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Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Bacon of the Month Club

20071202BOMC-logo.png
20071202TGP_logo.pngOn Sunday a person's thoughts turn to bacon. At least mine do. I don't have to rush to the office, so I can take the time to cook my bacon properly, slowly over low heat. Of course my thoughts are never very far from bacon, no matter what day of the week it is.

That's why I'm particularly excited about today's Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway, a year-long membership in the Bacon of the Month Club, courtesy of the good folks at the Grateful Palate. Every month for a whole year the lucky Serious Eater who wins this most desirable club membership will receive a pound of fantastic small producer, artisanally made bacon personally selected by "Captain Bacon" himself, Grateful Palate founder Dan Philips.

This is my kind of club. In fact, someone gave me a membership in this club a few years ago for my birthday, and I can tell you it provided me with a year's worth of absolute eating pleasure.

To win this coveted membership just leave a comment on this post telling us how you like your bacon, crisp or pliant.

You have until noon ET tomorrow (Monday, December 10) to enter. One winner will be chosen at random from among the commenters. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply. Contest winners are limited to residents of the continental U.S.

And if you don't happen to win I heartily endorse joining the Bacon of the Month Club anyway. You can sign up here and by entering promotion code SERIOUSBACON08 at checkout you'll receive a 5 percent discount.

Comments are closed: 296 Comments:

Love undercooked bacon.

it depends on how i'm eating it. in a BLT, i love crispy bacon. when i'm eating it by itself, i like with with a bit of chew.

I love crisp, but not shatteringly so, bacon. I love bacon at all times, every where. I love to leave a copy of Everything Tastes Better With Bacon on the counter to drive the food police up the wall. So much fun to be had with bacon!!

Crisp and a little melt-in-your-mouthish. As Bourdain says, the pig is a noble beast.

slightly under crip

Crispy on the edges, juicy in the middle. Bacon.

thick and slightly underdone is my favorite -- but i like it any way it comes!!!

Gotta be crisp, but thick enough not to shatter.

Just under crisp

I agree with laciscott, especially when it comes to breakfast sandwiches. The chewy bacon ends up being pulled off the sandwich, whereas the crunchy bacon breaks easier.

I use the mini George Foreman grill to cook the bacon. It lets the fat drip off and has a way of getting that crunchy, but still chewy consistency I really love!

somewhere in the middle.

Crisp, though not burnt! On a BLT, maybe a little softer.

I like it more pliant, but my wife won't eat anything short of crisp and deep mahogany brown.

Just beyond pliant, beginning to crisp. Baked in the oven. Love it any time any way.

Crisp just in between being nice crisp and burnt.

Just prior to becoming crisp.

crisp for me

It's somewhere in between. It needs to be crisp, but also a bit pliant.

Crisp not burnt.

Thin & crisp.

More pliant than crisp. I do like little bits of crunchies, though.

just starting to get crisp out of the oven

chewy if it's sliced on it's own crispy if it's being used more as a condiment

I think crisp bacon is by far the tastiest kind.

Crisp but not burnt.

Crisp, but not too crisp.

The key is to have thick bacon so it is almost crispy and chewy at the same time.

crisp enough to shatter

mostly crisp with a little bit of chewy left

Crisp, but not crunchy.

Pliant. Too much "crisp" bacon is just burnt bacon in disguise.

Just crisp on a peanut butter sandwich.

"Crisp Bacon".. preferably just thrown in the oven so the fat renders out... mmm

Thick and slightly chewy.

Entirely depends on the application: crisp as condiment or in a BLT; slightly pliant as egg accompaniment, in order to provide some chew to contrast with eggs' smooshiness.

Why choose? I love bacon in every form - pliant and crisp!

As crispy as possible!

Vegan. Oh wait, I hate meat analogs. So scratch that.

Somewhere in between.

crispy.. skin on crispy thick cut is even better...

Bacon, is, of course, perfect, when the edges acquire the texture of a withered treasure map, the center still nearly molten with a promise of chin-dribbling joy and artery-clogging ecstasy. It should be as profound an experience as the Assumption of Mary, when heaven clasped her to its breast as one clasps a slab of uncured thick cut.

Crisp as food in and of itself.

Crisp when crumbled into pancake batter, garnishing soups, tossed back into a skillet of Brussels sprouts or Dutch oven as lardons in a braise.

Pliant yet crisped on top of meatloaf.

Beyond pliant to the state of shredded mush when the collards are done.

Pliant but not rubbery

It will always depend on the application!

it's bacon--i'll eat it any way it's served!

crisp & chewy

crisp but not burnt

I love it both ways. The perfect piece of bacon is crisp in part, and pliant in another. Mmmmm bacon.

Crispy and a little charred on the edges, chewy in the middle.

crisply pliant

both, i just like bacon

thick sliced, and crispy

Just less than crisp

Bacon baked for hours in low heat! Chewy but well cooked.

crisp, but not cracker-crisp

Crisp, but thick cut so that it has just a tiny bit of chew to it.

I love crispy, almost burnt, bacon. I love the crunch in your mouth-whether it be on BLT's, on top of salads, or on the side of a fried egg. Yumm!!!

Crisp but not burnt.

Crisp please.

Both--it is a thing of beauty.

pliant and juicy

Crisp and diced with veggies, pliant when wrapped over meat.

Chewy all the way!

Crisp, because I usually end up eating it in some sort of sandwich (even a pancake sandwich). As someone else mentioned, chewy bacon just doesn't work; I end up with a strip of bacon hanging down my chin.

Chewy, not crispy. Chewy, not pliant. Chewy, salty, meaty, sweet. I'd rather have bacon than chocolate, and I adore chocolate. But it has to be GOOD bacon...

Depends on the usage.... for some things I need crispy (spinach salad) for some I like pliant (BLT)

Definitely pliant for me, especially after having moved to North Carolina from the UK and having to eat nothing but totally overcooked crispy bacon.

pliant, wrapped around a dry pack dayboat scallop

I like it pliant.

Crrrrrispy.

Or not. Because, you know, it's bacon. Yummy!

the perfect and elusive middle-ground between crisp and pliant

crisp but a little chewy

Crispy all the way...

definitely crisp

crisp please.

crisp but still chewy

mostly crisp, with a little bit of pliant

crisp around the edges, pliant in the middle...

had some this morning and got it a little crispier than I like it...best is with crispy outsides and pliant interior, if you can manage it. so, a little of both. :)

Crispity crisp!

crisp and clean

Just barely crisp, preferably with lettuce, tomato, and mayo on sourdough.

Somewhere between the two--crisp enough that it seems "done", pliant enough that it doesn't seem burnt.

Crisp. Are you actually eligible to win the prize if you answer "pliant?" Seriously, I assume the management have some language in the rules to address that unfortunate eventuality.

Crunchy, half burnt.

Pliant - After a hard evening of celebration and having the will power to get out of bed and cook it myself - bare-chested - with the splatter of bacon grease on my belly to draw me from my slumber.

Crisp! And not too greasy, but not dry either.

crispy, but not so much it crumbles

crispy but not overdone

I like mine crispy!

Just crisp - with just about anything! This is bacon after all.

I like crispy but not burnt. Actually, a little chewy is kinda nice, too.

crispy definitely

Somewhere in between, but it doesn't really matter how it is cooked. It's bacon. I'll eat it.

crispy on the edges and chewy in between

a little crispy... a little chewy... the best.

fatty, dripping grease!

Slightly under crisp with a lot fat!

Pliant please

Definitely crisp!

crispy, but not at all burnt

I'm going to have to say that I like it pliant when I'm eating it by itself, but one something, like a BLT or a Bacon Cheeseburger, I prefer it crispy as I hate pulling out a whole slice of bacon with a bite. I want a bite of bacon in every bite when I'm eating it on something.

Make mine pliant, please! (I always order it "wiggly" - perhaps I've been misusing the bacon terminology.)

definitely crispy!

I like my bacon a little crisp, a little pliant, and in large quantities.

Thick enough so it's crispy on the outside with a pliant middle!

Crisp please.

Crisp. Mmm...bacon.

Pliant and thick.

Mmmmmmm the ends crisp and the middle chewy.

Crisp, but with some nice soft fatty bits still left in there.
This is the best contest you have had yet!

mmmm. bacon. crisp.

half crisp, half pliant

Crisp, but not burnt!

Crispy on the plate. Pliant in my BLTs

crispy, crispy, crispy!

Crisp, but not crunchy or burnt. It should lightly fall apart and almost melt in the mouth. Mmmm, bacon.

crispy on the edges, moist right where it is against the meat, and the meat is still tender and not dry.

Thin, pliantly crisp. No chew.

as long as it's not burnt, I'll eat it

Right in between.

chewy, with crispy bits

crispy edges, slightly chewy fat ...

crispy, not burnt

crisp, so there's a crunch in the bite.

Crispy is the way to go.

a little bit of both..."plisp" if you will. :)

Crispy for snacking, pliant for eating on a sandwich or dipped in maple syrup!

pliant...I like to cook it myself not too keen on restaurant bacon because I prefer to choose the best quality.

crispy! i grew up on deep-fried bacon.

crispy and almost burnt...there is something about the taste of almost burnt bacon that I love.

Thick cut and wiggly, please. I hate when it shatters (although overcooked bacon is better than no bacon at all!)

Crispy, with thick cut I like it a little chewy as well.

Thick-cut, crispy, but not burnt

Crisp, with center pliancy :)

crispy edges and chewy valleys

I like crispy bacon just like I had this morning!

crisp and slightly pliant

crisp AND pliant

Both! When it's crisp on the edges, but still has some toothsome chewy bits in between the crispy waves... mmmmmmm. When it's too crispy, it shatters immediately and the life of all that beautiful bacony flavor gets cut short, but take it out of the pan a tad underdone, and the slight chewiness makes the bacon experience last that much longer. It's all about the flavor with bacon.

Crisp and fragrant.

Crsip, except the fat, which has to be melt in your mouth

Pliant, please! A little crispy on the edges is okay, but I'm definitely not one of those people who wants their bacon to crackle and crumble when they bite into it. Must be somewhat floppy.

I like it thick cut and just this side of burnt. Super crispy!

Crisp, pliant, and not too dark

crisp n crunchy

I like it crispy and actually, I do them in the microwave and comes out so right (and almost guilt free)

See, I don't eat bacon- but my partner and parents do. My parents like it crispy, almost burnt. My partner likes it somewhat pliant but still not floppy.

I was going to give my partner the bacon of the month club membership for the holidays, but it's EXPENSIVE! Unfortunately I don't have that money to drop on something we both can't enjoy (the whole being jewish thing in my case, and I just don't care for the taste).

I did give a bacon bar to my cousins this year for the holidays though- and they loved it!

crisp but with a bit of a bite

Chewy and crispy.

I like mine soft and still greasy.

crispy, but most more importantly hot. any temperature other than just off the griddle hot is no fun at all.

Crisp around the edges, but pliant and still with a good amount of chewy fat.

I like it crispy, but not to the point of shattering.

crisp around the edges! but pliant everywhere else

We like our bacon crispy-what a wonderful gift!

Oh it was to be crispy

a little crispy, but not dried out and crunchy

Any kind of bacon is good...but if I had to pick...crispy over chewy :)

I eat bacon any way I can, once in my hurry to enjoy my favorite breakfast with my students I set the home economics stove on fire. True story:)

I like bacon both ways, and every way in between. I've even eaten it "raw"

super crispy!

Crispy with a slight chewiness.

It has gotta be both!

Pliant is an excellent word. Pliant.

Crisp! Carbonization in spots a plus, with minor streaks of molten stuff for indulgency's sake.

crisp but not dry or burned ....

under rated is bacon cooked in the oven...

Homemade bacon sliced impossibly thin, layered 'raw' on a piece of toasted crostini so the fat melts to translucency like a good lardo does.

Bacon needs to be just thick enough to be cooked crispy on the outside, yet moist and tender on the inside.

Crisp on edges, chewy in the middle.

Never limp and listless. Always crisp, but not quite crunchy. Mmm--now I'm hungry for a great BLT.

Crispy edges, but with a streak of real chewy bacon fat in the center that melts when hot.

crispily pliant...is that cheating?

Can't I have both!? If I have to choose, I choose crispy (& I'll cheat with pliant on the side hehe)

crispy bacon, inside a grilled PB sandwich.
pliant bacon, on burgers with swiss

crisp...cut thick, browned until it's lean parts will shatter on the tooth.

cv

pliant- i like the chewy-ness

mmmmm very cripsy and use the drippins to make a wilted green salad yummmmmm !

70 % crisp, 30% pliant.

I love it meaty .............cooked till no more fatty bits .............but not until nearly burnt .

crispy, but not burnt.

Crispy so I can use it as a spoon.

Meaty and chewy. Yum!

I like it slightly crisp, but only on the outside of a thick, chewy slice. It shouldn't be crispy all the way through.

extra crispy please

slowly oven roasted until it's nice & crisp

the boy likes his crisp... i prefer mine pliant. especially if it's drenched in brown sugar.

crispy, preferably with a dijon-maple glaze. yummy.

crispin glover

shattery crisp

Crisp! Yesterday at my friend's apt, great bacon was ruined...soggy and undercooked. ew!

crispy with maple syrup all "accidentally" on it

chewy, yet crispy. Whatever that means! It has to be a little crispy, but not shatteringly so. It has to be chewy, but not flabby and fatty.
So, crispy AND chewy!

I love mine crispy crispy maybe even just a tiny bit of char... thoughts of bacon -- what a great way to interrupt my work day:)

Nice and crispy

2 crispy pieces and 1 pliant.

Crispy not burnt!

crispy but not blackened

thick and chewy

Wrapped around a scallop, somewhere between crisp and pliant.

THICK and crispy!

I like mine thick-sliced and crispy around the edges. Yay bacon!

crisp, please

pliant / undercooked / meaty -- otherwise it could be mistaken for that chemical travesty on the salad bar.

Pliant, but I like the fat to have a crispy edge.

Crispy please!
And I cook mine in the oven at 350 degrees... turns out YUM everytime and less messy too =)

I prefer my bacon crisp, however I'll eat it any way it's served. If I were on a deserted island and could bring 3 things with me, bacon is definitely on my list.

Crispy, crispy, crispy.

crisp but not dry

Crispy...chewy....no matter.
I'll take my bacon however I can get it!

Love it more chewy than crisp, but with just a bit of crispiness around the edges.

Crsip, preferably caramelized in the oven on a rack placed on top of a cookie sheet, with brown sugar on top.

I like it a bit chewy.

crisp for blts and burgers, chewy otherwise

Crispy - it should crumble when looked at!

i like to apply my same standards to bacon as i would to a great oatmeal cookie--not too thick, nor too thin, crisp and golden at the edges, with a tender and chewy center.

I will eat bacon anyway it is served to me. I'm pretty sure there is no "bad" bacon!

Crisp and crumbly, please :-)

Doesn't matter, as long as it's real bacon, not just the stuff in the supermarket!

it's all about the crisp.

Most definitely crisp!

I like it to bend, with some crunch around the edges. reaching perfection when there is a fair balance of fat remaining on the strip and the pool of grease that said strip is resting in.

Definitely needs to wobble around when you pick it up.

Thick and crispy, done in a convection oven.

medium crisp, on top of a salad with blue cheese dressing...

Very crisp!

crispy crispy crispy

Crispy meat and chewy fat, perfection!

We have a winner!

And it's ... KAREN R. Someone from Serious Eats will be contacting you shortly for shipping info.

Thanks to everyone who commented, and tune in again later today and throughout New Year's Day for a contest each day.

Crispy enough so that the fat is crunchy but not so much that the meat is dried out