Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: MrsSmith on July 21, 2012, 04:25:38 PM
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We've been getting the applewood smoked bacon at Costco for a couple months now, and I'm addicted to the stuff. Would gladly trade a child or my left arm to taste it's yummy bacony goodness. The problem is, we can only get it from the Costco by his folks house, four hours away.
Ben's been at his folks for the past couple days and I didn't want to cook the good bacon while he was gone, even though he's no doubt enjoying some while he's up there (that's just the kind of girlfriend I am), so I picked up a small package of applewood bacon from the local grocery store. They only had one option, but it's applewood smoked and didn't look too bad, so I gave it a shot. For those of you who wish to conduct your own experiment, the grocery store bacon was from a company called Prairie Group. The stuff from Costco was from Farmer's Hickory. Neither of which I've ever heard of.
It clearly isn't just in the smoking process since two similar pieces of meat smoked in the same fashion should taste the same. So there must be something else to it.
This .... other .... bacon was inferior. The cut wasn't consistent throughout the package, when it was cooked, there were too many "stings," there were too many sections that were too fatty and didn't cook to a pleasant crisp, and the flavor, while not awful (it's bacon, after all), wasn't as deeply and cleanly delicious as the stuff we got at Costco.
But it was still bacon and the pup and I shared the whole package. Next time I'll just eat the good stuff and not worry about sharing. Being a good girlfriend takes second place to eating second rate bacon.
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I've had the applewood from Costco- is good bacon.
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:facepalm:
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Aaaaaaaarrrg! ANOTHER thread about BACON!
Now I'm hungry for BACON -- AGAIN!!!!!!!
Atleast you guys could suggest a CURE! [popcorn]
:angel:
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Store bought bacon -> [barf]
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Atleast you guys could suggest a CURE! [popcorn]
Brown sugar, pepper, little salt....
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Store bought bacon -> [barf]
You don't seem too sure of that ... for some reason ........ =|Brown sugar, pepper, little salt....
Atleast you didn't include the barf smilie.... [popcorn]
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:facepalm:
Atleast you guys could suggest a CURE! [popcorn]
:angel:
Salt. Then smoke it with apple tree wood.
Duh.
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I get the stuff from the butcher's block at the farm store. It's very good.
In a pinch, Oscar-Meyer thick cut does the job. On the low end, BAR-S has good flavor but the slices end up bits after cooking.
Seems anymore what passes for bacon is what, back home, was called "strk'o'lean". Or "streak of lean". Smoked chunks of pork fat with a bit of lean meat. ;/
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Well though old Romy and me did eat the good stuff while I was on the farm, including a bacon and egg sandwich with the bread fried in bacon grease for brunch this morning, I did bring home a couple of packs from the Costco.
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What is this mass produced, mass sliced stuff you think is bacon? The European deli (two Russians, a Pole and a German - all Jewish refugees who would not know where the schul was if you pointed it out to them =D)is my source for cured, smoked pork belly. I used to let them slice it into bacon for me, but they cut it too thin thinking I was an American inside as well as outside. Now I just get a "hunk" (a precise measurement in the deli bizz, so I'm told) measured as "so many fingers wide". My hunks are usually between 6 and 7 fingers. I slice off what I want, as big as I want, at home.
First they smoke it with applewood - yes, I have seen and smell the process. Then after dry hanging for a week they smoke it with cherry wood. With the bark on! They say the arsenic is what gives it the deep flavor. Since I not only buy a "hunk" every other week but have turned on several friends and three acquaintences to their store and the many goodness to be found therein, I'm pretty sure they are not trying to kill me.
So, to your Farmer's Hickory and your Prairie Group I say "Feh!"
If you want to pay for overnight refrigerated shipping I'd be glad to order an extra finger or two and send it to anyone who wants to try it. I doubt the guys would consider shipping it themselves because it would involve wrapping stuff in something other than brown butcher's paper and string.
stay safe.
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Having never bought it, is the Costco bacon thick-cut? And is it their Kirkland Signature house brand or is it another brand that happens to be carried by Costco?
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It's thick cut, and it's called "Farmer's Hickory Brand". It's way better than Kirkland Signature, which I'm frankly a little disappointed in.
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(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thinkgeek.com%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2Fzoom%2Fc399_tactical_canned_bacon.jpg&hash=002a05ff5d24b2a79fc7b1127d4a9663162d492b)
^is still bacon^
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It's thick cut, and it's called "Farmer's Hickory Brand". It's way better than Kirkland Signature, which I'm frankly a little disappointed in.
Okey-dokely! I will look the next time I am there and see if Seattle-area Costcos carry it.
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(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thinkgeek.com%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2Fzoom%2Fc399_tactical_canned_bacon.jpg&hash=002a05ff5d24b2a79fc7b1127d4a9663162d492b)
^is still bacon^
If you're willing to pay $20 for a 9 ounce can of bacon, I have a proposition for you.
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If you're willing to pay $20 for a 9 ounce can of bacon, I have a proposition for you.
But does it come in a cool can?
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I'll put it in a can. I'll even paint the can black and stencil an "assault rifle" on it for you.
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Atleast you guys could suggest a CURE! [popcorn]
:angel:
Salt. Then smoke it with apple tree wood.
Duh.
Brown sugar, pepper, little salt....
Wiseacres huh??? =D Okay I'll take partial responsibility; I sorta set myself up for it, but, double entendre ...REALLY?
I mean if it WASN'T about BACON, after all....but jeeeesh. it HAS to be BACON!!! [tinfoil] [tinfoil] [tinfoil]
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I had uncured bacon with breakfast this morning (bought it by accident). I like cured bacon much better!
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They sell it at the Costco not far from where my wife and daughter are. It is YUMMY but I prefer the bacon from the butcher up here.
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Daily's Peppered, Ends & Pieces.
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Sam's Club, Wright thick sliced hickory smoked is good, IMHO. Don't get the maple-cured. Just... don't.
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HEB brand thick cut jalepeno bacon. Everything else pales.
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For my bacon deprived fellow travelers I present The bacony goodness that is Arkansas Bacon.
This 1# of thick cut bacon on an 11X17" sheet pan
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb398%2FFLHRI-OK%2F001-8.jpg&hash=017428753dfc6d7a867435ba667fdad99f29bfe9)
Fresh from the oven, still sizzling
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb398%2FFLHRI-OK%2F002-7.jpg&hash=840683b664ac2cc0431f34a2abf330f88461cea0)
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Larry, wanna' ditch Ben and your wife? >:D
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Probably wouldn't be prudent, I've got over 30 years tied up in the wife already. That and she'd probably get all the bacon in the settlement.
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That, and eventually the suspicion that I only loved you for your bacon would destroy us.
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HEB brand thick cut jalepeno bacon. Everything else pales.
DAMMIT now I'm hungry again. :facepalm: [popcorn] =)
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I had to go fry up a 1/4lb of bacon and make a couple of sandwhiches after reading this thread. Mmmm tasty!
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I had to go fry up a 1/4lb of bacon and make a couple of sandwhiches after reading this thread. Mmmm tasty!
You actually had bacon?
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You actually had bacon?
That isn't what's shocking. What's shocking, and almost down right criminal, is that he only cooked/ate a quarter pound of it. What's wrong with you man?
You can't make a decent bacon sammich with only a quarter pound of it. Geesh.
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What's wrong with you man?
It's hot as hell outside and I don't eat nearly as much when it's like this. Been running the tractor and such outside.
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That isn't what's shocking.
This is the man that hosted a group of APS'ers with no bacon on hand.
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Maybe we should have some bacon schooling?
I'll write up a syllabus. >:D
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I knew I shouldn't have read this thread....
Now I want bacon, and, as per usual, I don't have bacon stored in the fridge.... Because one does not store bacon, one eats bacon.
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Because one does not store bacon, one eats bacon.
Words to live by.
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Because one does not store bacon, one eats bacon.
Indeed
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Because one does not store bacon, one eats bacon.
I most vehemently disagree!
One must have bacon before it can be eaten.
In order to have bacon one must store bacon.
I've got at least 25#-30# of bacon in my freezers. (I had more but I ate it)
As well as sliced ham, 3 full hams and 30# of sausage.
Not to mention pork chops and pork steaks.
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This is the man that hosted a group of APS'ers with no bacon on hand.
Or other food for that matter....
And there are no grocery stores anywhere within a reasonable driving distance from that damn mountain.
A29, you need to invest in a freezer and fill it with meat. Then lay in a bunch of charcoal and firewood.
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Okey-dokely! I will look the next time I am there and see if Seattle-area Costcos carry it.
My Everett Costco does not carry this brand. =(
The choices were the Kirkland Signature, Fletcher's Masterpiece dry cured, and Fletcher's Masterpiece peppered bacon. I bought the Fletcher's dry cured and will give this a try.
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In my local grocery store here, they carry Wright's in Applewood smoked. It was quite good. Not the quality of what we got at Costco, but quite good. I allowed my son enough for one sandwich and ate the rest of the package myself.
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Agree wif Miz Smif. Wrights is good. The best of it is the hickory smoked, the worst is maple cured. Sam's Club carries it, which is evidence that God loves me.
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Wife and I recently found Jones Cherrywood smoked bacon at Publix.
We approve.
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My Everett Costco does not carry this brand. =(
Bummer. We all say the Costco by my folks is the "Phantom Costco" because it doesn't carry the same stuff as the other Costcos, plus it never shows up in their monthly magazine where they list all the Costcos. But as long as it carries the delicious, delicious bacon, I'm happy.
On a side note, the bacon in all the breakfast joints (at least the non-chain diners) in Utah and Idaho is of supreme quality. Not a shriveled, dried up piece to be found anywhere. All of it is thick cut and properly cooked.
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That was one thing that struck me when we were there in June - all the breakfast places we stopped at had good bacon. Better even than the breakfast joints in the South, where bacon is king.
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(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.fakeposters.com%2Fresults%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2F7gd06mdsyi.jpg&hash=e5b2a7c0ca723bd988204d9138dedf87384b2351)
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Bacon = 56+27+7
(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.fakeposters.com%2Fresults%2F2010%2F09%2F28%2F9em22xqt38.jpg&hash=755be7c17e9a43eef5b9d44c26b935249d74326d)
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This is the Holy Grail of bacon.
[url][http://www.nueskes.com/shop-by-department/smoked-bacon.aspx/url]
I discovered it passing through skAnchorage (actually Eagle River) last year when I was looking for a large quanity of ends & pieces.
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This is the Holy Grail of bacon.
[url][http://www.nueskes.com/shop-by-department/smoked-bacon.aspx/url]
I discovered it passing through skAnchorage (actually Eagle River) last year when I was looking for a large quanity of ends & pieces.
Somebody please pass me a drool towel.
stay safe.