Meat + Poultry - August 2005 - 59

depends on the product composition
and its degree of temper," says Brown.
Consistent composition of bellies is
an ongoing challenge for processors.
In an ideal world, processors could
conduct trials to determine the optimum temperature and slicing equipment parameters for each belly. In
reality, however, "Bacon supplies tend
to vary considerably in salt, water and
fat content," says Brown.
Applying the same tempering process to bellies of various leanness and
size makes little sense. "It is not feasible to measure such factors and adjust
the (tempering) process for every joint.
The best that might be achieved in this
way is to adjust tempering conditions
for batches of joints and hope they are
sufﬁciently uniform," Brown says.
An alternative measurement and
feedback technique would be to conduct some type of hardness test on
joints to determine whether they are
at a desired hardness, Brown suggests.
A bend test is one possible method, he
says. "This would need to be determined empirically and the measurements used to adjust either tempering
temperatures or durations."
Distinctively different
The recent surge in bacon consumption is especially good news for
boutique-type companies like Burgers' Smokehouse a self-proclaimed
"boutique" processor of bacon. The
California, Mo.-based company, one
of the largest country ham processing companies, has seen its dry-cured
bacon sales more than double in the
past 10 years. Its "hand-crafted and
boutique " bacon, priced in the $8 to
$10 per pound range, is marketed and
sold through catalog and Internet sales,
as well as at a growing number of supermarkets. Last year, Burgers' bacon
sales increased by 7 percent, says Steven Burger, president.
"Country cured bacon has been a
vital part of our product line since
the 1950s," he explains. Dry cured

was once the standard for bacon processing, he says, "but what was once
mainstream 50 or 60 years ago has
turned into a niche market as the curing processes have changed and bacon
has become mass produced.
"The hand-crafted bacon market is
to the broader market what ﬁne cigars,
gourmet coffee and premium bourbon
are to their markets. There's an end of
the market that appreciates the ﬁner
things and are willing to pay a premium
for the experience, the lifestyle and the
good feeling they get from consuming
those products," says Burger.
Boutique and hand-crafted bacon,
says Burger, appeals to the upper end,
gourmet food enthusiasts. Flavors tend
to be more pronounced. Products are
made in smaller batches and feature

A challenge facing bacon processors of all sizes is
the inconsistency of bellies, which has become an
area equipment companies are addressing.
(Photo courtesy of Burgers' Smokehouse)

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August 2005

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Meat + Poultry - August 2005

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