Is Heart-Healthy Bacon an impossible oxymoron?

[Inscrutable]

Looking for any recipes for the “healthiest” bacon I can make. (Store-bought out of the question)

Did cure/smoke a belly but even that seemed too salty (Used a reduced salt Pop’s cure).

Any of you wrestle with this? Thx!

 

[ajbert]

Turkey bacon?


Sorry, that's not bacon, not even close. I can't help you healthy bacon. I've always held that if the bacon is good tasting, it must be good for me overall. I mean, happy wife, happy life. Why not happy tounge, happy yet not so young?

 

[BigW.]

Are you trying to lower salt, fat, or something else? Everyone has a different version of "healthy" these days. I dry cure my bacon and keep salt around 1.5%. If I was trying to be healthier, I'd cure a loin and go for Canadian Bacon. Still has salt, sugar and cure...but way less fat.

 

[Inscrutable]

Are you trying to lower salt, fat, or something else? Everyone has a different version of "healthy" these days. I dry cure my bacon and keep salt around 1.5%. If I was trying to be healthier, I'd cure a loin and go for Canadian Bacon. Still has salt, sugar and cure...but way less fat.

I am more concerned with sodium than fat

 

[Brokenhandle]

I think Fueling Around does alot with low salt or lower than most use... maybe he'll chime in.

Ryan

 

[mneeley490]

When I use Pop's Brine recipe, I only do 1/3 cup of salt per gallon. Don't miss the lower sodium.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Dry brine is the way to go. And yes as Ryan mentioned Fueling Around does really low sodium cures that work fine for him. I think you can pretty easily be at or below 1% salt. The .25% cure #1 is negotiable a bit as well.

 

[Inscrutable]

When I use Pop's Brine recipe, I only do 1/3 cup of salt per gallon. Don't miss the lower sodium.

That’s exactly what I have done.

Dry brine is the way to go. And yes as Ryan mentioned Fueling Around does really low sodium cures that work fine for him. I think you can pretty easily be at or below 1% salt. The .25% cure #1 is negotiable a bit as well.

Have not tried dry brining for bacon or Canadian. I felt I needed to inject the loin for Canadian.

 

[chef k-dude]

I suppose the store-bought lower sodium bacon is still too much sodium and that's why its out of the question?

I haven't heard of salt bieng heart unhealthy before, but the medical field can get stuck on...stuff. I DO know it's not advisable for people with raging uncontrolled hypertension to eat lots of salt. Most of us expel excess through the urine fairly quickly as long as we drink plenty of water.

 

[SmokinEdge]

That’s exactly what I have done.

Have not tried dry brining for bacon or Canadian. I felt I needed to inject the loin for Canadian.

Not at all. Dry brine will cure 3” of thickness with out injection.

Also when you dry brine, you apply exactly the salt, cure and sugar percentage you want. The meat can never become more nor less than what you applied. This is because the salts and sugars work directly on the meat, no need to guess uptake. It’s a very controllable method with very predictable results, unlike cover brines.

 

[Rick in AZ]

Fry up a slice of your homemade bacon before you smoke it. If it is too salty, soak it in water for awhile, then try it again. You will get a feel for how long to soak it, to get to your desired salt taste based on the recipe you use for curing.
If It's nitrates and nitrites you are concerned about, I recommend EcoCure from The Sausage Maker. It works great and we can't tell the difference between using that or pink curing salt. It's not cheap, but it doesn't take much to do a whole belly. No nitrates or nitrites and no celery derivatives. Check it out.
Other than that, get the best pork you can afford from a reputable source.
With all of this, you will know what you have, what went into it, and it will be at your desired salt level.

 

[Astralogics]

If you wish to stick with the brine, this may be something to look at: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/clear-pickle-ultra-lo-salt-canadian-bacon.295780/

Otherwise, as Rick has said, do a fry test, and soak in cold water for an hour or so (replacing the water as needed).

If you wish to try a dry brine, you have good control over your sodium levels, and like Eric said, will never exceed what you applied. You can also opt to let it rest in the fridge longer, as that seems to really balance out the flavors.

 

[chopsaw]

Looking for any recipes for the “healthiest” bacon I can make.

Ground formed .

Owen's BBQ Ground Formed Bacon

Finally got around to doing this . 12 lbs all pork . I don't fry test much anymore , but this was a new one for me , so I put a patty in the pan . Taste was good . Not like bacon but good . So I'm thinking , needs to be cured and smoked to be bacon . Should be good . Used 3 - 11 x 8 pans . About...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

I used a mix from Owens , but you could do your own and control the salt level .
Grind all pork . It's good stuff .

 

[chef k-dude]

That's a cool idea Chopsaw. That's how I make my gyro meat. Different flavor profile but a loaf, then sliced, then pan fried a bit before assembling the gyros.

 

[chopsaw]

That's a cool idea

Guys at work do it with venison . Good use of deer meat . Yup . You can make it whatever flavor profile you want .
Owens sells a good mix for it , I've heard curley's is good too .
You could do you salt and sugar by weight and mix your own .

 

[millerbuilds]

I make Venison Bacon, I use 1% salt and no nitrates. Shelf life is limited, but the flavor is spot on.

- Jason

 

[Inscrutable]

Ground formed .
View attachment 715541

Owen's BBQ Ground Formed Bacon

Finally got around to doing this . 12 lbs all pork . I don't fry test much anymore , but this was a new one for me , so I put a patty in the pan . Taste was good . Not like bacon but good . So I'm thinking , needs to be cured and smoked to be bacon . Should be good . Used 3 - 11 x 8 pans . About...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

I used a mix from Owens , but you could do your own and control the salt level .
Grind all pork . It's good stuff .

Cool idea. Read their directions and it says to use both the ground formed bacon seasoning and “maple cure”, the latter I cannot seem to find on their site.
Any idea what that is? Just typical curing salt?

 

[chopsaw]

Any idea what that is? Just typical curing salt?

It's a cure mix with maple flavoring . Morton's used to make one . A lot of the Owens seasoning use it in one form or another .
If you're adjusting salt for health reasons , you can do your own by percentage of the weight .
Salt , sugar , and cure 1 . You could add maple extract or syrup if you want the maple flavor .

 

[normanaj]

Turkey bacon?


Sorry, that's not bacon, not even close.

That's a fact!

Tried it once and once was enough.

 

[chopsaw]

says to use both the ground formed bacon seasoning and “maple cure”, the latter I cannot seem to find on their site.

It comes as a kit . The seasoning and the cure . The cure is salt , sugar . maple sugar and cure 1 .
Used at a rate of 1 3/4 tsp per pound , for that kit . I never cross them over , I keep it with the kit it came with . Any leftover gets tossed .
This is from a Summer sausage kit , but same stuff .