A grab bag of pork…hmm, what a novel idea!? I have grown to love the bacon ends and pieces pack from Trader Joe’s. In fact, I don’t even bother buying the conventional cut anymore. Why, do you ask? Have I lost my mind? Do I like eating the refuse from the butcher shop? Well no…I just like the value and versatility I get when buying this product. Now stop judging me you bacon snob! In all seriousness, you’re still getting the same quality and great tasting bacon that you normally would if you were to buy the full cut package, but you are getting a mish mash of random cuts. Really, the flavor is good, the meat is hearty, and the fat reduces nicely. I like the fact also that with the smaller cuts of meaty pieces, I find myself eating a smaller portion than I probably would otherwise, which I’m sure my arteries appreciate. The reason why I say I find this pack versatile, is because I actually use the pieces of fat to grease my pans and add flavor to other things that I’m cooking. For example, when I make the Trader Joe’s pot stickers, I start by throwing a few small pieces of the bacon fats into the frying pan, let them heat up and liquefy a little, and then in go the pot stickers…mmmm! Magnifique! I also find myself doing this a lot when I sauté vegetables. The only thing holding this product back from a 4 chest rating is the lack of consistency of the ratio of fat to meat that you get each time you buy it. I’ve bought this product several times now and mostly the ratio has been about 50 50 fat to meat. But I have been burned a few times and got the short end of the pig. A bag full of fat! Yay! What do I do with this fat now?! $3.49
Let us know what you think down below!
