Tough Category Talk...World Bacon Championships @ Roc City Ribfest

BasicPatrick

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Ok Brethren...at Roc City the NEBS Grilling Comp is going to be very very interesting. I think the first category (Bacon in a Box) is almost evil. I am truely stumped. Anyone want to throw out any suggestions...I need help on this one.

Here are th rules and category descriptions to get some chat going.

WBC RULES:
1. “Bacon” is definition as smoked pork belly for every category. No Canadian bacon, ham, prosciutto, or un-smoked un-cured pork belly is allowed.
2. You may use store bought bacon (smoked pork belly) or cure and smoke your own pork belly before the event.
3. Only wood, pellets or charcoal shall be used. No gas or electric may be used in the preparation or cooking of any of the components including sauces.

Category

Bacon in a Box (12:00pm Turn-in)
A true test of meat selection and cooking skills...No garnish, sauce or rub may be applied to the bacon...Rub is only allowed if it was applied during the curing and smoking of the pork belly...No GarnishNo SauceNo Rub9x9 Container

Wrapped In (12:30pm Turn-in)
Any protein, vegetable or other edible item wrapped in bacon
Your wrapped item can be a mixture of other edible items, such as meatballs or stuffed jalapenos...No dessert items...NEBS Standard Garnish9x9 Container

Savory Dish aka no dessert! (1:00pm Turn-in)
Any savory dish with bacon...Judges will be looking for the dish the best highlights the bacon...No dessert items...No items wrapped in bacon...Open Garnish9x9 Container

Dessert (1:30pm Turn-in)
Any dessert with bacon...No store bought cakes, brownies, muffins, doughnuts pastries, pies or cookies allowed, store bought ice cream is allowed
Final assembly and the cooking of at least one main component must be done on site...No savory dishes...Any container/platter/dish is allowed for presentation...Open GarnishOpen Container
 
do some crispy pork belly, a fatty, quahog pie with bacon chunks, a bacon caramel cheesecake
 
The category I find tough to figure out is the plain bacon box. Chicken...I though about crispy pork belly BUT rules state we cant use fresh pork belly.

We almost decided not to play but to judge as the entries are going to be amazing.
 
get some bacon from bespoke bacon.... lots of good flavors. ask them for unsliced and crosshatch and crisp it up. flavorings are added before the curing
 
I would serve bacon done in different ways. Maybe some thin cut crispy bacon and some that is cut 1/4" thick that is crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth tender on the inside. Maybe have it on a bed of lardons. You could do some grilled cubes or some chicharrones.
 
For the savory dish, try the Bacon Jam! http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/10/08/bacon-jam-your-wildest-dreams-come-true/

You could also do a soup with bacon in it or on top.

As far as bacon in a box - Neuskes' bacon is da bomb. Get the thick sliced - it really isn't that think and the thin is too thinly cut. We also have something in the store called "jowel bacon" made by Fall's in Idaho. It's a smoked bacon jowel and you can slice it yourself.

Dessert -

201111-r-salted-caramel-pie.jpg
© Dana Gallagher

Salted Carmel pie - from Food and Wine Nov 2011. Recipie on their site. You could sprinkle bacon on top of the carmel part and then add a side car of vanilla bean ice cream with bacon mixed in.





Wrapped in would be bacon wrapped shrimp with the shrimp stuffed with that Mexican cheese I can't think of the name of.
 
I agree with your thoughts on the first turn-in. Bacon in a box, nothing else...gotta be tough. As for the rest of the turn-ins...Buckner Brothers had a little R&D session this past weekend and we're starting to finally nail down an idea for the savory turn in. We've turned in things wrapped in bacon and a bacon dessert in the past, so we have some things to fall back on...but that first category? Gotta be a tough one to judge...but on the other hand? it's gotta be AWESOME to be a judge that day.
 
Asadero is the cheese I was thinking of for the bacon wrapped shrimp.


This is the other dish I was trying to think of - bacon salad bowl


And the Bacon taco shell...
 
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