'Cooking' bacon

LondonDreamer

s_b wrote: »

not heard of cooking bacon before
sounds a good idea though,i assume its bacon bits?
where would i find it in store ?
thank you:)

Absinthe wrote: »

What is cooking bacon, as opposed to regular. Is it belly of pork, sliced a bit thinner (although more thickly cut than regular bacon), and preserved?

I use bacon for pasta sauces, sandwiches, covering meat (ie: poultry breasts), and flavouring casseroles, so assuming could be used for similar purposes?

It's bacon offcuts, so what you get can change from pack to pack. Here's the description from Tesco's pack... "May contain smoked, unsmoked and sweetcure rindless or rind on back, middle, collar or streaky bacon pieces."

Very similar to things like fish trimmings - usually the same quality as the rest of the bacon, just the pieces that aren't sliced perfectly enough to go into other packs. You can find it with the rest of the bacon, wherever they hide the value items in your store. Either a low or high shelf, usually.

I'm fussy with my bacon sandwiches (has to be smoked, dry cured back bacon) but I use cooking bacon as an ingredient where I just want the flavour. So great in pies, soups, meatloaf, etc.

[Deleted User]

Great for cooking to a crisp and using in bubble and squeak or as a filling for quiche or even bunging into pasta .My local butcher sometime does 1 kilo packs for 99p and I always get one and rewrap in foil and freeze.I love tiny crisped up bits of bacon the more crisp the better Lots of flavour in them and I always drain of the fat to reuse when frying an egg or mushrooms I never waste a thing :)I store it in an old cup that lost its handle in the fridge

hermum

I prefer Sainsburys cooking bacon, I buy that all the time now rather than ordinary bacon. You can usually see if it's thin or thick cut.

Absinthe_2

LondonDreamer wrote: »

It's bacon offcuts, so what you get can change from pack to pack. Here's the description from Tesco's pack... "May contain smoked, unsmoked and sweetcure rindless or rind on back, middle, collar or streaky bacon pieces."

Very similar to things like fish trimmings - usually the same quality as the rest of the bacon, just the pieces that aren't sliced perfectly enough to go into other packs. You can find it with the rest of the bacon, wherever they hide the value items in your store. Either a low or high shelf, usually.

I'm fussy with my bacon sandwiches (has to be smoked, dry cured back bacon) but I use cooking bacon as an ingredient where I just want the flavour. So great in pies, soups, meatloaf, etc.

Thanks has cleared up for me. If a lot cheaper is well worth stocking up on, although from the sound of it (like you) wouldn't use in sandwiches. It sounds great for general cooking though.

Edwardia

Other ideas.. roll the bacon round chipolatas for bacon rolls with the roast.. grill and add to romaine lettuce and Brie in a baguette sandwich..cheese and bacon quiche for a picnic or summer lunch with salad..

SailorSam

I can't remember how much it is but Heron have bacon bits.

Tracykim

I use for carbonara as many have said, I also make Quiche quite often - kids love that and I buy a bag of frozen cauliflower mix put bacon bits in and cover in cheese sauce then top with crumble made with half marg half cheese spread and flower.

kitschkitty

I used to buy cooking bacon all the time, but don't any more, as Farmfoods bacon is so nice at a decent price I don't need to save money for a bacon treat (if you see what I mean). Anyway my fave recipe was bacon & onion suet roll - this thread just reminded me we haven't eaten that in years!

Have to say I tried Asda value bacon the other month & hated it, but used to find Tesco value bacon OK (before we switched to Farm foods bacon)!

Also I noticed our local butchers had huge packs of cooking bacon at just 99p, so I might have to revive that recipe!

Another recipe I used to make was sausage & bacon burgers, using sausage meat & bacon blended smooth (as I don't have a mincer) to add the flavour to the burgers without a coarse texture (and a little bit then goes a very long way) also works if you are using the bacon as an additional flavouring in soup etc.

kitschkitty

Absinthe wrote: »

Thanks has cleared up for me. If a lot cheaper is well worth stocking up on, although from the sound of it (like you) wouldn't use in sandwiches. It sounds great for general cooking though.

There used to be a local sandwich shop which made lovely egg mayo & bacon baguettes (and I don't normally like baguettes). They used small pieces of bacon, not too crispy but well cooked so they weren't greasy - you could definitely use cooking bacon for this, or if you like bacon & cheese spread or soft cheese sandwiches it would also work.

Lynsey

Use it on pizza's also.
Chopped up and fried it can be used as a topping for loads of things (with the juices), mash, salads etc.
Omelettes.

Lynsey