Bacon: A Savor the South Cookbook

From the earliest days of European settlement in the South, as in many rural economies around the globe, cured pork became a main source of sustenance, and the cheaper, lower-on-the-hog cuts--notably, bacon--became some of the most important traditional southern foodstuffs. In this cookbook, Fred Thompson captures a humble ingredient's regional culinary history and outsized contributions to the table. Delicious, of course, straight out of the skillet, bacon is also special in its ability to lend a unique savory smokiness to an enormous range of other foods.Today, for regular eaters and high-flying southern chefs alike, bacon has achieved a culinary profile so popular as to approach baconmania. But Thompson sagely notes that bacon will survive the silliness. Describing the many kinds of bacon that are available, Thompson provides key choices for cooking and seasoning appropriately. The book's fifty-six recipes invariably highlight and maximize that beloved bacon factor, so appreciated throughout the South and beyond (by Thompson's count, fifty different styles of bacon exist worldwide). Dishes range from southern regional to international, from appetizers to main courses, and even to a very southern beverage. Also included are Thompson's do-it-yourself recipes for making bacon from fresh pork belly in five different styles. That wonderful stuff called bacon fat. Bacon fat mayonnaise ; Clarified bacon fat ; Bacon fat piecrust -- DIY bacon. DIY basic bacon ; Maple-infused bacon ; Spicy chili bacon ; Homemade Canadian bacon ; Home-cured pancetta -- Party-worthy bacon. Slow cooker bacon jam ; Devils on horseback ; Bacon-baked oysters à la Chick's ; Caramelized onion and bacon dip ; Pig candy ; Grilled bacon jalapeño poppers -- A little breakfast magic. Bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, New York City deli style ; Bacon cheddar grits ; Spinach and bacon frittata ; Bacon sour cream coffee cake with maple glaze ; Bacon apple pancake ; Bacon and cheddar biscuits --^ Succulent soups and classic salads. Almost the Pearl's clam chowder ; Corn, shrimp, and bacon chowder ; White bean and bacon soup with bitter greens ; Chesapeake House fish stew ; Classic warm spinach salad with tomatoes and bacon vinaigrette ; Frisée salad with poached egg, lardons, and shallot and bacon vinaigrette ; Classic iceberg wedge with bacon and blue cheese dressing -- Baconized burgers and sandwiches. The BLT ; Fred's fabulous tuna salad on pumpernickel with sprouts, bacon, and tomato ; The 50/50 burger ; Green chili and bacon cheeseburger ; Grilled chicken breasts with cheese and bacon jam ; Grilled baconized pimento cheese sandwich ; Dennis and Fred's grilled salmon BLT ; The fat Elvis --^ Bacon at the center of the plate. Bacon-wrapped quail with pepper jelly glaze ; Oyster bacon casserole ; Rockfish enrobed in bacon ; Seared scallops with bacon ; Stuffed pork chops with smoked gouda and bacon ; Beef filets wrapped with bacon and sage ; Mama's bacon-wrapped meatloaf with Fred's brown sugar-chili glaze ; Southern carbonara with linguine ; Grilled pizza with bacon jam and prosciutto -- Side dishes spiced with bacon. Grandmother's stewed green beans with bacon ; Creamy grits with bacon and sage ; Mama's field peas, almost ; Brussels sprouts with pancetta and balsamic ; Bacon-barbecued baked beans ; Low-country red rice ; Yes you can-smoked macaroni and cheese with bacon -- A few sweet treats and a beverage. Tennessee bacon-marshmallow pie cookies à la moonpies ; Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with bacon ; Salted caramel bacon brownies ; Fred's take on bacon ice cream with all the goodies ; Bacon-infused bourbon. Fred Thompson. Includes index.