Griff, can't you get Amish bacon in your area???

When I was a kid we had a smokehouse for a while, but could not do it as well as the people we paid to do it for us... so we stopped after a while.
Did do our own hams and mullet sometimes though.

"heard a hog being butchered", yeah boom... thud. What is so bad about that?

[hi] In my quest to change my diet, I had my first shamburger (Boca)yesterday for lunch. We were out of bread, so just had it nuked with ketchup and a mini dill on the side. Texture was a little crumbly, but flavor was good. They will be a part of my regular menu from now on. Doubt I'll try the fake chicken though, since regular is fine for you. I'm not going veggie, just healthy. [/jack]

I like several varieties of fakeburgers, but I prefer to eat them without the buns, topped with cheese. Nutritionally, they are a lot like grains mixed with nuts anyway. The Morningstar Farms Grillers are particularly successful.

Finished the last 2 Bocas last night. On buns, with ketchup, as a proper burger should be. I had one, my daughter the other. She loved it. Ate the whole thing.

Thanks for the suggestion, will try those next if/when I find them!

While you're trying out veggie burgers, I highly recommend the Whole Foods 365 brand.

That is probably the answer.

I didn't even know pigs could be Amish.

Mmmm. You are speaking my language on that one. Have you ever tried the Spicy "Chicken" Boca with just pepperjack on top? It's awesome! I am so addicted.

Only the reformed sect.

Can't recall for sure, Cicero, but it does sound yummy. Probably any zippy cheese could serve. I haven't tried Blue or Gorgonzola on a fakeburger.

Bacon & egg rolls at the kids footy...a staple in Aust.
Im missing winter already

Hey, flint, there's a very rough equivalent out there already, in Middle Eastern markets.

It's "pastirma" or "basturma," variously spelt. The word is a cognate with pastrami and it bears a general resemblance to it: it's very lean beef, dried, spiced generously with a rather bitter mix of red chile peppers and lots of garlic and some salt in what looks like a dry rub. If you're doing your own chile blend, get some guajillos into it. I'd suggest starting with guajillos, a lot of hot paprika, rather less powdered dried New Mexico or ancho, and some cayenne for throttle control.

So whattaya do with this prodigy after it's ripe? Slice it into thin rashers and fry it like bacon -- quite good with fried eggs, though it's something of an acquired taste with its bitter note. I didn't think much of it the first time I ate it, but the very next weekend I was down at that same Sinop restaurant, ordering more. I ate it all through my time in Turkey.

Light smoking might do it good too.

Holy bacon, Batman.

In addition to being crucified sideways, St. Anthony was fried??