The Ultimate Guide to Grinding Bacon at Home

Bacon is a beloved breakfast staple and cooking ingredient. There’s just something irresistible about those smoky, salty, fatty strips of pork belly. But have you ever considered grinding your own bacon at home? With a few simple tools and tips, you can take bacon from slices to a ground meat that opens up a whole new world of culinary possibilities.

In this comprehensive guide. we’ll cover everything you need to know about grinding bacon yourself. including

The benefits of grinding your own bacon
Choosing the right bacon for grinding
Equipment you’ll need
Step-by-step instructions
Recipe ideas to use ground bacon
Proper storage

Why Grind Your Own Bacon?

Grinding bacon allows you to customize the texture, fat content, flavor, and quality to your preferences. With store-bought ground pork or turkey, you don’t know exactly what you’re getting. Grinding bacon yourself gives you control over the ingredients.

Ground bacon also incorporates smoothly into dishes like burgers, meatballs, or meatloaf for added moisture and flavor No more worrying about errant crispy bacon bits in your mixture The bacon seamlessly combines with the other ingredients for a cohesive texture.

You can play around with different types of bacon, like maple-flavored or applewood-smoked. Mixing multiple varieties before grinding results in complex, unique flavors.

Grinding allows you to adjust the fat ratio by mixing in leaner meats. And freshly ground bacon retains its moisture and juiciness much better than pre-ground options which can dry out.

Choosing the Right Bacon for Grinding

Not all bacon is created equal when it comes to grinding. Here are some tips for selecting the best bacon for your needs:

Go thick-cut – Thinner bacon will shred, while thick slices grind more cleanly. Look for bacon cut at least 1/8-inch thick.

Get meaty – Bacon with a higher meat-to-fat ratio works better than ultra fatty slices. Aim for meatier bacon from the pork loin or pork belly.

Lean into lean – Consider back bacon (Canadian bacon) which comes from the pork loin if you want less fat.

Factor in fat – Some fat makes burgers juicy and flavorful. Opt for bacon with ample marbling over low-fat versions.

Seek smoky – Smoked bacon varieties like applewood or hickory-smoked add extra flavor depth.

Cure with care – Nitrate-free or naturally cured bacon avoids unnecessary chemicals.

With the right bacon for grinding, let’s talk tools.

Equipment You’ll Need

You don’t need fancy gadgets to grind bacon at home. A few basic appliances are all it takes:

Meat grinder – A manual or electric meat grinder efficiently processes bacon into the desired texture. Meat grinder attachments for stand mixers also work well.
Food processor – For small batches, a food processor can finely grind bacon when the bowl and blade are very cold.
Freezer – Partially freezing bacon before grinding makes the task easier and prevents mushiness.
Knife and cutting board – These make slicing bacon into smaller strips for the grinder a cinch.
Mixing bowls – Stainless steel or glass bowls mix ground bacon with other ingredients.

Now let’s get grinding!

Step-by-Step Guide to Grinding Bacon

Follow these simple steps for perfectly ground bacon every time:

Cut bacon into 1-inch strips – This makes feeding it into the grinder easier. Trim excess fat if needed.
Partially freeze the bacon – 15-30 minutes in the freezer firms it up for grinding without hardening completely. Bacon should be pliable but cold.
Grind the partially frozen bacon – Feed strips through a meat grinder or pulse chunks in a food processor. Move quickly to prevent thawing.
Mix in additional fat if needed – For burgers, add beef tallow or ground pork shoulder for moisture.
Regrind for a smoother consistency – A second pass through the grinder evenly distributes fat.
Form patties or meatballs – Shape ground bacon into disks for burgers or balls for meatballs. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

And that’s it! With these simple instructions, you’ll be grinding bacon like a pro.

Handy Tips for Grinding Success

Follow these tips and tricks for the best results when grinding bacon:

Chill grinder blades and bowls before use so the bacon doesn’t smear.
Work quickly during grinding to prevent the bacon from softening too much.
Add seasonings like spices, Worcestershire, or soy sauce to boost flavor.
Combine different bacon types like maple and hickory smoked for depth.
Add breadcrumbs if the mixture seems overly moist and won’t form patties.
Cook burgers and meatballs to 160°F minimum since bacon can harbor bacteria.
Avoid overcrowding food processor or grinder to prevent jamming.
Consider double grinding for a smoother consistency.

Now that you know how to grind bacon properly, let’s explore some of the amazing ways you can use it.

Ground Bacon Recipes and Ideas

The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to using freshly ground bacon. Try incorporating it into:

Burgers – Mix ground bacon into beef or turkey patties for juicy flavor bombs.
Meatballs – Ground bacon keeps meatballs tender and adds smoky dept

Making Venison Burger with Bacon

FAQ

Can you grind bacon in a food processor?

We use a food processor to grind all types of meat. The key is to make sure it’s boneless and skinless, and to cut it into chunks before processing.

How do you ground bacon?

Put the meat into the grinder and take it through a medium grind. Add some non-fat dried milk (NFDM) to help with moisture and binding. Mix all the ingredients properly until you have a uniform mixture. This will take 3–5 minutes if you are using a mixer, but it may be longer if you do it by hand.

Can you grind bacon into burgers?

Here’s the recipe for the Bacon Burger » Anyone who’s vaguely into bacon (and who isn’t?) or follows important internet memes has surely born witness to the bacon burger—that is, a burger patty entirely made up out of ground bacon.

How do you grind Bacon in a Burger grinder?

Mix the meat so the bacon is dispersed evenly throughout the beef, ensuring the bacon is spread evenly throughout the burgers. Add the cold meat to the grinder hopper and use the plunger tool to push it down through the grinding mechanism.

How do you cook bacon without a meat grinder?

But if you don’t have a meat grinder then just chop the bacon into small pieces and mix with the ground beef. To that, add some salt, pepper and spices (garlic powder, onion powder, paprika…) and give it all a good mix together. (Using your hands to mix it all together works best. Just make sure they’re nice and clean first!)

What type of bacon to grind with burger meat?

Consider fat content, quality and cut of beef and bacon when choosing the best type of bacon to grind with the burger meat. If you are planning to use a less expensive cut of beef with a high fat content, lean, high quality bacon, such as center cut bacon, pairs well.

What does a burger with bacon taste like?

A burger with bacon ground into the meat offers the same taste as a bacon cheeseburger, but without the bacon sliding off the burger when you take a bite. When you grind your own beef you have the choice of which cuts of meat to use, while store-bought ground beef may contain meat from thousands of cows.