Meat&Poultry -- October 2014 - 27

ago, hogs had more fat on them, which meant more marbling," he says. "But then we started making hogs leaner - that was a bad idea. The fat is where the flavor is."
Weinzweig also believes hogs that are able to wander more
freely produce better-tasting meat.
Another factor that makes bacons differ is the cut. Traditionally, bacon in the US is cut from the belly; Canadian
and English bacon is cut from the loin. One isn't better
than the other, Weinzweig explains, it's just another thing
that makes one type of bacon taste different than another.
Next, there's curing. Bacon can go through a dry- or
wet-curing process. Wet curing uses a brine solution of
water, salt, spices and sometimes sugar to cure the bacon, while the dry process uses packed salt, spices and
sugar for one to four weeks to cure the bacon and infuse
it with flavor.
A final point of differentiation when it comes to bacon

"I think of it as the olive
oil of North America."
-Ari Weinzweig

is whether or not it's smoked - he reminds customers that
not all bacon is smoked. The type of wood it's smoked in
and the length of time it's smoked also affects the flavor.
At any given time, Zingerman's offers 10 to 12 different varieties of bacon.
Even though Weinzweig acknowledges that bacon's

Camp Bacon in 2010. The camp brings together bacon-

trendy popularity today doesn't hurt the store's bacon

lovers, bacon-makers, cooks, curers and simply anyone

sales, he says that's not why they carry such a large vari-

who likes to learn, eat and enjoy bacon. Camp Bacon is

ety. "Our focus has always been on traditional food, and

four days of all things bacon - eating, learning, listening,

bacon is just one of them," Weinzweig explains. "We're

tasting and talking. It is described as, "a pork-centric party

happy to ride the trend wave, but bacon's been around

that features everything from poetry to pigs."

forever - it's traditional - that's why we carry it. It was
delicious in 1880 and it's still delicious now."

The camp is also a fundraiser for Southern Foodways
Alliance, a non-profit organization that documents, stud-

For bacon fanatics who want to enjoy bacon year-round,

ies and celebrates the diverse food cultures of the Ameri-

Zingerman's Mail Order business offers a "Bacon of the

can South by staging symposia, producing documentary

Month" Club. Customers can choose from the three-

films, collecting oral histories, sponsoring scholarships,

month, six-month or year-long option, all of which deliver

mentoring students and publishing writing.

12 to 16 oz. of artisan bacon, bacon stories, histories and
recipes all to the recipient's door.

Last year's camp featured a variety of discussions, tastings and presentations. Susan Schwallie, from the Chicago-

Some bacon selections include Applewood Smoked

based consumer market research firm The NPD Group,

Bacon, Hickory Smoked Duroc Bacon, Kentucky Dry

provided statistics about food and bacon consumption in

Cured Bacon, Spencer's Irish-Style Back Bacon and Bali-

the US. Ham and bacon company owners from Wiscon-

nese Long Pepper Bacon. These and many other cuts and

sin, Kentucky and Texas talked about the changing envi-

styles of bacon can also be shipped around the country in

ronments for their family-owned businesses. There were

individual orders without enrolling in the monthly club.

even presentations about making bacon fat soap from a
local chemistry teacher, and bacon bitters cocktails served

Camp Bacon
In yet another effort to share his love of bacon with other
fans, Weinzweig and the Zingerman's Deli crew started

up by New York-based Hella Bitters.
Next year's Camp Bacon, to be held June 4-7, 2015,
promises more of the same for bacon connoisseurs. ■
www.MeatPoultry.com * October 2014 * Meat&Poultry *

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Meat&Poultry -- October 2014

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