Bacon Talk

Inventry
UnlistMe
Tennessee Deer Sporting & Deer Hunting Community Forum

Help Support TNDeer | Tennessee Deer:

gtk

gtk

Moderator
Staff member
Gold Supporter
Joined
Jan 26, 2001
Messages
6,228
City & State/Province
Colorado via Mississippi
Talking about store bought bacon. I cannot find a brand that is consistently the same. Does anyone have a favorite brand that generally is cut and cooks the same?

Complaints:
Every other packet I buy is nothing but fat and shrivels up to almost nothing.
Bacon falls apart when separating from the package
Bacon is injected with sugar or something else that causes a sticky "goo" in the bottom of the skillet.

Hormel Black Label used to be my "go to". Then it was costco brand. Now both of them are hit/miss it seems.
 
We've had our best luck with Costco brand. Other than that, Smithfield. Both are inconsistent but less so that other brands we've tried. We don't pan fry, we cook all our bacon in the oven on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
 
Can't help, I started making my own a few months ago. Got some pork bellies, put salt, curing salt and seasoning on and let set for a week. Wash off, dry and smoke.
Makes bacon that is so much better than anything store bought.

Prior to making my own, we got the 4lb packs from sams club, I don't recall the brand name, but it was a "thick cut".
 
The Trader Joe's bacon was really good and may still be good but I haven't been to one in years. Alot of their products have gotten too high and the quality has gone down. Now I get my bacon from the Amish butcher shop and it is great. Their smoked bacon I feel has too strong of a smoke flavor.
 
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
See price on Amazon
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
See price on Amazon
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
See price on Amazon
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
See price on Amazon
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
See price on Amazon
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
See price on Amazon
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
Savage said:
Have you tried wrights?
Click to expand...
yes, same results
backyardtndeer said:
Usually buy hormel black label "thick cut" from Sam's club. It's pretty consistent with the exception that it's not really thick cut.
Click to expand...
I should have stated, my wife (aka: queen) doesn't like thick cut bacon. She likes the thinner bacon really crisp.
 
The thick cut from Food Lion has been incredible for us for about a year since we started buying it. Consistently good quality with no issues. If it matters, we bake the bacon rather than fry. Helps with the consistency.
 
gtk said:
Talking about store bought bacon. I cannot find a brand that is consistently the same. Does anyone have a favorite brand that generally is cut and cooks the same?

Complaints:
Every other packet I buy is nothing but fat and shrivels up to almost nothing.
Bacon falls apart when separating from the package
Bacon is injected with sugar or something else that causes a sticky "goo" in the bottom of the skillet.

Hormel Black Label used to be my "go to". Then it was costco brand. Now both of them are hit/miss it seems.
Click to expand...

First and foremost, the best bacon is home-cured belly that you can buy at most grocery stores for about $5-$6/lb. If not, here's my take on most retail bacon

1) Sprouts "Farmers Market"
and a very distant 2) Kroger

Skip the pre-packaged stuff. Go to the meat counter where they have bacon-by-the-pound. Sprouts hickory smoked bacon is $6.99/lb not on sale. Sometimes they have it on sale for $5/lb. It is always good quality, rarely puddles up a bunch of water in the pan, and it doesn't shrink down to half-size.

If you don't have a Sprouts near you (it's not a farmers market at all), the Kroger meat counter usually has some that's passable.

If none of these are practical, Wright's bacon is a distant third place. It's fallen dramatically from what it used to be, but Wright's is very water-logged in the pan, it shrinks down horribly, and is usually at least $9/lb.
 
As for your "sticky goo", it's going to be a problem for you unless they've specifically eliminated brown sugar cured anything. Even my home-cured bacon uses brown sugar, and it'll leave a sticky remnant in the pan.
 
Could some of the inconsistencies come from the idea that they receive hogs from several different sources that are fed several different ways?
They fatten hogs out on expired Butterfingers, peanut butter, any paper/plastic wrappers that aren't fully removed, dog food, snack food waste, ice cream waste, etc, etc. They are the garbage cans of the US.
 
used to like williams but since tyson bought them 2 years ago it has turned terrible.

tried a different brand tonight and it was really good for blt's. kentucky legend apple wood. will try this until it poo poos out. hopefully not as long as tyson or the chinese smithfield doesnt buy them.

we dont like thick cut either. i do like center cut but this ky legend isnt but it cooks up like center cut with minimal shrinkage.
 
Oscar Mayer Center " Cut used to be good. I haven't bought it in a long time. For me, Rusty's butcher shop has the best tasting bacon in Chattanooga. Other than that, we usually buy Costco or Smithfield bacon. Sometimes Hormel Black Label. I guess I'm not much help.
 
Lt.Dan said:
Oscar Mayer Center " Cut used to be good. I haven't bought it in a long time. For me, Rusty's butcher shop has the best tasting bacon in Chattanooga. Other than that, we usually buy Costco or Smithfield bacon. Sometimes Hormel Black Label. I guess I'm not much help.
Click to expand...
they cut the oscar myer center cut too thin now.
 
I like Bentons but can't cook it in the house, I smell it for over a week after I fry it. Wrights black pepper when I can find it, that's not happened in awhile. Kroger most of the time when I can't go off somewhere, I think I will run to ugo and get a whole pork loin and make Canadian bacon sometime soon
 
Best bacon Ive ever had came from a hog I had "topped out" and took straight to the slaughter house myself. Whitleyville Station is the name of the place and its in, believe it or not, Whitleyville TN.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top