BACON question

[alexgator]

January 1st begins my 30 day paleo challenge. I'm really excited, actually :]

I haven't eaten pork or beef in over five years. (Not for any moral or religious reason... Just cause.) So, that being, I'm not really savvy on bacon. I've eaten the occasional turkey bacon but... It's made with "reformed turkey" which doesn't sound like something our caveman ancestors would have drooled over.

I know traditional bacon can be horrid as well. My question is: what kind of bacon should I get? Can I get it cut fresh at a butcher? Is there a prepackaged brand I can get? Is it terribly expensive?

Thanks!

[verin]

I know if there is a mennonite community in your area that the bacon from them can come fresh from a butcher. I used to buy pounds of it from them on my way to my cottage in the middle of nowhere every summer. Now though i tend to eat pea meal bacon i have no idea if it's better or worse than the traditional variant, i just like it more.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Is there a farmer's market nearby? We used to get the best bacon ever at a farmer's market by our house; sadly, the farmers moved to Ohio. They'll be able to let you know how organic it is. I'm guessing that Paleo diet wants you to avoid second-hand antibiotics and hormones.

[mcdrew]

Why is traditional bacon horrid?

[spezzy]

1) you are right, turkey bacon is neither turkey nor bacon. i wouldn't touch the stuff.

2) if you're not really savvy on eating bacon, why eat it?

3) its much cheaper and better for you to make your own. that being said, if you don't want to do that, i'd go and get it from a local butcher.

[nightlight]

Best option: Local butcher

Second best: nitrate free bacon from whole foods (where I get mine) or another supermarket

[andygates]

If you're compelled to look at mass-market bacon, the cheap stuff is "wet cure" and gives off loads of briny juice when cooked. The high-grade stuff is "dry-cure" and is much nicer.

Then again, it's all bacon. Mmm, baaaacon....

(wet cure: the curing salt is injected as solution, and the meat is heavier for the extra water; dry cure: the curing salt is applied to the surface of the meat and left to work, which takes longer, but is unquestionably nicer)

[Guest ZeroTwo]

Don't eat bacon, no matter what "paleo" gurus tell you. It's pure omega 6 and it will give you systemic inflammation and blocked arteries.

[Loren Wade]

Don't eat bacon, no matter what "paleo" gurus tell you. It's pure omega 6 and it will give you systemic inflammation and blocked arteries.

Wow, seriously?

I'm sorry, but science says otherwise... Them "paleo gurus" might actually know what they're talking about.

http://www.getprograde.com/the-truth-about-bacon.html

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61341020100204?irpc=932

Unfortunately I was unable to track down anything linking bacon to the cause of systematic inflammation and/or blocked arteries. And no, bacon is not pure omega 6.

I'm sure you had good intentions, but in the long scheme of things, bacon is not what kills you.

Edit: Also, I eat bacon almost daily. My cholesterol levels have dropped and I have no signs of either of my two autoimmune diseases (inflammation) and would be happy to share my blood test results with you.

[This is Seth]

would be happy to share my blood with you.

FTFY. [[ten chars]]

[Loren Wade]

FTFY. [[ten chars]]

For reals. And to be completely honest, if I didn't have an autoimmune disease, I probably WOULD share my blood.

[bananandrea]

I love bacon.

I can't afford the totally awesome organic dry cured stuff often- but if you can afford it, it is the most amazing stuff ever.

I usually just get the Farmland bacon from my local grocery stores.

[Jon5k]

Bacon rules! I know you can get the good stuff (Nitrite/Nitrate free <--- the "N's" are bad for you I believe...) at Trader Joes if that is in your area. Giant foods also has a brand that is good.

[This is Seth]

For reals. And to be completely honest, if I didn't have an autoimmune disease, I probably WOULD share my blood.

Extremely off topic, but giving blood was how I found out that I had high blood pressure. The nurse looked worried when she was testing me, called in a doctor who told me that I needed to go on medication and should give thought to heading to a hospital either way. Who knew?

But bacon, yeah. Bacon. Thick cut, uncured, secksy bacon.

[alexgator]

Thanks all :] Exactly what I was hoping to get. I'm going to look for dry-cured, nitrate free bacon. I don't live near a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and the farmer's market is out of season until march, but we do have a food co-op that should have something.

1)

2) if you're not really savvy on eating bacon, why eat it?

3) its much cheaper and better for you to make your own. that being said, if you don't want to do that, i'd go and get it from a local butcher.

Majority of variety in my diet comes from eating different legumes to get protein. Without that option, I want to introduce some new meats into my diet. Bacon goes great in a lot of easy, quick recipes. So that's why :]

I'm definitely going to look into making my own, too. But it'll be good to know what to look for when I don't have time to make it.

Thanks again everyone.

[Ryan Sannar]

Try buying whey and using that.

Also I drink Bacon. Its that good.

[alexgator]

You... drink bacon? I'm personally gonna stick to eating my food. But that definitely is... Interesting haha.

[Jon5k]

Does anyone have a link on how to make bacon?

[catspaw]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/scrap-iron-chefs-bacon-recipe/index.html

[Guest guest4729]

For reals. And to be completely honest, if I didn't have an autoimmune disease, I probably WOULD share my blood.

Likewise. I'd like to donate blood but I'll never be allowed to. First I got tattoos and couldn't give blood, but on top of the autoimmune disease I can never give any.

Anddd back on topic...I freakin' love bacon. I wish I could afford the nice bacon but my budget can't afford all of the super paleo friendly things that I'd like to buy. I'm cutting out a lot of junk but at the same time buying more expensive meats would set me back further than I'd like. I buy what I can for an affordable price. Maybe one day when I have an awesome job I can afford unadultered bacon-y goodness.

[alexgator]

awsd-- I definitely hear you on the price thing. I wish I had unlimited funds to spend on local, organic food. But we do our best, right?!

[Guest guest4729]

awsd-- I definitely hear you on the price thing. I wish I had unlimited funds to spend on local, organic food. But we do our best, right?!

Exactly! If all you can get is regular store bought bacon and not grass-fed deliciousness then you're doing better than sitting there eating a bag of Cheetos. lol

[Ryan Sannar]

Yeah I drink bacon, as in I eat it so much and so fast it looks like I'm drinking it down (though I should try to make a bacon shake... hmmm coconut milk and hazelnut cream with bits of cheese and almonds?)

I hear you on the price thing. You can always alternate and buy semi organic, also sales help a ton. Seriously though its one of those things you gotta figure out on your own; though if your going to spend money on organic food go with meat because you can't wash out the pesticide and etc... like you can with veggies (though of course not completely). Check to see if you have a local co-op in your area, that can be cheaper too.

[alexgator]

Oh that makes SO much more sense xD

There is a co-op here! It tends to be a little pricey, but the selection is great. I'm not home atm, but I'll compare prices when I get back.

[m00se]

bacon shake...

This sounds almost as epic as that tuna banana shake idea from another thread.

Do it.