Bacon

[GKC]

I love bacon. I don't get to eat bacon because my wife thinks its bad for me. Instead, I get to eat fake bacon made from turkeys. The idea of fake bacon is worse than the taste...which isn't really all that bad, as long as you microwave it until it's crisp. You can't really fry it, since there isn't enough juicy fat in it to make it sizzle and pop and smell heavenly, like you get with yummy real bacon.

I just read that the price of bacon is at an all-time high, and going even higher, because an epidemic of diarrhea has killed off a good portion of the swine herd. I'm not sure I could eat real bacon now, even if I was allowed...I think I'd be wondering if the slices on my plate were produced before the epidemic was discovered, and if the some of the charred bits weren't really bacon, but...you know. I mean, I don't really know how they could tell...if you've ever seen a pig pen, it looks like a diarrhea bomb went off in it on even the best of days.

Not the most appetizing of thoughts during a meal.

 

[cass]

The person that invented Turkey Bacon needs to be taken to the nearest hog farm and shot.

 

[zzzippper]

Some things are not worth skimping on for me. I will eat ground turkey tacos because the seasoning makes up the difference. But you cannot fake real bacon flavor.

 

[wbraswell]

The pig is washed, the pig is skinned, the pig is cured, and the pig is cooked. That's good enough for me. If those thoughts you are having about pigs are bothering you, then you sure don't want to eat chicken.
I'll eat almost any critter. I'm laughingly curious about Vegan, but only if it was antibiotic-free. There are two kinds of animals, predator and prey, or as I like to say, diner or dinner.

 

[snubbyfan]

Turkey bacon cooked in a microwave?
Pass!

 

[4barrel]

10 slices of Hormel on the George Foreman with Texas toast-mayo-& a cold slice of home grown tomato & an ice cold glass of milk on Sunday morning for me when I read the forum. I am still thinking about THE HEART ATTACK GRILL POST.

 

[sophie]

The person that invented Turkey Bacon needs to be taken to the nearest hog farm and shot.

I'll second this emotion. Here, here

 

[gtk]

I had an acquaintance that was originally from Ohio. He goes back home deer hunting every year. One year he brought me some venison "canadian bacon".. It was delicious! Processors down here don't make venison bacon, or at least any processors I know of..

My granddaddy made his own.. Smoked in the smokehouse.. salted & cured.. He always liked it cut thick.. Didn't have to worry about it breaking in 1/2 like the paper thin stuff you get in the store does .. Ahh.. i can still remember the smells of the old smoke-house.. good memories

 

[doublesharp]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[4barrel]

I'll second this emotion. Here, here

Not really shot but spanked by the girls in the HEART ATTACK GRILL post.

 

[Rule3]

Do some research on line and read the labels.

In a lot of cases turkey bacon is higher in fat than quality pork. Also turkey bacon is processed turkey, chopped up pieces of turkeys parts and water, emulsified and formed to look like bacon strips. Also compare the salt or sodium content of both.

Some time ago we looked at ground turkey for burgers and found it was much higher in fat that extra lean ground beef.

I get burned out on Bacon and prefer Canadian Bacon or Ham as a change.

 

[fiasconva]

You're a cruel person, doublesharp.

 

[Syspila]

There is no substitute for real bacon...eat it in moderation, a bit a week in salad--that's what I do...the better half does that too and she is a slim one with great colestoral numbers!

 

[Mule Packer]

Oops. Got a double tap here. Sorry.

 

[Mule Packer]

Don't worry. PEDV (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus) doesn't affect humans at all. You can't catch it by eating ham, bacon, pork chops...or even kissing a pig on the lips, if something like that appeals to you. It affects pigs and pigs only.

Once it's introduced into a herd of swine, immunity usually develops within two weeks. For the most part, the piglets are the ones who are affected the most by the virus. There can be a loss of over 40% in a litter. That's the main reason the cost of pork is going up, simply because the number of surviving weaner pigs (those who are weaned from the sow) is at an all time low.

It used to be, not too long ago, you could buy weaner pigs around here for about $40. Not any longer. A weaner pig (8 weeks old) is going for $120 now. You can buy a full-dressed hog for $240. So, do the math. It's cheaper to go out an buy a full grown hog, already butchered, than it is to pay the $120 for a weaner pig, plus the feed for the next three full months, plus the processing charge (if you don't cure your own hams and bacons).

But, bottom line, while you might be paying more for bacon nowadays, you don't have to worry about catching PEDV. It just can't happen.

 

[4barrel]

Don't worry. PEDV (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus) doesn't effect humans at all. You can't catch it by eating ham, bacon, pork chops...or even kissing a pig on the lips, if something like that appeals to you. It effects pigs and pigs only.

Once it's introduced into a herd of swine, immunity usually develops within two weeks. For the most part, the piglets are the ones who are affected the most by the virus. There can be a loss of over 40% in a litter. That's the main reason the cost of pork is going up, simply because the number of surviving weaner pigs (those who are weaned from the sow) is at an all time low.

It used to be, not too long ago, you could buy weaner pigs around here for about $40. Not any longer. A weaner pig (8 weeks old) is going for $120 now. You can buy a full-dressed hog for $240. So, do the math. It's cheaper to go out an buy a full grown hog, already butchered, than it is to pay the $120 for a weaner pig, plus the feed for the next three full months, plus the processing charge (if you don't cure your own hams and bacons).

But, bottom line, while you might be paying more for bacon nowadays, you don't have to worry about catching PEDV. It just can't happen.

I have kissed lots of pigs on the lips but did not realize it until the next day.

 

[labworm]

The Boston Bacon Boy checking in.

Fold it in half, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside.
Once a month I fry up a whole pound and make two sandwiches on plain fresh white bread, straight up.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Not really shot but spanked by the girls in the HEART ATTACK GRILL post.

Then thrown in the hog pen.


I don't really like turkey much even when it's just supposed to be turkey. On those occasions that traditionally call for turkey, I usually serve a porketta, preferably accompanied by a carbonara, essentially pasta with bacon.

 

[DR505]

 

[billwill]

The Boston Bacon Boy checking in.

Fold it in half, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside.
Once a month I fry up a whole pound and make two sandwiches on plain fresh white bread, straight up.

What time do we need to be there? Can we bring anything?