To celebrate International Bacon Day on 7th September, Gordon Newlands, Manager of the Scotch Butchers Club brings you his top tips for crafting the ultimate bacon butty using Specially Selected Pork this weekend.
Get ready to take your bacon roll game to the next level with these sizzling tips:
- Look for dry cure bacon or the highest quality bacon within your budget. Be sure to look for the “Specially Selected Pork” logo to ensure you’re getting an excellent product.
- To avoid overcooking your bacon, add a splash of water to your frying pan or skillet. This trick ensures the fat melts away, giving you succulent, crispy bacon every time.
- Avoid adding any cooking oil to the pan. Allow the bacon’s natural flavours and moisture to render for a perfectly natural cook.
- For a mouthwatering sweet and savoury twist, coat your bacon with a light dusting of brown sugar before cooking. The sugar caramelises, creating an extra crispy bite.
- Streaky bacon or the supreme back bacon will tickle your taste buds with the best flavours.
- Always use a cast iron skillet or a plancha grill when cooking your bacon for a perfect turn out every time. Using a weight or press also ensures even cooking throughout and helps get that bacon fat extra crispy.
- If you like your bacon crispy, grilling it is always a good bet. Turn it frequently to ensure even cooking.
- Place your cooked bacon on a sheet of kitchen roll to drain. This simple step keeps your bacon crispy and removes any excess grease.
- Lightly toast the inside of your roll under the grill before adding lashings of real butter.
- Decisions, decisions. Do you go for a traditional Scottish bakers roll or sliced bread to go with your bacon? You can’t beat good quality salted butter which melts into the bread and helps soak up all those natural bacon juices.
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Are you Red, Broon or a bacon naturalist? Always the subject of much debate, but you can’t beat a bit of sauce on your roll
And remember when selecting red meat, always look out for the Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb or Specially Selected Pork logos. These logos guarantee that the livestock has spent its whole life on trusted Scottish farms known for their high standards of animal welfare and sustainable farming practices.
