Grandma’s Corn Chowder
A Springdell Farm recipe from Farmer Jamie! Bacon ends are a perfect item for making chowder…especially for those of you who have some corn in the freezer from your summer share.
Ingredient: Bacon Ends
Bacon ends are the odd sized and shaped pieces left over after the bacon has been cut. Bacon is not a product to be wasted, especially the bacon fat. Bacon ends can be used in recipes that call for small bacon pieces, or they can simply be rendered down to keep the bacon fat. Use them for pea soup or cooking collard greens. Check out a previous post on CSA365 below for ideas for ways to use your bacon ends.
Do you still have those bacon ends in your freezer? Not sure what to do with them? Not sure what they even are? Well, bacon that you get at the store, or better yet the farm stand, is beautiful and all cut evenly. Now think about the animal, pigs are not perfectly shaped like the rectangular strips we all love. Bacon ends are simply the scrap pieces that are leftover after those cuts are made. Bacon ends are still delicious, bacon fat is just plain delicious. Here is a quick “go to” list of 10 ways you can pull those ends out of the freezer and make a dish tastier, your tongue will thank you.
1. Bacon pizza
2. Fried rice
3. Bake them into a cornbread
4. Sauté them with greens, brussels sprouts, or cabbage
5. Mix them into your ground meat for an even tastier burger
6. Bacon Quiche
7. Potato Salad
8. Bacon bits on a salad (not the “bacon” bits in a plastic shaker)
9. Add them to meatballs
10. Bacon butter (mix into softened Amish roll butter and chill)
Rendering fat from bacon ends.
Start by chopping the bacon ends and getting them into a pan with low heat. Here is the progression:
As the process is happening occasionally drain the fat into an air tight container that, when finished, can stay in your fridge for later use.
Recipes Using Bacon Ends
New England Clam Chowder
This hearty New England tradition is all the better when made with fresh and hearty New England ingredients! Salt pork is used in my Nan’s version, but I find bacon ends to be even better (plus, they don’t leave the house smelling so icky). You won’t find clam juice on the “staples” list in Veggiescope, so be sure to pick up 2 cups worth before starting this recipe.
