If you are lucky enough to find a butcher who is skilled in charcuterie AND uses meat from animals raised organically on pasture, you are one lucky person, my friend. I have had the distinct, mind-blowing, pleasure of eating bacon cured in a small smokehouse by my ultra-skilled farmer-friend, Richard. Sweet Hallelujah!
That stuff in the store, that wet-brined, over-salted stuff doesn't even compare(and I'm not even talking about the grocery store stuff, I'm alluding to the organic, supposedly higher quality stuff). I wish I could reach through the computer and place a nicely warmed piece right in front of you. Then, I would sit back and watch you cry for all of the moments you wasted doing anything, but eating Richard's bacon.
Maybe the picture can help you try to imagine.
Michael Ruhlman, the author of "Charcuterie" did a great interview you may like to read. If you don't have his book, I would highly recommend it. It's fun and totally possible to experiment with your own smaller scale projects. We made duck prosciutto last winter that was really easy to do and it tasted wonderful.
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We get beautiful naturally cured pasture-raised bacon through our meat CSA and it is a pleasure indeed! So meaty, and smoky and unlike any bacon I'd ever had before.
ReplyDeleteA meat CSA - how lucky! Thanks for visiting, Jenny.
ReplyDeleteBacon is wonderful indeed, but even more so is that you came back! I missed you. Thank you for returning to inspire and inform your readers.
ReplyDeleteHi Carly,
ReplyDeleteYou're sweet! Here, have a piece of bacon! If I could mail it I would.
xoxo