BACON

The History of Bacon: Bacon began as a simple way to preserve fresh meat in times before refrigeration. Much like beef brisket and hams, bacon is well suited to brining in a salt solution. This brine provided a measure of protection from bacteria that would have no problem quickly spoiling the fat-rich pork belly. By raising the salinity of the water in the pork belly, the meat and fat became inhospitable to bacterial growth. Smoking offered another step of protection when it was discovered that the life of the bacon could be even further extended by smoking it. Combined, these steps for preservation had the added affect of making the pork belly absolutely delicious.P> Once people realized how good bacon tasted once brined and smoked, they started to get creative with it. They added black pepper, juniper, garlic, jalapenos, and all sorts of flavorings to the brine, and brought in sweet applewood and aromatic mesquite to smoke the bellies. Now, whatever your tastes run, there’s a bacon to suit your palate.

Different Types of Bacon

Pancetta from Italy and Ventreche from France are also cured pork belly, but they’re not smoked. They are often sold in unsliced rounds. You can unroll these rounds and cube the bacon to make what the French call “lardons.” Lardons can be thought of as bacon croutons and are wonderful in salads (as in the classic Salad Lyonnaise), in casseroles, and a decadent addition to Mac n’ Cheese.

Duck Bacon is a brined duck breast, thinly sliced like bacon. Similar to pork bellies, duck bacon has a full-bodied taste and generous amount of fat. Note that duck meat is not as dense as pork and cooks much faster, so be careful not to over cook it.

Irish Bacon, or “Back Bacon,” comes from the loin of the pig, not the belly. It is not as fat-rich as belly bacon, but it is still brined and thinly sliced for frying as traditional bacon.

Cooking with Bacon: Bacon is made to be intensely flavorful, so there’s no better way to try it than on its own, simply pan-fried. If you have more time, some people prefer to bake the bacon in the oven on a jellyroll pan, to avoid grease splatters and to drain the bacon as it cooks. But bacon is also great at adding flavor to accent other foods:

• Bacon-wrapped shrimp and scallops are one of the classiest hors d’oeuvres around. Just make sure you use top quality bacon on those pricy scallops and jumbo shrimp.
• Filet Mignon is meltingly tender, but mild in taste compared to other parts of the cow. Give it some extra voomph by ringing it in a slice of bacon.
• Crumbled bacon is a great addition to stuffing. Try it with bread crumbs, olives, and Pecorino Romano for stuffing artichoke hearts. Pheasant is lovely with bacon, prunes, and wild rice stuffing.
• The fatty nature of bacon is also great in helping lean game meats stay moist and not dry out. By wrapping bacon around quail, rabbit, partridge, or other lean meats, the bacon will baste the meat as it cooks, preventing it from losing too much moisture. This is especially good for high-heat cooking methods, such as broiling and grilling.