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See why.Artisanal Bacon
We tasted seven artisanal bacons to find out which one is worth the splurge.
Top Picks
Vande Rose Applewood Smoked Artisan Dry Cured Bacon
What You Need To Know
All bacon is special, but some small-batch artisanal bacon is extra-special—and priced accordingly. Since we last tasted artisanal bacons, more bacons made by smaller-scale producers have become available online. We were curious how our previous favorite, Vande Rose Applewood Smoked Artisan Dry Cured Bacon ($29.07 per pound, including shipping), stacked up against the competition, so we tasted it alongside six other high-end dry-cured bacons, all available online and priced from $8.00 to $14.75 per pound (shipping not included). We tried them plain, in our Southern-Style Green Beans, and in BLTs. What did we find out?
We liked all the bacons we tried, but often in different applications. Some were great in green beans but too intense when eaten plain; others were good plain but got lost in a BLT. As it turned out, a lot hinged on just how long—and how extensively—the bacons had been cured and smoked. In general, we liked complex, meaty-tasting bacons with moderate smoke flavor and relatively low sodium. While we can recommend every product, Vande Rose came out on top once again. We've given some information on where each bacon shined brightest in the comments below.
Everything We Tested
Recommended
Cured with three types of sugar and different spices, this “unique” thick-cut bacon had a “sweet and funky and spiced” flavor profile that “played well with the other ingredients” in the BLT. However, it was “soft” and “a bit too tender” on its own, perhaps due to all that sugar, which helps the bacon retain moisture. Still, this bacon had good “meaty,” “porky” flavor. And for the most part, tasters didn’t mind that it had “barely any smokiness,” though this meant that its effect on green beans was “subtle” and “lacking oomph.”
When eaten plain, this traditional Southern bacon was “exceedingly smoky” and “way too salty” for most tasters. But it was a standout when used to flavor green beans; its “lingering smoke” and high sodium content made the dish “deeply savory”; “rich”; “very porky,” with “umami for miles”; and “just the right amount of salty.” Those who liked it plain and in the BLTs acclaimed its “lovely crisp texture” (“like a pork potato chip,” said one taster) and “mineral-y,” “briny,” “campfire”-like flavors.
On its own, this bacon was “deeply savory,” with “big porky flavor,” a “good amount of fat,” a “nice meaty chew,” and “mild smoke.” But perhaps because it wasn’t very smoky, a few tasters found it “a little bland” and lacking distinction in the BLT and the green beans, both of which came across as “not especially bacony.”
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.
Miye Bromberg
Miye is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She covers booze, blades, and gadgets of questionable value.