NO NAME BACON

Today we are sponsored by 'No Name Premium Meats'. They have generously supplied Mad Meat Genius with bacon for sampling and sharing. Several friends and a fellow Meat Freak, the Reverend Dr. Biggles were recipients of this bounty.' Boy oh Boy', are we going to have a bacon weekend. A wild boar roast wrapped in bacon will be roasted over a mesquite fire. Some bacon fugasse bread will accompany a creamy rich bean and bacon soup. Best of all we will taste a new bacon with an unusual name.

How did No Name acquire this name? About 35 years ago a butcher in Minnesota was selling hand cut steaks that cooked up juicy, tender and tasted incredible. The customers wanted to know what the steaks were called. The butcher replied,"They don't have a name". The rest is history. No Name Premium Meats runs a family owned company in St. Michael Minnesota. They sell numerous quality meat products to the Midwest. They take great pride in their quality and customer service. Lets cut to the chase and see how their bacon tastes.

This is a splendid looking bacon. It has a superb meat to fat ratio. It fried up crisp like good bacon should. This is a sterling everyday bacon. This bacon will be a great addition to the following dishes. The taste was very agreeable. I would like to borrow a quote from a famous bacon author, Heather Lauer, "This is simply good bacon!"

Lately I have noticed several food blogs making a fugasse bread. This bread is a hearty bread with cheese, onions and peppers. You know a Chilebrown twist of bacon and jalapeno will be added. This bread will be made with some peppers from the garden. An extra sharp cheddar is a great addition to the mix.

Fugasse

4 tablespoons bacon fat
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped peppers (combination of red and yellow bell and jalapeno)

1 tablespoon yeast
1 1/4 cups lukewarm (110°F) water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
3 cups bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups extra sharp Cheddar cheese (1 cup grated, 1 cup cubed)

7 strips bacon (No Name) fried crisp and chopped into large pieces

Reserve some bacon fat from frying bacon. Use half of the fat to saute onions and peppers. Reserve and cool.

Proof yeast with warm water. Mix together flour, yeast, water, sugar, grated cheese,2 tablespoons bacon fat and sugar, Knead for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead for and additional two minutes. Add flour to prevent sticking. Place in a oiled bowl and cover. Let bread rise for 2 hours. After 2 hours shape bread into desired shape. Place on cutting board with corn meal or flour underneath loaf to prevent sticking. Heat your oven with a baking stone to 400 degrees. Let rise for another 45 minutes. Bake bread for 30 minutes. The bread should be nicely browned. Turn the loaf over and tap the bottom. It should be firm and have a hollow sound. Try to let it cool before you devour the loaf.

Bean with Bacon soup is a comfort food from my youth. I hate to admit it, but it was from a very popular condensed soup maker. Home made soup was not to come to my plate till much later in life. Bean with bacon soup is so easy to make. This was made with dried Navy beans and some home made chicken stock. Home made chicken stock is the secret to great soups. Some celery, onion and home grown carrots were sauted in a little bacon fat and thrown into the stock and bean cauldron. It was simmered for an hour. Some spices, No Name bacon and home grown parsley was added the last minute. This soup is genius. It is a blast from the past improved.

Fugasse bread and soup made with No Name bacon was so stupendous. The bread is hearty with so much flavor. I sliced, buttered and toasted it on a cast iron griddle. The cheese was all melty and gooey, The soup just complimented the bread or did the bread compliment the soup? Will we have room for a bacon wrapped boar roast? Stay tuned!

No Name Premium Meats