Tis the Season for Bacon of the Month Clubs

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December 17, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Guilty Pleasure #795: Bacon on bacon action. This my friends, is what foodies alike may call the epitome of food porn. There are a few things that people will find to get the blood pumping in the morning: a double espresso, a near car collision, staring down from the top of the tallest building, and perhaps, running outdoors in cold weather. However, bacon is one sure-fire way to get the blood flowing and the senses responding. Yes, there’s that whole ‘high cholesterol’ factor but really, who’s counting? Surely no one at ZippyCart (and please don’t call us Shirley).

Enter (what could only be dubbed as a porker’s paradise) the phenomenon that has people squealing Bacon of the Month clubs. With only 8 days left till Christmas, giving a bacon wrapped membership for that special meat lover is truly the gift that keeps on giving… to the belly, hips, and thighs. Even Food Network’s Bobby Flay has dubbed this a “fantastic gift” to give for the holidays!

Here is our pig in review:

Zingermans.com
Each shipment contains 12-16 ounces of artisan bacon, bacon stories, histories, and recipes every month. Zingerman’s membership includes two options:

Three Installments ($99) or Six Installments (includes months 1-3 for $185)
Month 1: Applewood Smoked       Month 4: Virginia Dry Cured
Month 2: Kentucky Dry Cured     Month 5: Tennessee Dry Cured
Month 3: Arkansas Peppered       Month 6: Long Pepper

Month #2 has become a popular seller among the bacon lovers as the recipe for the Broadbent’s Kentucky Dry cured meat has been around since 1909. Here’s a little taste of what members might get with this recipe (slap the bass and cue the ‘bow-chicka-wow-wow’ music with Isaac Hayes narrating so smoothly):

“We hand rub each belly with salt, sugar and a bit of nitrate. Then we stack ‘em on the shelves about 7 or 8 slabs high. We leave ‘em for one week, then we wash all the salt off and hang ‘em up on the bacon hooks. Then we let ‘em sit overnight and a day to set. Then we smoke ‘em for 3 or 4 days”  said Ronny Drennan, owner of Broadbent’s bacon.

SavenorsMarket.com
The Savenor’s Bacon Society is located in Massachusetts this club ships bacon every 15th of the month. Members can choose any combination of bacon from the 12 months and variations. Ranging from Smoke Wild Boar Bacon to Duck Bacon and includes Canadian Bacon somewhere in the middle. This club is more affordable with monthly prices ranging from $9.99 to $12.99. Naturally, this means there is a chance to convert a vegetarian every month. However, one thought to ponder: is Canadian Bacon considered real bacon?

ThePigNextDoor.com
For the bacon connoisseur, enjoy a different artisan bacon expertly cured with salt and spices, and then slowly smoked over a real wood fire. Members receive a coffee mug that holds whatever beverage a member wants to pair with their bacon, along with tasting notes and recipes customized to take advantage of that month’s bacon selection. This club treats their bacon like a fine wine aged to perfection. Bacon members get serious with the selections offered here. A swirl and a sniff of the bacon will bring out the flavors- revealing a hint of maple or hickory perhaps?

BaconFreak.com
Self proclaimed “gourmet bacon superstore” Bacon Freak offers 3, 6, or 12 month memberships. This club looks at bacon as “meat candy.” Adding bacon to just about anything, they offer some serious bacon-centric products from chocolate and hot sauce, to bacon popcorn. The most adventurous flavor they offer is a Cajun and Vanilla Bourbon Bacon for $32.95. 2 packets of bacon can be delivered every month with a variety of combination packs.

Smelling the bacon yet? All of these clubs are available through their respective websites. Believe it or not this is the type of Swine Flu people don’t mind getting. Bacon of the Month clubs are a growing trend that can be seen throughout Facebook, blogs, and ecommerce sites. The American Meat Institute estimated refrigerated bacon is a $2.1 billion industry, with sales increasing 7.5 percent from last year (that will do pig, that will do). So bring home the bacon this Christmas it looks like it will be a delicious gift that is sure to please.