I just had the worse bacon ever (restaurant, vegetables, expensive)

[no kudzu]

DH came home from food lion with Gwaltney 30% reduced fat bacon. It was sliced so thin I could not get one single full slice of bacon . It was literally shredded. my kids , who are used to even slices of bacon (believe me they count) were really upset (I was too) that there was no way to fairly divide up the bacon. I wrote to the company as soon as I could. said 3-5 day before they answer.
Anybody else ever have this problem?
what is your favorite brand of bacon and why?

[mainebrokerman]

gwaltney is a value brand=cheap
if you bought hormel, black label, oscar mayer, applegate farms, plumrose, hatfield, smithfield, you would have had much better luck

i like most bacons,, the thick sliced plumrose (20oz) is really good
i do like the oscar mayer (3.99 this week at a nearby iga)

but i also like the bacon ends and pieces at 2.29lb

other value brands- are jamestown, aberdeen, best buy -in this area

i also like the slab bacon-thick sliced

[Jkgourmet]

We've bought the Gwaltney bacon (though not the low fat version - I didn't even think such a thing existed). Same results as you sans the kids fighting over the pieces.

I've decided that when it comes to bacon, you get what you pay for. And good bacon is expensive. When it's too expensive, we just don't buy it anymore.

No Kudzu, I'm pretty sure you are in NC. Kroger's had "Hormel Natural", an uncured bacon, on sale just a few days ago. 12 oz package for $4.99, down from the normal $7.99. These days, I'd consider that a bargain for good bacon. The apple smoked at Trader Joe's is excellent, but only turns up in our house when there are REALLY special guests.

Hell, imported prosciutto is cheaper than bacon these days!

[oregonwoodsmoke]

It sounds like they reduced the fat by 30% by making the slice 30% smaller. I suspect that the bacon contained just the same amount of fat as any other bacon, it was just smaller slice.

It is getting harder and harder to buy good bacon. As spices become more expensive, manufacturers remove flavorings and replace them with salt. Real smoked bacon is a treat, but very expensive. Most bacon is chemically "smoked" now.

I don't like the Kirkland brand bacon, but Costco sells a real smoked bacon that is lovely. But it is quite pricy.

I buy the ends and pieces from a restaurant supply brand. That is excellent bacon and I can get it for about $4 a pound by buying ends. If I check the packages carefully, ends tend to be meatier and I can get packages with a lot of meat in them. Bacon with a higher percentage of meat to fat will be "reduced fat". Not that I care. When the bacon is cooked, I pour off the melted fat. My family doesn't eat it.

[no kudzu]

so how do you buy restaurant supply brand? where?

[himain]

Why in the world would you buy reduced fat bacon??? Isn't that the whole point??? YUUUMMMMMMM


BTW-I'll usually buy Hormel thick cut and for a real treat get WF's thick applewood smoked bacon...YYYYYYUUUUMMMMMM

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

so how do you buy restaurant supply brand? where?

At the restaurant supply store. I buy most of the red meat we use there. I buy a lot of vegetabes there. Be warned, amounts are in large size packages.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

so how do you buy restaurant supply brand? where?

At the restaurant supply store. I buy most of the red meat we use there. I buy a lot of vegetables and cheese there. Be warned, amounts are in large size packages. I come home and cut and wrap and repackage most of the things I buy there.

[no kudzu]

so do you have to have a resale retail tax number? any special ID? I can't imagine they would let anybody in a place like that. I assumed it would be in large quantities but thought licensing for resale would be necessary.

[Dirt Grinder]

The best bacon available in the world is Benton's. It's from Madisonville, TN and I hesitated to mention it in this thread as it's already difficult enough to get because of its popularity.