dotamy Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Hey guys, Bought two lbs of bacon from a local humane, organic pork farmer. Got it home, all excited, cooked it up...and it tasted like pork chops. Umm...eww? Not what I had my heart set on. Did I miss an important step? Am I supposed to season it, possibly brine it, first? It was surprising to taste bacon without any "dressing up" and realize it just tastes like...pork...LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Did you buy bacon or raw pork belly? If it's pork belly, you need to cure it, roast or smoke it and then slice and cook it up. It sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotamy Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 It is sliced, packaged and sold as bacon. I really want to make this work! I'm at a loss as to what to google for even. Do you have any resources/recipes you could share with me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Hmm..I would call the farmer and ask him how he prepared it exactly. Then come back here and report what he did. It sounds like he did something if he is calling it bacon, but maybe in his book, slicing pork belly constitutes bacon. I think I can help you if you get more info from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotamy Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 Ok! Thanks! I will talk to her this weekend and see what she says. I know she does sell pork belly separately, and this bacon is extremely popular for her - so I have to be missing something somewhere regarding preparation. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Yes and maybe she will be able to suggest how to make it more bacony. It's easier to cure, flavor and roast as one big piece but it can be done after it's sliced. The bacon mission is on! :0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Yes and maybe she will be able to suggest how to make it more bacony. It's easier to cure, flavor and roast as one big piece but it can be done after it's sliced. The bacon mission is on! :0) Susan, the mission is on at my house! We have pork belly in a hunk and in strips from a local farm. Pretty sure it will be easy to get more. I trust the quality more than Whole Foods where they have offered to smoke it for me and season without any non-W30 ingredients. Now that I have my own, I need to learn what to do with it. It is straight pork belly, shiny and new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Nico how fun!! So..you have a hunk and slices? I was going to let New Seasons smoke some for me but they didn't seem to be able to source pastured pork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Yes! I have both. We found another farm and got another meat share (and a chest freezer). We're moving next month and this farm will be a one mile bike ride away from our new home! I met the pigs and they have a pen with mud and straw bale shelters, access to pasture, and access to compost. We also got a chicken share of legs and thighs, soup bones, and eggs until November. We can get a turkey if we want and shop from their lamb and pork anytime. (The sheep at the other farm are currently pregnant and due around the time that we move. I love that farm!) The pork belly sells fast, but we had just gotten two packs of bacon and one of bacon ends from US Wellness, so we tucked it into the freezer for a rainy day. :-) Ooh, and I'll bet you can teach me how to purchase and prepare salmon. Look at me: I'm growing up! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Nico it amazes me how varied your cooking and eating has become. So..what do you need first or is everything in the freezer? I have a cool thing on curing bacon that someone posted a link to here. I want to say it was Sharon? I think I saved the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Simpson Thumann Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 You know what's good on pork belly slices? A little celery salt and some sorta smoky seasoning, like smoked paprika. If I get uncured, unseasoned bacon slices, I just season as I would if I were going to cure it and cook it a couple days later. I haven't made bacon in awhile. I never ate much bacon to begin with.. so it's not something I miss. I do love making my own though when I feel like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 You know what's good on pork belly slices? A little celery salt and some sorta smoky seasoning, like smoked paprika. If I get uncured, unseasoned bacon slices, I just season as I would if I were going to cure it and cook it a couple days later. I haven't made bacon in awhile. I never ate much bacon to begin with.. so it's not something I miss. I do love making my own though when I feel like it. Perfect. Robin has always said celery salt makes pork belly taste bacony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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