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09 February, 2010

Oscar Mayer Super Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon

Marianne at The Royal Bacon Society recently gave away 10 coupons each good for a free pound of Oscar Mayer's new Super Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, and I was one of the lucky recipients.

If you remember, back in July I mocked Oscar Mayer for their "Hearty Thick Cut" bacon, which was not at all thick cut...but was extra wide.  I thought that was a sneaky trick, but Marianne's review of the new stuff was fairly glowing and, you know, the price was right.

Well, I'm glad I gave them another chance.  The new Super Thick Cut bacon is made of Win and Joy.  The slices are hugely thick - like, ham-thick - and there are only nine slices per pound.  What's more: there are no huge, meatless expanses of fat in these rashers, but rather a very nice balance of lean and fat, with a distribution pattern so perfect that one might call it "textbook bacon."  Consequently, they cooked evenly with no wrinkling or curling.  I always cook very thick bacon over moderately low heat and under a heavy cast-iron bacon press to make sure that the slices brown evenly and aren't tempted to curl up as the fat renders out, but the Super Thick Cut bacon didn't need the bacon press, it stayed flat all by itself.  That's always a good sign, because it means that the cure wasn't too wet and that not a lot of water was retained after the pork came out of the cure.

The final result is delicious.  Semi crisp and not brittle,  just the right amount of salt, and topped off with real applewood smoke (no "added flavoring.")  This stuff is fantastic for breakfast, but would be every bit as awsome wrapped around a thick cut of pork tenderloin, coarsely chopped into a tossed green salad, or laid down heavily on top of burgers.  Oscar Mayer has hit one out of the park with this bacon.
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4 comments:

  1. Sharon A07 September, 2010 17:52

    This is also my new found favorite!!!! I would only use this bacon, I wish they would not use nitrates or other stuff. Anyway, this is how I do mine. I lay out all the bacon slices on aluminum-lined sheet pan. I would flavor mine with light sprinkles of brown sugar and cracked black pepper. I bake mine at 350˚F for 40 minutes until crispy (fat has completely rendered off the bacon). Once completely cooked, I lay the cooked bacon in paper-towels to drain off extra fat. Let it to cool and store in refrigerator for next morning's breakfast. I would toast it in the toaster oven to re crisp it back to yumminess.

    p/s: I bake it in the oven because I can't stand getting bacon-fat all over my kitchen.

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  2. Sharon A08 September, 2010 16:41

    how did you get those free coupons? That's so awesome!

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  3. Dave08 September, 2010 21:38

    I entered a drawing for a free coupon and won! It was a tasty bit of luck. :)

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  4. RB7718 May, 2011 13:03

    I just found this bacon the other day at Wallyworld. Great stuff. I cut lardons, crisped them up, and cooked pintos in the fat. Then sprinkled the bacon on top of the beans and rice. I've always loved the flavor of Oscar Mayer, there's no reason to spend more.

    Thanks for the info on curling, I didn't know that one.

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