat.
5. Clear out the cure and start the process again. Leave for a couple more days.
6. Belly should now be done, back bacon might take another couple of days.
7. Wash off the salt and hang in the fridge for a week.
I have just done some pigs cheeks via this method in order to recreate authentic Guanciale for a Carbonara.
https://youtu.be/3AAdKl1UYZs
1. Buy some belly or loin from a butcher, he will advise you on what to use.
2. Make your cure. 50/50 salt and brown sugar. I add crushed black pepper, Juniper, and torn bay leaves.
3. Put a 1 cm layer of the cure into a plastic container, place the pork on top and then more cure on top of the meat.
4. Leave for a couple of days in the fridge pouring off the liquid that is drawn out of the meat.
5. Clear out the cure and start the process again. Leave for a couple more days.
6. Belly should now be done, back bacon might take another couple of days.
7. Wash off the salt and hang in the fridge for a week.
I have just done some pigs cheeks via this method in order to recreate authentic Guanciale for a Carbonara.
https://youtu.be/3AAdKl1UYZs
Audis5b9 said:
Always go for dry cured bacon, avoid the supermarket rubbish.
Go round your local butchers and find one who actually makes there own, most don't.
I drive an hour just to buy my favourite bacon.
Yes, I’ve noticed there is a worrying trend for ‘butchers’ to be selling packs of bacon, which is basically farm foods spec but with thier sticker on, a lot of town centre butchers seem to be doing this now. I guess a farm shop with thier own pigs is the only real option. Go round your local butchers and find one who actually makes there own, most don't.
I drive an hour just to buy my favourite bacon.
Due to the liquids pumped into supermarket bacon, when fried it seems to boil first due to these liquids oozing out. Having tried a really nice bacon sandwich from a butchers near me, I've started buying their bacon. No liquids come out of it at all. I fry on a lowish heat so the fat melts and the bacon cooks in its own fat.
markcoznottz said:
Yes, I’ve noticed there is a worrying trend for ‘butchers’ to be selling packs of bacon, which is basically farm foods spec but with thier sticker on, a lot of town centre butchers seem to be doing this now. I guess a farm shop with thier own pigs is the only real option.
Raise your own rare breed pigs & hand feed them organic acorns would be a decent approach.Audis5b9 said:
Always go for dry cured bacon, avoid the supermarket rubbish.
Go round your local butchers and find one who actually makes there own, most don't.
I drive an hour just to buy my favourite bacon.
Definitely the way to go, so much flavour. When I was young there was never smoked bacon in our house and I hated the unsmoked stuff. I first tasted it when my mates and I went night fishing. The smell of that bacon and really good sausages cooked in a bit of butter was unforgettable.Go round your local butchers and find one who actually makes there own, most don't.
I drive an hour just to buy my favourite bacon.
We are fortunate that we have a couple of good farm shops in Kent who sell very good dry cured smoked bacon.
V6Nelo said:
Cured and no added nitrates is the way to go.
I believe it's the nitrates in bacon and deli meats that are causes the health concerns.
Interesting. Still nitrates in the salt I guess but I'll give that a try. I believe it's the nitrates in bacon and deli meats that are causes the health concerns.
In answer to the OP I guess it's shop around local butchers, farm shops etc until you find a good one. Butcher's bacon varies in quality.
Waitrose thick back bacon is far better than any other supermarket bacon I've tried.
Sticks. said:
Waitrose thick back bacon is far better than any other supermarket bacon I've tried.
Wasn't impressed by it, however they sell a dry cured from Denhay which I found to be very good (and no liquid).As to local butchers, it might be down to the area you're in. I've not tried the nearest farm shop (half hour treck for me), however all the local butchers I've tried have all sold the same bacon (labelled green something) and all have been water injected and disappointing.
LeadFarmer said:
I assumed all the butchers got their meats from the same local wholesale butchers?
not at all, good ones will source locally - a lot of competition to get supply from certain sources, and if a country butcher may well also have local game etc from nearby farms and estates…
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