Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Bacon Bits


David Ross

Recommended Posts

Like a lot of us, I keep the odd bottle or bag of commercial bacon bits in the door of the fridge for emergencies, or, like tonight, when I'm lazy. Tonight I'm making some stuffed, baked potatoes but I didn't want to take the time to saute some real bacon and then break it into bits. I'm using Hormel brand "Real" bacon bits with 50% less fat "than USDA Data for Pan-Fried Bacon." They actually taste o.k., albeit a bit heavy on the salt and I don't mind the fake smoke flavor. My main problem is that the bacon is almost ground rather than cut into bits, and the whole lot sort of clumps together. I'm sure it will be passable for tonight's potatoes.

Are there any decent commercial brands of bacon bits out there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't have an answer for your question but do have a suggestion.

A friend of mine showed me this tip. She fries up (or you can bake it, as well) a pound of bacon and then, when it's done cooking and has cooled, she puts it in a ziplock-type freezer bag and throws it in the freezer.

When she wants some bacon, she takes out a couple pieces from the freezer bag and zaps them in the microwave a few seconds to bring them back "to life", so to speak. While it won't have the same crisp texture you get from fresh just-fried bacon, if your chopping it up into a pot of beans or salad, it'll do just fine.

No need for Bacon Bits.

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

I have the Hormel bacon bits you appear to have. I think they can be quite potent because they contain some artificial flavorings. The flavoring and scent industry uses some good science and their work can be an ally. I find the Hormel bacon bits are pretty okey dokey. I'd rather spend time on something other than frying bacon sometimes. Has anyone applied low-temperature or sous vide to bacon? Ham? Result????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love plain old Bacon Bits, but I've never fooled myself into thinking that they taste anything like actual bacon..

When I want bacon bits, I take a few rashers and snip them with my kitchen shears into the pan, about every half inch or so. Stick over low heat and just stir occasionally. Takes an hour or so, but I always end up with crisp, uniform pieces (slightly larger than "bits" I guess, but still very serviceable) that taste and smell like real bacon.

"...which usually means underflavored, undersalted modern French cooking hidden under edible flowers and Mexican fruits."

- Jeffrey Steingarten, in reference to "California Cuisine".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I keep a bag of bacon bits in the freezer. They are Costco's Kirkland brand and I quite like them. I find they come in handy when I want to, say, add the equivalent to three slices of bacon to something and I don't feel like dirtying a pan. Looking at the ingredient list, it doesn't look like it contains anything you wouldn't find in bacon. They are also nice sized bits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So... what do you do with bacon powder? Use it instead of bacon bits? Do you dislike the texture of bacon bits?

This is my skillet. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My skillet is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it, as I must master my life. Without me my skillet is useless. Without my skillet, I am useless. I must season my skillet well. I will. Before God I swear this creed. My skillet and myself are the makers of my meal. We are the masters of our kitchen. So be it, until there are no ingredients, but dinner. Amen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So... what do you do with bacon powder? Use it instead of bacon bits? Do you dislike the texture of bacon bits?

No, I also use bacon bits.

They taste the same, but give different texture, mouth feel and presentation on food.

dcarch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Understood, but I still want to know what you use it on.

This is my skillet. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My skillet is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it, as I must master my life. Without me my skillet is useless. Without my skillet, I am useless. I must season my skillet well. I will. Before God I swear this creed. My skillet and myself are the makers of my meal. We are the masters of our kitchen. So be it, until there are no ingredients, but dinner. Amen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

Host's note: this discussion of bacon bits and how to make them was moved from Hoarding Ingredients - suffering from Allgoneophobia?

 

To me the flavor of bacon can overpower everything else.

What I don't like is those bacon pieces that are put into prepared salads, even if they're real they're too much, besides being tough and chewy.

What I do like is a BLT, which is just about the best sandwich there is.

Edited by Smithy
Added host's note (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, lindag said:

What I do like is a BLT, which is just about the best sandwich there is.

Oh yes! Now I know what we are going to have for dinner. BLTs and broccoli cheese soup. I don't have any fresh broccoli so this will give me a chance to go to the store  and restock my overstocked pantry.

To address the problem of those terrible bacon bits on salads, usually they are overcooked and overaged. To me, well cooked, nice sized fresh bacon pieces are essential to a spinach salad.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Commercial bacon bits are awful.  

I don't use bacon bits in salad.  

I have a solution that works for me.  I sauté chopped pecans in a tablespoon or so of bacon dripping (fresh) spread them on a pie pan and dry them in a toaster oven - takes about 3 minutes.

I have yet to have anyone say they don't like them.  In fact, they usually pick out any remaining pieces after the salad has been consumed.

  • Like 9

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Years ago I worked for a high-end delicatessen that was associated with a great butcher shop. They made their own smoked bacon and trimmed it and sliced it so that every slice was a work of art. That left plenty of trimmings, which we chopped and fried and sold as fresh bacon bits. One of the items on our catering menu was green beans with various seasonings, butter and lots of bacon bits. One morning I arrived to work and was asked to make up a hotel pan of green beans, which I promptly did by opening up four large cans of beans and preparing them in our usual way. Then I had a horrible thought and ask the manager who they were for. They were for the luncheon that I was to serve at noon and the client that I would be serving was a business that was owned by a wonderful Jewish Family. Although the meal was not requested to be kosher, we always respected the dietary requirements of whatever culture we were serving. I rushed to make another pan of beans and there were no more in the pantry and no way to get any more. I had to serve those beans. I did it with bated breath. I thought I had gotten away with it when the owner approached me and said he had to talk to me about the beans. My heart sank. Then he asked me for the recipe. He said that they were the best beans he had ever had in his life and would I please give him the recipe so that his wife could make them for him. I think I crossed my fingers behind my back as I told him that they were made with butter and Bacos, those horrible imitation bacon bits.

After that, we made sure that we never ran out of beans especially since it became one of our most popular items. However, in addition to the bacon bits we had to start stocking Bacos, because the word was out and all of our Jewish clients started requesting beans with those wonderful Bacos.

Edited by Tropicalsenior
Spelling error (log)
  • Like 2
  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Tropicalsenior said:

 

After that, we made sure that we never ran out of beans especially since it became one of our most popular items. However, in addition to the bacon bits we had to start stocking Bacos, because the word was out and all of our Jewish clients started requesting beans with those wonderful Bacos.

 

I have some vegan friends, including a couple who are fairly new to it.  One confessed to me that the one thing she really missed was the flavor of dried beans cooked with ham hocks.

I cooked up a batch of beans using brewed Lapsang Souchong tea, so that the smoky flavor permeated the liquid and the beans and actually imparted a "meaty" flavor.  They were very pleased with the dish and have since incorporated that routine into their bean cookery.

  • Like 5

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, andiesenji said:

brewed Lapsang Souchong tea,

This product intrigues me. I would like to have it  to try your method  of cooking sausage. We have a small, very slowly growing Barrio Chino and I may be able to find it there. Would you, perhaps, be able to send me a picture of your package? My problem in buying things there is that the personnel in these stores do not speak English and barely speak Spanish. A picture would be worth a thousand words to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Tropicalsenior said:

This product intrigues me. I would like to have it  to try your method  of cooking sausage. We have a small, very slowly growing Barrio Chino and I may be able to find it there. Would you, perhaps, be able to send me a picture of your package? My problem in buying things there is that the personnel in these stores do not speak English and barely speak Spanish. A picture would be worth a thousand words to me.

 

If no picture is available, the Chinese for Lapsang Souchong is either 立山小種 or 正山小種 .

 

Here are the two alternatives in image form. The second is the more common.

 

tea.gif.cdde4a9260e0f4a893db0b008aabbd26.gif

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, andiesenji said:

I have a solution that works for me.  I sauté chopped pecans in a tablespoon or so of bacon dripping (fresh) spread them on a pie pan and dry them in a toaster oven - takes about 3 minutes.

I have yet to have anyone say they don't like them.  In fact, they usually pick out any remaining pieces after the salad has been consumed.

 

Hmmmm!

I am a bacon fanatic!

This is a tip I MUST remember!

 

Cheers, peace and bacon grease! :smile:

 

  • Like 4
  • Haha 1

~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/12/2017 at 10:11 PM, andiesenji said:

I cooked up a batch of beans using brewed Lapsang Souchong tea, so that the smoky flavor permeated the liquid and the beans and actually imparted a "meaty" flavor.

 

This sounds like a great idea... how much tea did you use?

 

edited because I don't know how to tag a name properly  :$

Edited by BetD (log)
  • Like 1

"There are no mistakes in bread baking, only more bread crumbs"

*Bernard Clayton, Jr.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, BetD said:

 

This sounds like a great idea... how much tea did you use?

 

edited because I don't know how to tag a name properly  :$

 

I use loose tea and brew a quart of tea -  2 tablespoons of loose tea, a quart of boiling water, steep for 8 minutes. Strain into the pot of beans that have been soaked overnight and drained.  Add enough water to cover the beans plus about an inch.  

You can re-steep the tea with about a pint of water and leave it to steep for 30 minutes or so, in case you need more during the cooking, if the beans take up too much liquid and look dry on top.  

I use this tea in baked beans, I add some to the little new potatoes that are boiled in their skins.  Any food that is enhanced by a smoky flavor.

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, andiesenji said:

I use loose tea and brew a quart of tea -  2 tablespoons of loose tea, a quart of boiling water, steep for 8 minutes. Strain into the pot of beans that have been soaked overnight and drained.  Add enough water to cover the beans plus about an inch.  

You can re-steep the tea with about a pint of water and leave it to steep for 30 minutes or so, in case you need more during the cooking, if the beans take up too much liquid and look dry on top.  

I use this tea in baked beans, I add some to the little new potatoes that are boiled in their skins.  Any food that is enhanced by a smoky flavor.

This sounds like such a good idea, I can't wait to go to Barrio Chino and see if I can find some of this tea. Thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...