First Bites: May 2021 Bacon
V-EDGY BACON
Perhaps carrots aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of bacon. Tyler Steeves, founder of Carrot Bacon, wants to change that. For the last year and a half, Steeves and his team have been transforming the humble carrot into deeply flavoured types of crispy vegan jerky. “We’re not trying to replicate pork,” Steeves explains. “This is meat-free, without the filler. The sweetness of carrot lends well to taking on the umami flavours sometimes missing for people who don’t eat meat.” His team sources Nantes carrots locally from Pfenning’s Organic Farms in New Hamburg and transforms them using charcuterie techniques such as curing, brining and dehydration. “Our flavours are big, but balanced,” Steeves says. “We’re always looking to maintain the equilibrium of salty, savoury and sweet, while incorporating other massively flavourful ingredients.” Carolina Smoke, one of three flavours, provides an immediate sensation of salty-sweet umami, followed by background smoke and lingering heat. Applewood and Toasted Tokyo Sesame offer their own unique, well-balanced taste combinations. In the coming months, Steeves hopes to develop more flavours of Carrot Bacon and begin experimenting with other vegetables, and perhaps even jackfruit. “I think of Carrot Bacon as a feel-good ingredient or snack,” Steeves says. “It’s great on a hike, it can hit those junk food cravings and anywhere you’d want crispy bacon, I think you can incorporate Carrot Bacon.” Can the carrot BLT — the CBLT — be far behind?
Carrot Bacon
carrotbacon.org | 705.917.2665 | @carrot_bacon
Find it at: Natural Food Pantry, La Boîte à Grains (Gatineau) and online
WHERE'S THE BEEF
Since early 2018, Ottawa Valley Meats has been working with many local farmers to bring ethically raised meat to the dinner tables of Ottawa residents. And since November 2020, one of the ways it’s done that is by offering a product called beef bacon. “It’s exactly what it sounds like,” says Darius Campeau, president of Ottawa Valley Meats. “It’s the belly of the cow, cured, smoked and sliced just like pork bacon would be. But it’s a product that can stand on its own.” The cows come from La Ferme Gillette Inc. in Embrun, known for its humanely raised, grass-fed beef. For bacon production, the beef is Black Angus, preferred for its higher fat content. Ottawa Valley Meats dry-ages the bellies for 28 days, before curing and smoking them over applewood. “We really care about total utilization,” Campeau says, “and this is a great way to offer an often-overlooked part of the cow.” Beef bacon hits all the same salty, smoky notes as pork bacon, but tends to come sliced a bit more thickly and can render at a higher heat. The slices have chew and character, and the suet, which renders out while cooking, may be the best thing ever with which to baste a steak. From those who don’t eat pork for religious reasons to bacon connoisseurs, beef bacon can satisfy a varied crowd in many ways. Campeau’s favourite usage? “It’s my go-to breakfast bacon with my eggs and toast.”
Ottawa Valley Meats
ottawavalleymeats.com | 613.402.8898 | @ottawavalleymeats
Find it at: Ottawa Valley Meats and online
GOD-TIER BACON
For Brad Mackay, nothing beats the combination of meat, salt and smoke. A self-taught griller and smoker, the Ottawa native collected equipment over the years and began experimenting with smoked meat, pulled pork and bacon. “It began as a hobby, gifting or trading with family and friends,” Mackay says, “and of everything I did, they always loved the bacon best.” Driven to perfect his recipe, Mackay dove into bacon production head first, and, in May 2019, Bacon of the Gods was born. Mackay is hyper local in terms of his product, from using local pork from Navan’s Lavergne Meat & Deli, to getting local artist Dave Cooper to design the 1930s cartoon-inspired branding. Mackay even uses only local wood to smoke his pork bellies. The bellies in question are dry-cured with their skins on for one week, before being slowly smoked over charcoal and aromatic woods such as apple and cherry. The bacon is then thickly sliced before being packed for sale. “You get more bacon for your buck,” Mackay says about the old-school approach. “There’s less water loss and spattering in the pan.” Nothing is wasted during production either, as Mackay believes in using every scrap of meat. The ends and trim are ground for Bacon Dust, which makes for great bacon bits or can be worked into burger or sausage mix. The cured and smoked skins are air-fried and sold as dog treats, cleverly named Bacon Bark. “It’s bacon as bacon should be,” Mackay says. “Once you try it, you can’t go back to thin, watery bacon.”
Bacon of the Gods
localline.ca/bacon-of-the-gods.com | 613.862.0783 | @baconofthegods
Find it at: Main Street Farmers’ Market, Corner Peach and online
