Does Bacon Really go with everything?

DOES BACON REALLY GO WITH EVERYTHING?

OK so on my debut to the blogger community I decided to start out with something we Oklahomans take very seriously. Bacon. Yes its most certainly a religion here, almost to the point of Red neck snobbery, if that can be even understood.  So may choices in bacon are available now a days, I hear all these questions from friends, customers, and fellow operators... where do I start?

(All I know is it tastes good is there really any difference in bacon?)....
(It all looks the same to me...why is there such a prices difference) ....
( I see all these different flavors of bacon, which one do I get?)...
(sweet and Savory together ...its just a fad right?)....

All great questions, but you need to know the basics of bacon to become a true bacon connoisseur.

A little Bacon 101- choosing the right bacon ...

Slab vs  laid out - The only difference is here is convenience to you. It costs less for the manufacturer to package the "slab" style ( less labor) , so usually that savings is passed on to you. Now on the other hand, the "laid out" option is easier to work with and easier to cleanup...you can usually bake it right on the paper its laid on...but your going to pay for the convenience..

   vs    

Slice Size - In the food service operator industry, bacon size is determined by "average count of slices per pound"  ( 18-22)-standard , (14-17)-Thick Cut, and (10-13)- Super thick. Choice is yours.




Cured vs "All Natural"  -I do want to to start with the discussion of  Cured ( processed and preserved with some form of sodium products,( like Sodium Nitrate) vs Uncured ( minimally processed, nitrate free.) This is again one of those personal preference things. Standard bacon like you find in every grocery case across the world is typically cured with Sodium nitrate balanced out with different levels of sugar depending on the manufacturer. "All natural" has to be what they described as "minimally" processed, free of chemicals and free of nitrates. The trade off however of "All Natural" is, the shelf life  is about half the time of standard bacon. But!, its as close to "Farm to Table" as your gonna get, unless you live on a pig farm and "Harvest" your own Swine. The choice is yours...and oh, you'll pay a premium for the "All Natural" too...Why you ask?...("there's more stuff  in the cured bacon , shouldn't that cost me more?) No, reason being, "All Natural" is VERY time sensitive, if it doesn't sell and it goes bad, the manufacturer takes a financial loss. So they counter balance it by increasing the cost of goods. That whole CYA rule of business.


vs
Flavor Profiles - Now here is where it really is about your personal preference. There are Way to many choices to list , so I will simply cover the most common basics. The first thing you will notice is the "Smoke" profile. Lots to choose from here : Hardwood, Hickory and the most recent big seller of late is Apple wood Smoked. Oh, and I almost forgot...."Turkey Bacon" ....uhhh, I'm not even waste my breath on that one. The one thing I want you to understand about "smoked" is there is two types:
1. True "traditional" open smoke where the pork belly is exposed to actual smoke, and
2. Liquid smoke- the flavor profile is very different. Kind of has a "metallic" after taste. Manufactures use liquid to cut down on the cost of goods and labor, but in my opinion just kills the point. JMO. The easiest way to tell is check the ingredients label. One additional, and notable flavor profile is "peppered bacon"- One of my personal favorites.  

So we covered packaging, size, cured vs All Natural, and flavor choices- So how does this equate to the original question?
Does Bacon Really go with everything?
My answer of course is Yes. Bacon is an incredibly versatile ingredient due to the amount of flavor choices available. Obviously the more smoke flavor, or added flavor builders like pepper, jalapeno, or maple the more it will overtake your dish if your not careful. Unless that is your goal. The milder smoke bacon can really take your dish from thats pretty good to eyes rolling back in your head, 7 second brain coma good. And dont you dare throw out that residual bacon grease after cooking...Thats like liquid gold for Green beans or mash potatoes.

Most common uses for bacon, besides the obvious side breakfast item at your local diner:

Chopped on salads or soups

Wrap it around proteins- beef, chicken, shrimp, fish, pork (yes pork wraped in pork its so wrong, but tastes so good.)

As a flavor enhancer in starches- mash potatoes, pastas, and even rice.

Desserts- My favorite place to incorporate bacon, so were going to spend a little time here.
-the emergence of the balance of sweet and salty is a HUGE trend right now. If you look at a lot of dessert menus today you see the likes of "salted Carmel" and/or "salted chocolate" . Even the fast food industry has gotten on the bacon dessert train ( shakes, ice cream, cheesecakes) So why not sub the "salt" for bacon, give that dessert a salty and smokey twist partnered with the sweetness your dessert already has.

And even Drinks...yes I said in drinks...Think about it..What a beautiful way to garnish that incredible Bloody Mary than with a crispy strip of peppered bacon.



Checklist time.... Appetizers?....yes, Soups....yep, vegetables....uh huh ( even using bacon grease to flavor ...oh yeah), Side starches ....definitely, accompanied with the protein choice...No brainer, desserts and drinks... unfathomable YES. It is of my opinion that bacon should be its own food group....thanks for reading....until we eat again!

Chef Rob