ISO Bacon Advice

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Joined
Nov 10, 2004
Messages
88
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
A few mornings ago I was having some bacon with my breakfast and noticed it tasted a little off. It reminded me of a few other times when Ive had bacon and noticed it to taste kind... well... unmellowed and very sharp (not physically sharp, just prominently untasty). Anyway I wanted to know if anyone knows why this is happening and if there is anyway to fix it. Sorry for the vague description there is just not much to relate it too.
 
Mitch....

What came to my mind is the bacon came from a hog that still had his "manhood' This will give the meat, bacon, shoulders, butts, etc a very rank taste! If this is the case you may notice a smell when the bacon/meat is cooking that resembles the taste. In the South this is refered to as "boar hog" bacon/meat. It is perfectly ok to eat if you can get past the taste/smell. I cannot! It is rare that this happens, but it does none the less.

Enjoy! (?)
 
I would think that boar bacon was a specialty item...not something casually gotten by chance. but...dunno
 
I know exactly what you're talking about, Mitch. It means it's starting to get a little rancid. My husband doesn't notice the taste, and it's never made him sick, but if it's very strong, I can't deal with it.

Time was that bacon lasted forever. But now that they've taken out a lot of the nitrates, it spoils a lot faster. Two weeks in my fridge is max, unless it's in an un-opened vacuum pack.

By the way, if it's spoiled, you'll know it. It starts getting a bluish cast and stinks rotten, not rancid.
 
Robo410 said:
I would think that boar bacon was a specialty item...not something casually gotten by chance. but...dunno

Robo

I've never seen it as a "speciality" item in any of the markets across the SE U.S.
Frankly, I can't imagine anyone wanting it. :ermm: But who knows now days. I can assure you that once you smell it cooking, and/or taste it, you will never forget it. It leaves a lasting impression. Like I said earlier, it is rare that this happens, but it can, and does. The last experience I had was with a pork butt, as soon as it hits the heat, ya know!

In the case of the bacon that Mitch refered to, he would have noticed it with the first slice, right out of the package. If it is was later that he noticed the "off flavor" then something else is at play. Something along the line of your and/or Miss Connie's comments.

Enjoy!!
 
Last edited:
I worked a resteraunt that used to save and refrigerate bacon, if kept too long it would taste and smell rank! This is possibly due to keeping it far too long, which is kind of scary since cooked bacon stays good for a while. I never knew about the Boar factor, but with traditional "normal" bacon, a rank taste would indicate it has spoiled. I strongly suggest not eating any bacon that smells or tastes funny.
 
Different strokes ...

According to Frommers-
You can't go wrong ordering anything made of the restaurant's namesake cinghiale (wild boar) -- from the cold boar slices as an appetizer to cinghiale alla maremmana con polenta (wild boar stew cozied up to creamy, firm polenta) as a main course.


Cinghiale Bianco
 
I have friends that hunt wild boar (species) around here. More often they are taken when one makes the mistake of walking past a deer stand in the fall and winter of the year. Properly taken, slaughtered, and prepared, they make pretty good fare for deer camp bbq's etc. Most are converted into sausage with the addtion of large amounts of domestic pork fat. Also, the meat from (farm raised wild boar?) shows up as exotic meat in restaurants who specialize in such offerings. The males of these (farm raised) animals are castrated making the meat very similar in taste and texture to that of the sow!

Enjoy!
 
Robo410 said:
I would think that boar bacon was a specialty item...not something casually gotten by chance. but...dunno
Boar bacon IS a specialty item. It's pricey and extra delicious, if you are a bacon fan.

I've never heard of "off" bacon called Boar bacon! :ohmy:
 
ChefJune said:
Boar bacon IS a specialty item. It's pricey and extra delicious, if you are a bacon fan.

I've never heard of "off" bacon called Boar bacon! :ohmy:

Don't confuse Wild Boar, a species of hogs/swine (male or female) that is raised for specialty meats, and a boar hog who is a male hog/swine with his manhood intact.

Have fun!!!
 
Back
Top Bottom