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Preparing Bacon for Breakfast

The bacon must be fresh and in fine condition. It is cut with a keen knife, the under bones being cut off, and both edges pared neatly, also the end opposite from the string for hanging it up. Then cut up the requisite number of slices for immediate use, and no more. Thin slices are always preferable, so that the bacon, whether boiled or fried, will be crisp and tasty. When cutting the slices, be careful not to detach the skin; also cut crosswise, but never lengthwise. Arrange on the broiler, and broil over a moderate fire for two minutes on each side. Dress on a hot dish, serving at once. Four minutes is plenty of time for the frying.

Bacon Salted, Dried and Smoked The previous description applies precisely with regard to the salting and drying. The next step is the smoking. The smoke is generally that of burning wood or straw, hickory chips or corncobs. Woods containing resins, such as pine, are not advisable, as they would give an unpleasant flavor to the bacon. They are usually dried slowly over the smoke made by burning sawdust, oak or beach, the fire being kept night and day by smothering with dry sawdust. The flitches should be hung up high until quite dry, but not so hard that the rind begins to peel off. Sometimes the rubbing over the flitch with bran is advocated, although not especially recommended, as it encourages flies to settle on it. This may be prevented by wrapping in bags before they are suspended.