Are we “Bacon” you Hungry?

Maybe you think of it as a simple breakfast side dish or a burger topping. Maybe you’ve ventured outside these boundaries and turned it into an hor d'oeuvre or a dessert. Whatever the case, it’s undeniable that America loves bacon.

 

  

I mean, consider the numbers.

  

The typical American meat-eater consumes roughly 18 pounds of bacon a year. Translated to the whole of the nation, that’s over 5.6 BILLION pounds devoured in total.

 

So clearly, our collective love affair with bacon is pretty serious. Here at Grand Champion Meats, it goes without saying we’re fans - and that’s why, all last month, we’ve been celebrating the joys of bacon with special deals!

  

  

Before we get into all of that, did you know…

• Of the roughly 5 billion pounds of bacon eaten in the US each year, approximately 1.7 billion are consumer in restaurants.
• Bacon contains a property called umami - a certain food quality so appealing, it actually triggers neurological responses in our brains, making us crave more.
• The recipe for a bacon cologne (yes, you read that correctly) was created by a French chemist in 1920.
• Bacon is nearly ancient; in fact, there’s evidence of the Chinese salting and curing strips of pork circa 1500 BC.
• Studies show that pregnant women who make bacon part (not all) of their diets tend to have healthier pregnancies and deliver more robust children.
• 53% of all American households claim to have bacon waiting in their refrigerators at all times.

 

So, that’s a snapshot of some of the more unknown qualities of America’s favorite breakfast meat. There’s a lot more to be found - I mean, these days, bacon even has it’s very own television programming.

Here at Grand Champion Meats, we’re ready to help you get your bacon fix, here are 11 types of bacon we make. You can choose from:

 

*Hickory Smoked Bacon

*Pepper Bacon

*Beef Bacon

*Homestyle Cottage Bacon

*Thick Sliced Bacon

*Apple Cinnamon Bacon

*Raspberry Chipotle Bacon

*Honey Glazed Bacon

*Maple Bacon

Got a style of bacon that’s a particular favorite? Anything you do differently with bacon that you’d like to share? Leave us a comment and tell us about it!

Meat Safety

Ah, summer. Cookouts, picnics, coolers loaded with food...and food poisoning.

Alright, so that last one doesn’t exactly belong on a list when it comes to summertime nostalgia...but it can inadvertently become part of your adventures without proper caution.

According to some recent US Government statistics, about one out of every six people will experience some type of food-borne illness this year - and many of these people will suffer food poisoning as a result of spoiled meat products.

It’s easy to see why; your steaks, chicken breasts and seafood are highly sensitive to the elements, making them premier hosts for harmful organisms like e. coli, salmonella, and the parasite listeria.

So, when you arrive home with your future dinner menu ingredients, there are some things to keep in mind.

STAY CLEAN. Even fresh raw meat is teeming with organisms, which of course will disappear once properly cooked. In the meantime, as you prepare your meal, wash your hands and food prep zones with hot water and antibacterial soap frequently.

STAY ORGANIZED. Food prep can be chaotic, especially when you’re cooking for lots of people, but make sure throughout the process that you keep items separate from one another.  Without paying attention to this, it can be all too easy for your raw meats to come into contact with surfaces near veggies and other ingredients. Make sure those not-yet-cooked items don’t encounter your fresh vegetables.

STAY COOL. This one is tough during these warm months, but it’s critical if you want to avoid poisoning yourself. Food parasites multiply at breakneck speed during warm weather, and they’ll be a lot harder to kill after that. If you’re still getting the grill fired up, or haven’t decided how to marinate your steaks, store them away in the refrigerator.

HEAT PROPERLY. Never pull your meat items off the grill or out of the oven until they’ve reached their proper bacteria-killing temperatures. Check out this helpful guide with proper temps for heating, thawing and more.

BUY QUALITY. Many people like to buy their meat products in frozen form if they’re not sure when they’ll be cooking them. This is completely acceptable, but refer back to that handy guide when it comes to thawing methods. When it comes to your fresh meat products, place your trust in a quality market; you can rest assured your dinner has been freshly prepared and, if you follow the above guidelines, not liable to make you sick!

From all of us here at Grand Champion Meats, have a fun and safe summer grilling season!

Grilling Time - Tips for Buying a Grill

Tis the season for swimming pools, yard games...and a really awesome grilled burger. 

If you’re looking forward to cooking outside this summer, count yourself in the majority. A 2013 study conducted by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) found 80% of all U.S. households own some type of grill. 97% of those grill owners actually used their grill in the past year, and about 14 million new grills were shipped in 2013 alone.

For some, a simple charcoal grill is the ticket. Others prefer the ease and convenience of gas or electric.

Whatever your preference, if you’re in the market for a grill, there are certain things to always keep in mind; after all, a grill, like any other larger purchase, is an investment - and you don’t want to have to replace it mid-summer!

So, if you’re planning a grill shopping outing, here are a few things we suggest keeping in mind as you go on that quest. 

GET THE RIGHT KIND. 

This one seems like a no-brainer, but really - think about what you’re going to be using your grill to accomplish. Are you thinking small, immediate family cookouts once in a while? Or are you inviting the whole neighborhood over for a BBQ blowout? Are you a devotee of charcoal, or are you open to gas or electric? Lowe’s actually has this nifty, quick guide to selecting the right kind of grill - scope it out and get a feel for what’s on the market right now.

WHAT ARE YOU GRILLING?

Once you’ve honed in on what fuel source and size you’re interested in, think about what you’ll be grilling. This will also affect your decision. Different grills heat to different temperatures - and thrive at those temperatures - so take inventory of what you’ll be grilling most and buy accordingly. 

WIGGLE TEST

So the grill looks nice, and it’s the right size. So now it’s time for the wiggle test. 
While in the store, gently move it around and rock it back and forth to gauge how study it is. A structurally compromised grill will almost definitely wiggle. If it’s this unsound in the store, it probably won’t hold up on your patio or in your backyard. 

CHECK OUT CONSUMER REPORTS

Not all grilling apparati are created equal, so product reviews are a great place to start. Consumer Reports offers this glance at gas grills, which are perennially popular - and usually cost a pretty penny. Research is key!

Are you grill shopping? Any idea what kind you’re getting? Leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite cookout device!