April 14, 2013 - The Swabian Bacon has Arrived!! Rustik Farms!

MY LIFE WITH BACON continues this week with the arrival of the Rustik Rooster Farms bacon!  I was beside myself with joy and anticipation, and texted a couple of buddies upon arrival.  JD was disappointed that we don't live across the street from each other and he can no longer avail himself of "bacon benefits".  Someday, JD, someday...  Click on the Farm link above for a treat of a pig website! The website says shipping could take up to six weeks, and for me, it was seven.  I'm sure it was because of their great coverage in the Wall Street Journal and other media outlets!

ON TO THE UNBOXING!  Just as techies post pictures and videos of the first unboxing of new cell phones, , I decided to do the same thing.  It was a nondescript box, and inside a nice insulated bag with the bacon inside.  The bacon was very cold, so it shipped quite nicely. Look at the marbling!

I'M QUITE PLEASED WITH THE FALSE ADVERTISING.  When you look Carl's website, he advertises 2x1lb of bacon.  However, I got 2.5 pounds!

Here it is in all it's glory on my countertop, ready to cook.  Wonderful color and smell of applewood.  This is uncured bacon, with "no nitrites or nitrates added, except for those produced naturally by celery powder."

Here are shots of the cooking in progress. Note the curl; I snip these off and call them MJ Pieces...

 

The final product, ready to eat.  Review below.

The results: totally outstanding.  A better bacon I've never eaten, and I don't say that lightly.   The package label weight was 2.5 pounds and it weighed, before cooking, 2 pounds 7.9 ounces, just a tenth of an ounce light.  It produced 450 ml of rendered fat, or the 180 ml per pound.  Weight after cooking was 9.5 ounces, for a reduction in weight of 73.1%.  Smell, flavor, succulence, crispness were all nearly off the charts.  

	Rustik Rooster
Crispiness	4.6
Flavor	4.8
Succulence	4.7
Smell	4.9
Rendered Fat	Meduim
Overall	4.75

So we had to celebrate with a vodka drink wrapped in a bacon cozy.