BACON!

Hey guys! I am on a ketogenic diet and I thought I would ask some questions about bacon, and create a general bacon thread.

What are some interesting things you do with bacon when you include it in your meals? It is great all by itself, however it makes everything else it touches taste better.

Any ideas from low-carbers? I could use some ideas, because even though the taste is great, eating it as a side (or in my case, a single entree item) can get boring.

What kind of bacon do you buy? I get the Economy cut kind. It is about 75-80% fat based on calories, and about 60% based on weight (I did my own scientific study on the bacon, as it didn't come with a nutrition label).

Its BACON!!!
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Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    One of our grocery stores, Acme, has the hands down best bacon. It's just their store brand thick cut kind but so good. My daughter can even identify it by taste (bacon line up! ) that's how much we prefer it. I mostly just eat it plain but it is good cooked with green beans and onions too. Also, you can cook some nice and crispy, set it aside and roast quartered brussels sprouts in some of the grease, and then serve them with crumbled bacon on top. And don't forget the good old blt.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    I buy the cheapest or on sale I can find. pork- never that gross rubber turkey crap. tomorrow I am making grilled chicken breast with bacon and a slice of cheese on it, serving with tomatoes and lettuce slices and some baked potatoe wedges. we love bacon but it is so expensive I only buy it every few weeks
  • baxterroxy
    baxterroxy Posts: 43 Member
    Trader Joe's applewood smoked bacon is THE BEST EVER! I have been making chicken cutlet roulade stuffed with artichoke hearts and a little parmesan cheese with bacon strips on top. Sooooo good.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Wrights bacon and added to just about anything is good. I don't do low carb so I add it to cookies, cupcakes, on top of chicken, cooked with veggies... it's BACON it goes with most things
  • ineedalifetbh
    ineedalifetbh Posts: 132 Member
    I'm simple, I just cut it up and put it in my omelette. :smile:
  • tdavies1980
    tdavies1980 Posts: 22 Member
    I am on high protein low carb diet and have lost 1st 1lb in three weeks.

    the bacon I use is the own brand low fat - made with water however before you say yuk it tastes and looks like bacon and when you put it in a baking tray in the oven with an egg inside it, it comes out great.

    Sausage well just any sausage will do as long as its tasty.

    :happy:
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Wrights bacon and added to just about anything is good. I don't do low carb so I add it to cookies, cupcakes, on top of chicken, cooked with veggies... it's BACON it goes with everything

    FIFY
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Wrights bacon and added to just about anything is good. I don't do low carb so I add it to cookies, cupcakes, on top of chicken, cooked with veggies... it's BACON it goes with everything

    FIFY

    Thank you, you are right it goes with everything
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    bacon- herm- I use Farmland- mostly because it's consistently good.

    I did just pick up a new brand with no nitrates which I'm excited to try.

    I mostly just make it straight- but I do occasionaly make bacon wrapped asparagus AND I also will make little biscuits with cheese- jalepeno and brown sugar baked bacon.

    (buy the grands or off brand pre made biscuit dough- cut in half- bake bacon in the oven with brown sugar till crispy- meanwhile chop cheese and jalepeno up)

    crumble bacon
    fold bacon- cheese jalepeno into half dough bit
    form ball
    bake at 350 till golden brown.

    NOMNOMNOMNOMNOM

    that's about it.
  • mave34
    mave34 Posts: 109 Member
    "Are you going to eat that left over bacon?" Said nobody...ever!! :laugh:
  • bugaboo_sue
    bugaboo_sue Posts: 552 Member
    I buy Burgers Smokehouse Bacon Steak bacon. It has no crap in it. Ingredients are minimal: bacon, salt, brown sugar, sodium nitrate. It's really good too.

    There really isn't anything you can't do with bacon. We cook it up, then take kale and cook it in the drippings, crumble the bacon and toss with blue cheese. OMG!

    Or bacon and eggs.

    Or bacon and bacon.

    Or just bacon.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    "Are you going to eat that left over bacon?" Said nobody...ever!! :laugh:

    Lol. My daughter and I go out to brunch every Saturday after her swim lessons and my workout. She always orders a side of bacon (3 slices) and gives me one piece. It started because she was going to leave a piece uneaten (gasp!) and I told her that leftover bacon is ridiculous. So now it's become our Saturday tradition.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    I buy Burgers Smokehouse Bacon Steak bacon. It has no crap in it. Ingredients are minimal: bacon, salt, brown sugar, sodium nitrate. It's really good too.

    There really isn't anything you can't do with bacon. We cook it up, then take kale and cook it in the drippings, crumble the bacon and toss with blue cheese. OMG!

    Or bacon and eggs.

    Or bacon and bacon.

    Or just bacon.

    ooh.....that is a good idea! I love frying kale with butter, because it just flows on my tongue, but I never thought of using the grease to cook the kale with....it would work. I am actually going to use that idea this morning with the leftover bacon grease in the pan from last night! That is perfect for keto!
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    I buy the cheapest or on sale I can find. pork- never that gross rubber turkey crap. tomorrow I am making grilled chicken breast with bacon and a slice of cheese on it, serving with tomatoes and lettuce slices and some baked potatoe wedges. we love bacon but it is so expensive I only buy it every few weeks

    I just bought some economy bacon for $2.99 per pound, which is still less than steak. It has more fat in it, but I did an experiment and calculated it at about 60/40 fat/meat by mass. See what your butcher puts out!
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    bacon_zps3a8c419b.jpg
  • territhefrog
    territhefrog Posts: 1,134 Member
    I think I am going to cry. There is no bacon in my refrigerator.
  • Before MFP I thought bacon was just for breakfast and would usually only have it on weekends. Thanks to threads like this, I now have it multiple times each day. Just want to say thanks for opening my mind.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,855 Member
    I buy Burgers Smokehouse Bacon Steak bacon. It has no crap in it. Ingredients are minimal: bacon, salt, brown sugar, sodium nitrate. It's really good too.

    Not to be a pain, because I don't care, but technically sodium nitrate is crap. Nitrites/nitrates are one of my migraine triggers, heh.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I think I am going to cry. There is no bacon in my refrigerator.

    you're fridge is broken!!!


    We do turkey wrapped in bacon- and that is AMAZING.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    bacon- herm- I use Farmland- mostly because it's consistently good.

    I did just pick up a new brand with no nitrates which I'm excited to try.

    I mostly just make it straight- but I do occasionaly make bacon wrapped asparagus AND I also will make little biscuits with cheese- jalepeno and brown sugar baked bacon.

    (buy the grands or off brand pre made biscuit dough- cut in half- bake bacon in the oven with brown sugar till crispy- meanwhile chop cheese and jalepeno up)

    crumble bacon
    fold bacon- cheese jalepeno into half dough bit
    form ball
    bake at 350 till golden brown.

    NOMNOMNOMNOMNOM

    that's about it.

    I will be making this! Thank you!
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    I buy Burgers Smokehouse Bacon Steak bacon. It has no crap in it. Ingredients are minimal: bacon, salt, brown sugar, sodium nitrate. It's really good too.

    Not to be a pain, because I don't care, but technically sodium nitrate is crap. Nitrites/nitrates are one of my migraine triggers, heh.

    The many benefits of this "crap", just for kicks and giggles: http://www.livestrong.com/article/124054-uses-sodium-nitrate/
    The same stuff that preserves your meat can also blow *kitten* up!
  • shellma00
    shellma00 Posts: 1,684 Member
    I put bacon in my stuffed mushrooms... only 1 carb/ 25 cals per mushroom..

    I just take the stems out of button mushrooms... fry up a few slices of bacon(reserve a little bit of the grease to saute with onions & stems) and crumble it.. then I saute a little bit of finely chopped onions or dry minced onions & minced garlic with the stems(finely chopped) in the reserved bacon grease... I then mix 1 brick of cream cheese (I use the Nufetchel (spelling??)) with the bacon, onion, stems, and some black pepper... once mixed I stuff the button mushroom tops and then bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes...


    YUMMMMMMMY
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    I put bacon in my stuffed mushrooms... only 1 carb/ 25 cals per mushroom..

    I just take the stems out of button mushrooms... fry up a few slices of bacon(reserve a little bit of the grease to saute with onions & stems) and crumble it.. then I saute a little bit of finely chopped onions or dry minced onions & minced garlic with the stems(finely chopped) in the reserved bacon grease... I then mix 1 brick of cream cheese (I use the Nufetchel (spelling??)) with the bacon, onion, stems, and some black pepper... once mixed I stuff the button mushroom tops and then back at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes...


    YUMMMMMMMY

    bacon and mushrooms! That is a definite top combo!

    It is worth mentioning, since we are on the topic, that the bacon grease is EXTRA calories on top of the "listed" bacon calories. If two slices are 70 calories, or one thick slice is 80, it does not count the leftover grease. Bacon grease is still relative to oil, as it is pure fat. 9 calories per gram, or 36 per tsp
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    I'll put it in a salad from time to time, but other than that, I'm old fashioned and prefer it with my omelet. However, I do save bacon grease and cook my omelets with it. YUMMY!(also a ketoer in case you didn't know. lol)

    However, since I found out I have an ulcer, I have to limit my meat consumption a bit to make sure it doesn't get worse. So I haven't been having as much bacon. It makes me have a sad.
  • shellma00
    shellma00 Posts: 1,684 Member
    I put bacon in my stuffed mushrooms... only 1 carb/ 25 cals per mushroom..

    I just take the stems out of button mushrooms... fry up a few slices of bacon(reserve a little bit of the grease to saute with onions & stems) and crumble it.. then I saute a little bit of finely chopped onions or dry minced onions & minced garlic with the stems(finely chopped) in the reserved bacon grease... I then mix 1 brick of cream cheese (I use the Nufetchel (spelling??)) with the bacon, onion, stems, and some black pepper... once mixed I stuff the button mushroom tops and then back at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes...


    YUMMMMMMMY

    bacon and mushrooms! That is a definite top combo!

    It is worth mentioning, since we are on the topic, that the bacon grease is EXTRA calories on top of the "listed" bacon calories. If two slices are 70 calories, or one thick slice is 80, it does not count the leftover grease. Bacon grease is still relative to oil, as it is pure fat. 9 calories per gram, or 36 per tsp

    Im not really familiar with the KETO diet, but I was hoping all these ingredients were OK
  • There are people who weave taco shells out of bacon. I try and use only pastured bacon when I can find it. I stay away from sugar and nitrates if I can help it.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    I put bacon in my stuffed mushrooms... only 1 carb/ 25 cals per mushroom..

    I just take the stems out of button mushrooms... fry up a few slices of bacon(reserve a little bit of the grease to saute with onions & stems) and crumble it.. then I saute a little bit of finely chopped onions or dry minced onions & minced garlic with the stems(finely chopped) in the reserved bacon grease... I then mix 1 brick of cream cheese (I use the Nufetchel (spelling??)) with the bacon, onion, stems, and some black pepper... once mixed I stuff the button mushroom tops and then back at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes...


    YUMMMMMMMY

    bacon and mushrooms! That is a definite top combo!

    It is worth mentioning, since we are on the topic, that the bacon grease is EXTRA calories on top of the "listed" bacon calories. If two slices are 70 calories, or one thick slice is 80, it does not count the leftover grease. Bacon grease is still relative to oil, as it is pure fat. 9 calories per gram, or 36 per tsp

    Im not really familiar with the KETO diet, but I was hoping all these ingredients were OK

    hehe. yeah, they are, imo. I forgot to indicate that my comment was more of a sidenote than a response. The keto diet is a diet of 70 percent fat and 10 percent or less of carbs.
  • Sweetvirgo63
    Sweetvirgo63 Posts: 119 Member
    I sometimes buy the turkey bacon at Costco; best one when compared to the other brands in grocery store.

    I also buy the pre-cooked bacon slices which are way less fattening; don't have to cook them before making a sandwich or breakfast. 30-40 seconds in the microwave to soften it up.

    Other than that, I buy the one that looks like it has the most meat as opposed to the most fatty tissue, that's if you can actually call bacon "meat".

    I love putting 2 slices of cooked bacon [if cold] with just japanese cabbage and warming the whole thing together in a microwave. Makes for a quick lunch at the office. Everything tastes like bacon - yum

    When I cook my bacon, I do it in my George Foreman grill, all the grease runs out.
  • rprussell2004
    rprussell2004 Posts: 870 Member
    OP: Google "Bacon Explosion" and then go to the store :)

    Also, you might try curing your own - it's actually ridiculously easy, and this guy has the best recipe I've ever tasted:
    http://ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/

    The hardest part these days is finding a butcher who sells pork belly - it's not generally available in grocery stores.

    Also: On the whole, nitrates are harmless:
    http://chriskresser.com/the-nitrate-and-nitrite-myth-another-reason-not-to-fear-bacon
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    Bacon Wrapped Scallops:

    Ingredients
    12 slices of bacon, cut in half lengthwise
    24 medium-sized scallops
    10 Tbsp butter
    6 cloves garlic, pressed
    Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
    Salt
    Pepper
    Toothpicks


    Instructions
    ◾Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    ◾Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. If you want to make clean up easier, line the baking dish with foil (shiny side down) and grease the foil.
    ◾Cut the bacon slices in half lengthwise so you have 24 pieces.
    ◾Pre-fry the bacon just until it gets some color and it's still limp and soft (it needs to be flexible enought to wrap around the scallops).
    ◾Melt the butter in a small bowl.
    ◾Add garlic, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper (if using) and stir well.
    ◾Set half of this butter / garlic mixture aside for later.
    ◾Dip each scallop in melted butter / garlic sauce.
    ◾Wrap a strip of bacon around each scallop; secure with toothpick (all the way through the scallop).
    ◾Arrange the wrapped scallops on the greased baking dish.
    ◾Bake on the middle rack for around 15 minutes (or until the scallops are done and the bacon is crisp).
    ◾Place scallops in large bowl and pour remaining butter / garlic sauce from earlier over the scallops and toss gently to coat.

    ---

    Just saw this recipe and I'm seriously considering going to the grocery store tonight to get some scallops (because of course I already have bacon).

    I usually just fry a few pieces and make a breakfast sandwich with an egg, 2 pieces of wheat toast, butter and jam. It's good stuff.