How to Make Delicious Bacon5 Best Practices From the Jones Dairy Farm Factory

There’s no food quite like bacon. In America, this irresistibly crispy product is equivalent to an ideal breakfast, often accompanied by fried eggs, hash browns and a slice of toast. Of course, it’s not just Americans who love bacon. Bacon is consumed worldwide in various ways (check out this classic nikujaga recipe) but it’s safe to say that we at Jones Dairy Farm know a thing or two about making the kind of bacon every family will want to eat.

Our award-winning Dry-Aged Bacon is special because of the way it’s made, over many days instead of hours, and it’s a difference you can taste. So how do we create this rich, signature taste? Here are 5 best practices from the Jones Dairy Farm factory in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.

Interested in a tour of the factory? Check out blogger Costcotuu’s visit to Jones Dairy Farm.

1. Use the best cut

In the United States, bacon is made primarily from pork belly, known for its tender and deliciously fatty qualities. At Jones Dairy Farm, we use hand-trimmed center-cut pork bellies to make our bacon. This special trim results in a leaner, meatier product with less “shrinkage” when cooked.

Jones Dairy Farm also uses 100% American pork regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

2. Naturally smoke it over real hardwood

After curing the trimmed pork belly with a century-old family-crafted brine, Jones Dry-Aged Bacon is naturally smoked in small batches over real cherrywood chips for up to 12 hours to provide a rich taste.

Unlike many competitors, injected or sprayed-on liquid smoke is never used. While naturally-smoked bacon takes longer to make, and is therefore more expensive to manufacture, we believe the extra time is worth a more authentic flavor.

3. Understand that good things take time

Lastly, the bacon goes into a special aging room where it dry-ages for up to a month. If you’ve ever been to a restaurant and wondered why the dry-aged steak was so expensive, it’s because this type of product takes a lot of time to perfect. During the dry-aging process, moisture is drawn out of the bacon to create its intense, signature flavor.

It’s an essential step in the manufacturing process at Jones, and another reason why you can truly taste the difference.

4. Keep it clean

From the beginning we’ve refused to add artificial flavors or MSG to our products. Our award-winning Dry-Aged Bacon is Certified Gluten-Free and free of all Big 8 food allergens — peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish — giving you added peace of mind when serving family and friends.

5. Prepare it the Jones way

Bacon is an incredibly versatile product that can define or amplify any dish. At Jones Dairy Farm, we recommend cooking our bacon in a toaster oven at 350 degrees until it’s foamy. You can easily prepare our bacon in a pan or microwave, too. Check our product page for more instructions.

For a more creative approach, try a simple snack like Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Shrimp, or make a tasty Bacon Nikujaga for your children’s lunch. Check our full list of original recipes featuring Jones Dairy Farm Dry-Aged Bacon for more ideas.

Find Jones Dairy Farm products at a Costco shop near you. Check the shop locator for more details.