Bacon Explosion

[heatherkay]

For good or ill, Roeland Park probably made its first appearance in the paper of record in the form of the BACON EXPLOSION.  Now that pork fat is the new black, I'm sure we will be seeing repetitions of this for a while.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dinin ... ml?_r=2&em

[ignatius]

Great story that oozes true creativity.

Hmm... a she friend and I spawned an accidental creation that could perhaps ride on the coattails.  We were making boudin blanc (frenchie white sausages) but used too much creme fraiche and they kept exploding, despite not so thin skins.  We were tired of stuffing skins so we said fuck it and decided to make a meat pie.... lined a cheesecake spring pan with bacon and dumped in the gunk and baked the sucker. The french allspice with cinnamon gave it incredible dynamics. Crazy meat pie with a Rhone prompted us to roll on the floor and kick feet in the air. 

http://songza.com/z/vfznmy

[mean]

How crispy did the bacon crust get?

[ignatius]

Me or them?  For crazy meat pie, the bacon came out crispy on the sides and not as much on bottom.  It was a crucial component of the food gasm.

[mean]

Yeah, that query was in reference to crazy meat pie. If you could get a rack set up to let the bottom drain you could have a nice crispy crust all around...PONDER...

[ignatius]

Will ponder.  I wonder if it would dry out the pie though.  I was really surprised of the cheesecakeish texture to it.  You could actually cut in cleanly and lift it out whole.

[Tosspot]

Great story that oozes true creativity.

Hmm... a she friend and I spawned an accidental creation that could perhaps ride on the coattails.  We were making boudin blanc (frenchie white sausages) but used too much creme fraiche and they kept exploding, despite not so thin skins.  We were tired of stuffing skins so we said fuck it and decided to make a meat pie.... lined a cheesecake spring pan with bacon and dumped in the gunk and baked the sucker. The french allspice with cinnamon gave it incredible dynamics. Crazy meat pie with a Rhone prompted us to roll on the floor and kick feet in the air. 

http://songza.com/z/vfznmy

I never envisioned cooking getting me aroused. Never know what's around the corner in life, eh?

[ignatius]

Cooking to me is like a chemistry set.  Properly balanced and perhaps matched with the right wines, you can get endorphin releases well beyond what sex can do.  The act of preparation and creation is also part of the experience.  Even cleaning up is part of the process.

Eating is such a crucial part of our existence.  Now that I've learned to cook, I find it curious that humanity has turned to packaged/prepared foods as the primary source for energy.  Given the importance of eating, seems obvious preparing it should be a primary skill for all earthlings.  Make the most of what is a requirement anyway.  I'm not really talking about the health aspect, but the experience of eating and elevating it as a prized part of our existence.  It shouldn't have to be about the best restaurants, but the ability of anyone to do creative, explorative things with it.  To make eating an experience rather than a chore.  It's just not hard to learn and it doesn't have to be high cost.  It's all about effort, which not many want to do anymore. 

[mean]

Will ponder.  I wonder if it would dry out the pie though.  I was really surprised of the cheesecakeish texture to it.  You could actually cut in cleanly and lift it out whole.

I think if you made a tight enough weave on the bacon crust, you could seal in the juices from the boudin, while the bacon facing the exterior of the pie would be able to drain and crisp up a bit. Of course, in your recipe I would think the creme fraiche probably was a big factor in the cheesecake-like texture.

Of course in the hours since originally posting I have decided I will have to try other "fillings" as well. I was thinking bacon ramekin would make an interesting delivery vehicle for a custard or creme brulee. Or a salad bowl (who needs bacon bits?). Probably not original ideas, but fun to mess with at home.

[Slappy the Wang]

Properly balanced and matched with the right wines, you can get endorphin releases well beyond what sex can do. 

Then you haven't been doing it right.

"Ignatius, why are there holes poked in the loaf of bread?"

[LenexatoKCMO]

I think if you made a tight enough weave on the bacon crust, you could seal in the juices from the boudin, while the bacon facing the exterior of the pie would be able to drain and crisp up a bit. Of course, in your recipe I would think the creme fraiche probably was a big factor in the cheesecake-like texture.

Yeah but you have to account for the fact that the bacon will shrink greatly as it renders its fat - thus gaps will appear no matter how tight you weave at the outset. 

[mean]

True, but if you account for about 30% overlap I think you'd probably be fine. And, hey...more bacon!

Of course, I will report the results of any bacon experiments back to the forum.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Perhaps some breaded sweetbreads as a topping. 

[Tosspot]

Ig -- totally agreed on the processed crap made in factories that passes for "food." A lot of it's more about being quick and easy than actually nourishing the body and mind.

[GRID]

I don't know about any of this, but check this out:

http://bacolicio.us/http:/www.kansascit ... ssouri.com

[scooterj]

A cooking experiment I did a few months ago.  It was far too delicious. 

[kcdcchef]

A cooking experiment I did a few months ago.   It was far too delicious. 

old school.

if you wanna try something new, try not cooking the holy shit out of your pork. eat it MW or so, you will like it better.

[kuslamb]

old school.

if you wanna try something new, try not cooking the holy shit out of your pork. eat it MW or so, you will like it better.

Get pork tenderloin, pan sear (please good a good non-stick pan), over roast @ 400 for about 8 more mins until about 155 to 158 degrees in the thickest part, rest, slice, eat.  The pork will come out with the SLIGHTEST pinked in the center and will be better than any pork tenderloin you have ever had.  Simple and delicious, and @ about $4 to $5 a pound, its a bargain.

[kcdcchef]

i was cheffing in kc, skies to be exact, the first time i started serving pork MR to M. blew me away when i first heard of people ordering their pork MR and what not, it was the neatest thing at the time to me. now commonplace.

until i ran into this one dumb bitch a few years later, hiring me to be a chef at her catering business, who freaked out when she saw me slicing the pork MW, she had a fit, saying i would kill people and it was her business, she paid the insurance. finish cooking prior to serving. needless to say, i didnt make it too long there!!!

[ignatius]

Then you haven't been doing it right.

"Ignatius, why are there holes poked in the loaf of bread?"

Hehe, that was actually funny.  But as Robert Rodriguez sez, '[if you don't know how to cook, you don't know how to fuck]'.