Real Bacon, Heavenly. BaconSalt, Not So Much.
food February 12th, 2008Last week I wrote about my love affair with bacon, which included an attempt to find out whether the doggie treat Beggin’ Strips taste like real bacon. The answer: A big fat NO.
After reading about my love of all things bacon, Susan of the My Right Brain blog suggested I try out BaconSalt, a bacon-flavored seasoning for the times I want to baconize my food in the absence of the real thing. According to their website, the makers of BaconSalt are “on a quest to make everything taste like bacon.” Best. Tagline. Ever.
I got online that day and ordered up two containers of it: one for me, and one for my bacon-loving sister, Ann of the Shampoo Bag. They arrived last night.
I gleefully took mine to work today in anticipation of making my Healthy Choice Chicken Parmigiana with Broccoli meal a little more palatable. Here’s my assessment:
1. The stuff doesn’t smell 100% like bacon. It smells more like barbecue sauce, but I salivated nonetheless. I also sneezed.
2. It’s less like salt, and more like crushed up bacon bits. I expected a powder substance, but it had a slight crunch to it.
3. When it hit the food, it didn’t dissolve. It just laid there like a bacon bit would.
4. It didn’t taste all that much like real bacon, I suspect due to the absence of glorious grease.
5. Because I bothered to buy it and wanted to give it a full assessment, I sprinkled another teaspoonful onto my lunch and decided I didn’t hate it. But……
BaconSalt has one major flaw.
Three hours after lunch, I realized I could still taste bacon, or some facsimile of such. The thing to watch out for if you buy this stuff is the aftertaste.
Bring a toothbrush, mouthwash, gum and floss if you don’t want everyone you come into contact with later in the day to know what you had for lunch. And by all means, don’t eat it if you have a dentist appointment within two days. Unless you hate your dentist. In that case, by all means, go forth and breathe heavily.
My sister Ann hasn’t received her order yet, and I’m pretty sure she won’t want it now. But, Ann, if you want your stinky bacon, come ‘n get it.
Product Tagline: A
Idea in Theory: A
Real World Test: C+
Stumble it!
February 12th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I will scratch this off my next grocery list. Although, there is such a thing as ‘real’ bacon bits in a little jar for salads etc (or just eating out of your hand). It is just minced up bacon in a jar. Maybe you should consider that for your next pork-fix.
Bruce’s last blog post..The Weak Link
February 12th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I think you hit upon the all-important drawback to bacon salt (besides bacon salt breath): lack of grease. I realized today I don’t like bacon so much as I like things fried in bacon grease. Could this replace bacon bits, as in a salad? Would they be good on a potato? In an omelet?
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February 12th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
You got it bad! You might want to try hypnosis!!! LOL
February 12th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I think you just confirmed a theory I have that anything that tries to artificially approximate the taste of any kind of meat is doomed to failure. There’s a good reason why barbecue doesn’t grow on trees! If it did it would be a salad and not barbecue!
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February 12th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Bruce — Now that I know the BaconSalt is granular and hard, I’m probably going to stick to the softer, chewier bacon bits that you can buy in a regular store. But I’m also conceding that I might not have given it enough chance. I probably need to sprinkle it on a baked potato or cheese fries. I’m not giving up on it.
JD — Yeah, the grease factor is missing. It’s not a melt-in-your-mouth product. I could see putting it on a hot food item, but not on a salad.
Kristen — I know. I have lots and lots of problems that hypnosis would probably help me with.
Lee — The way the website made it sound, I thought I would be fooled into thinking it was actual bacon. I’m a sucker for tasty-looking advertising. It’s why I can’t watch the Food channel.
February 12th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I think I’ve seen that bottle in my Supermarket asile ! I’ll go check it tomorrow.
What’s better than bacon ? Showing you some love for 3 bucks ! π
(My paypal account had exactly $3.07 which I was looking to spend) How much of the $3 goes to you ?
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February 12th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Jaffer — Bacon. What’s not to love? And thanks for buying a spot on my Top Spots list. You look good up there! I will receive 90% of your contribution. It’s the closest thing to advertising that anyone will see at The Junk Drawer. I like it because it’s not a commercial ad, it’s not one of those “tip jars” that makes me feel like a beggar, and you get exposure in return for your donation. I have about 125 subscribers and 150 unique visitors a day, in case you’re wondering about your investment π
February 12th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
You know, Kathy, for a girl that claims to be so “gutless” you sure are brave when it comes to bacon flavor. First the dog food, and now the fake artificial almost bacon salt.
Now, I’m no expert in the kitchen, but I know I can buy REAL bacon bits at the grocery store to put on my salad. I’m not as brave as you are, so I think I’ll just buy the real thing!
February 12th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Ha ha, I sometimes eat bacon bits as a lot of them are vegetarian. I had heard that bacon is the easiest taste to replicate.
Forest Parks’s last blog post..A plea to Martin Lawrence
February 12th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Since you like their tagline so much, you will love the job title the founder has: Bacontrepreneur. Sorry again that the product didn’t match the hype!
February 12th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Try taste of Home Bacon-Bacon seasoning. It’s great!
windyridge’s last blog post..I Was Flying
February 12th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
I like how you take these things so seriously…lol. I have a vision of you eating bacon, shredding paper. Oh so happy! Happy Kathy! LOL (don’t mind me, I’m hopped-up on nyquil).
DrowseyMonkey’s last blog post..A Hell of a Town
February 12th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
The best thing ever is ready to eat bacon. Zap it in the microwave and you’ve got your fix! I love it on Turkey sandwiches and for breakfast.
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February 13th, 2008 at 3:16 am
i’ll try it a day before my visit to the dentist and you can guess why! π
morinn’s last blog post..Undecided – Fawkes
February 13th, 2008 at 4:42 am
This post made me want bacon. Right now. It didn’t, however, make me want bacon salt. lol… Thanks for the review!
Corrina’s last blog post..Waste Time With Me!
February 13th, 2008 at 6:11 am
FerdC — It was worth a shot. I’ll stick with real bacon when I have it on-hand, but will use the fake stuff when I’m out. Salad? What’s salad?
Forest Parks — A vegetarian friend of mine read the bottle and said he thought he could eat it. But if he reads my review, he may not want to.
Susan — Bacontrepreneur? There’s a mouthful! I watched the video on their website of people eating it for the first time. Of course, they’ll only put in people who went crazy for it. I got suckered in.
windyridge — That sounds like something I could find in my regular store. I’m on it!
DrowseyMonkey — First, hope you’re feeling a bit better. Hey, I got to shred to my heart’s content last Friday! But the machine kept overheating and shutting off. Kathy so sad.
Judy — You are so right! I have three packs in the fridge. No fuss, no muss, no SPLATTER!
morinn — I’m starting to think dentists wear a face mask due to bad breath, rather than to ward off germs. Maybe both? Can you imagine how nasty it is for dentists sometimes?
Corrina — When I wrote the first bacon post, my husband heard me talking about bacon for two days. That’s why we have three packs of it in the fridge right now. We couldn’t overcome the thought of that bacony goodness. Oink!
February 13th, 2008 at 9:01 am
That’s a drag, because it sounds like it has so much potential. But I wouldn’t be able to handle the bacon taste. Three. Hours. Later.
Bummer.
cardiogirl’s last blog post..Showering is not always an accurate indicator of depression
February 13th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Ah, yes, “glorious grease”. That is the reason that I love, love, love Biscuits and Gravy (note capitalization). Any recipe where the grease is an essential ingredient is a clue to wonderful tastiness and nourishment.
Terry’s last blog post..The Trail (Parts 1,2,and 3)
February 13th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Bacon salt. Yum, sounds good.
I wonder what would happen if you put bacon in a blender???
February 13th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I rather just eat real bacon. Thanks for the review…ain’t nothing like the real thing bayyy bay. you heard that song before, right?
Natural Woman’s last blog post..Why I Blog
February 13th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Kathy, It could be worse. it could be scrapple salt.
February 13th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
cardiogirl — That’s the problem with seasonings of most kinds. They pack so much strong stuff in there, something’s bound to linger.
Terry — “And on the seventh day, God made grease.” Sure beats your latest picture, eh? Bacon trumps celery and raisins.
Regan — Blenderized bacon? That’s actually the first depiction of bacon that sounds unappetizing. I think I’ll pass.
Natural Woman — Yes, and now I can’t get the song out of my head. By your online name, me thinks you’re all about the “real!”
Bernie — My God. What a disgusting thought. Although, sadly, someone in our neck of the woods might find it appealing.
February 13th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Well they were right, weren’t they? They made EVERYTHING taste like bacon. LOL
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February 13th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Marie — I suppose one can have too much bacon. Good things should come in small doses and then leave.
February 13th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
What a disappointment! I thought you’d say how much you loved it and that you bought them out. I could go for a blt right now, though. Minus the l and the t.
StephanieC’s last blog post..i’m out of the booth!
February 13th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Kathy, speaking of grease, you should come check out the recipe for New Year’s Cookies I just posted on my blog…
“Cream, butter and frying oil = abundance, luxury”
http://ksborn.blogspot.com/2008/02/little-joe-said.html
Moonshadow’s last blog post..Little Joe said…
February 14th, 2008 at 6:51 am
StephanieC — I was disappointed, but I think my expectations were too high. Love a BLT, just the “B”!
Moonshadow — I love how they’re called “cookies” but they look like donuts. That’s my kind of artery-clogger!
February 14th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Zits was for you today!
Moonshadow’s last blog post..Little Joe said…
February 14th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Here’s a url for that previous post…
http://picasaweb.google.com/moonshadow74/KSBorn/photo?authkey=_o3O3Tgl_e4#5166913516558957202
Moonshadow’s last blog post..Little Joe said…
February 14th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
My husband would be all over that, and would put it on popcorn.
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February 14th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Moonshadow — Awesome! There’s no reason medicine shouldn’t be bacon-flavored π
Shieldmaiden96 — Check the baconsalt.com website. They might sell it in your state. If not, you can order it online. Bacon popcorn sounds de-lish!
February 14th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
You have to order it at a Taste of Home party or order it from a rep. I am sure you have a friend that does it. They have some great spices.
windyridge’s last blog post..Some Unique Knitting
February 14th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
windyridge — Uh-oh. I’m no good with those home food party things. I always decline because I know I’ll both eat too much and buy too much. But if I hear of one, maybe I can place an order without actually attending a party. Incidentally, I was eying up a jar of real bacon bits at the store tonight. I didn’t buy them because I’m trying to watch calories again. Oh, lovely bacon bits. Why do you tempt me?
February 14th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Bacon salt?? This sounds like a product you’d see on a fake Saturday Night Live commercial.
Here’s hoping they invent peanut butter salt in the not-too-distant future…
February 15th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Peanut butter salt?! Wow! This could lead to a new food trend. What about chocolate salt? Sprinkly, chocolately goodness, oh my.
February 15th, 2008 at 10:14 am
kev and ann of the shampoo bag — “Two great tastes that taste great together!” I think we can make a shakable Reese’s out of that, no?
March 17th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
[…] good on a yukon gold pizza at Stone Hearth the other day.Β I’m considering myself warned by this review […]
June 5th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
ewwwwwww its like fake bacon
and i do not hate my dentist cause that dentist pays the bills for my laptop
June 5th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
ewwwwwww its like fake bacon and i do not hate my dentist cause that dentist pays the bills for my laptop
June 28th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
[…] you some Bacon Salt! Kathy of the Junk Drawer reviews this dubious-sounding product (hint: she will not be creating a […]
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