This article originally appeared in the October 2002 issue of Mountain Living magazine.

It was the first time I was ever awakened by a smell.

When I was in college, I spent a weekend at a farm in the small northeastern Colorado town of Stratton. A friend invited me to stay at her parent’s cattle ranch so we could work on a class project together in the quiet surroundings.

At 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning, the aroma of frying bacon wafted up to the second floor guest bedroom of the old clapboard house and I was instantly awake. Tiptoeing down the stairs, I found Janell’s mother “Mrs. B.” at the stove, spatula in hand, flipping bacon in two huge cast iron skillets. “Wow…that’s a lot of bacon,” I said admiringly. “Four pounds,” she said with a smile as she wiped her hands on her apron. I knew I had found my home away from home.

Bacon has always been one of my favorite foods, and it seems I’m not alone. The U.S. produces more than 2 billion pounds of bacon each year. Broadly defined as cured and smoked pork, bacon is commonly made from pork bellies in the U.S., while Canadian bacon is produced from the rib eye of boneless pork loin. Most European countries use pork thigh or shoulder to make bacon. And while we may think of bacon as a morning food, 35% of all we consume is used in meals other than breakfast.

Whether it’s paired with eggs, layered on a BLT sandwich or crumbled on a green salad, bacon is universally loved. Most of us prefer not to think about the 7 grams of fat in two slices of bacon, focusing instead on its attributes: its crispy crunch, savory flavor and sleep-rousing smell. Which makes me wonder: when is GE going to develop a bacon aroma alarm clock?

Bacon Potato Casserole

This easy-to-prepare breakfast casserole is a hearty combination of eggs, bacon and hash browns cooked in one dish.

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

½ cup finely chopped onion

8 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Layer 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 onion, 1/2 bacon and 1/2 cheese in prepared baking dish; repeat layers. Combine evaporated milk, egg and seasoned salt in a small bowl. Pour evenly over potato mixture; cover. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Uncover; bake for an additional 5 minutes. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Reprinted by permission of Nestle® Carnation®.

Mom’s Bacon-Scallop Appetizers

The ultimate hors d’oeuvres for a cocktail party, these are easy to make and everyone will say “ah…” when they walk in the house…they smell so good!

2 pounds sea scallops

1 pound lean sliced bacon

Preheat broiler. Cut each bacon slice crosswise in half. Wrap each half around a scallop, securing with a toothpick. (If the scallops are large, you may need to cut them in half or even fourths.) Arrange the bacon-wrapped scallops on the rack in a broiling pan. Broil 8 to 10 minutes until scallops turn opaque throughout, using tongs to turn the scallops frequently so bacon browns evenly on all sides. Remove from oven, drain on paper towels, and serve at once. Makes about two dozen appetizers.

Harmon’s Bacon-Wrapped Halibut

In the historic mountain town of Telluride, Colorado, Harmon’s restaurant serves creatively prepared cuisine in a building that was once the town’s train depot. Executive Chef Jim Ackard shares his bacon-wrapped halibut recipe, which he suggests serving with roasted new potatoes. The recipe has been modified for home cooks.

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 live Maine lobsters, 1 ½ to 2 pounds each, dismembered into pieces

½ cup chopped shallots

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 cups sliced mushrooms (Chef Ackard uses cremini mushrooms)

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

1 quart chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 halibut filets, about 6 ounces each

6 slices applewood smoked bacon

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the lobsters. Cook briefly and add the shallots and garlic; stir and cook for two minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until the shallots and garlic are transparent. Add the tomatoes and white wine. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and heavy cream. The lobster should be fully cooked ; if not, cook it for a minute or two more. Remove the lobster from the pan and cool on a plate until cool enough to handle. Remove the lobster meat and chop it into generous bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile, continue to cook the sauce until it is reduced to a creamy consistency, 5 to 10 more minutes. Add the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, chives, lobster meat, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the fish filets with salt and pepper and wrap a slice of bacon around each one, securing with a toothpick. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and sear the filets on the pan, turning with tongs to cook the bacon. When the bacon is crispy, arrange the filets in a baking pan and finish cooking in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, with one fish filet surrounded by a generous portion of the lobster and sauce. 6 servings.

Harmon’s, 300 S. Townsend Ave., Telluride, CO 81435; (970) 728-3773

Cook Street’s Yukon Gold Creamers with Slab Bacon

This simple but superb recipe comes from Denver’s Cook Street School of Cooking. Students often prepare this potato dish to compliment a German menu. The recipe has been adapted for home cooks.

1 pound slab bacon cut into 1 inch squares.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

salt and pepper to taste

chopped parsley for garnish

Heat a large pot of boiling water and cook the bacon for several minutes. Remove the bacon from the water with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy and remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Dry on paper towels and reserve.

Peel the potatoes just around the middle, leaving the skins on the ends. Boil in salted water until tender. Drain in a colander and return to the pot. Smash the potatoes a little and toss with the melted butter. Add the cooked bacon and toss. Garnish with parsley and serve. 6 to 8 servings.

Cook Street School of Fine Cooking, 1937 Market St., Denver, CO 80202; (303) 308-9300

[Sidebar]

Bacon Bits

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 400°. Arrange the strips from one pound of bacon on a baking sheet so they don't overlap. Put in the oven for approximately 13 minutes (check after 10 minutes; remove from the oven when the bacon is browned and crispy). Remove from oven, and drain the bacon strips on paper towels.

How to Microwave Bacon

Contrary to popular belief, cooking bacon between several layers of paper towels will actually result in crispier bacon than cooking it on a bacon microwave roasting rack. This is because the paper towels absorb so much fat from the bacon. Arrange up to 8 bacon slices between several layers of white (not printed) paper towels on a microwave safe plate. Microwaves vary greatly, so you’ll have to experiment, but a general rule of thumb is to cook on high power for about 35 to 45 seconds per piece of bacon; 4 strips should cook in about 2 ½ to 3 minutes.

Storing Bacon

If the package is still vacuum sealed, you can rely on the manufacturer’s expiration date. Once the package is open, however, the maximum amount of refrigeration time recommended is just 7 days. Wrap the bacon tightly in plastic wrap and put it inside a zip-lock bag to preserve as much flavor as possible.

Freezing Bacon

Due to its high fat content, bacon shouldn’t be frozen for more than one month or it will lose a considerable amount of flavor. Wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and foil to insulate it as much as possible. To separate frozen bacon strips, put a one-pound package of bacon in a microwave oven and heat on high for about 30 seconds.

[Sidebar]

Bacon Brokers

Most of the bacon available in supermarkets is mass-produced and cured with additives and preservatives. These companies produce old-fashioned bacon that is hand-cured and prepared with fewer artificial ingredients. Their products can be ordered via mail or online.

Father’s Country Hams

Father's country bacon is sugar cured, hickory smoked and dry cured. The process results in less shrinkage than regular bacon, and a delicious, mellow taste.

Father’s Country Hams
Gatton Farms

P.O. Box 99

Bremen, KY 42325
(270) 525-3554

www.fatherscountryhams.com

Harrington’s of Vermont

This century-old company smokes all its meats in its own smokehouse. Harrington’s wonderful Cob Smoked Breakfast Bacon is smoked over embers of corncobs and maplewood.

Harrington's of Vermont
210 E. Main Street
Richmond, VT 05477

(802) 434-3415

www.harringtonham.com

Neuske’s Hillcrest Farm Meats

For nearly 70 years, Neuske’s has been producing its popular thin- and thick-sliced bacon. Cured with brown sugar and honey and smoked over sweet applewood, the lean bacon has a pleasantly sweet, smoky flavor.

Nueske Hillcrest Farm Meats

Rural Route 2

Wittenberg, WI 54499

(715) 253-2226

www.nueske.com

Ranch Oak Farm

To wake up your morning taste buds, try Ranch Oak’s Peppered Half Slab of bacon. You can slice it to the thickness you desire, and just enough pepper stays on during cooking to add a pleasant spiciness.

Ranch Oak Farm
3005 Bledsoe,

Fort Worth TX 76107

800.888.0327 or 817.877.3330