BACON REVUE (WOLFSEN'S) & HOT WINGS

Today in the Bacon theater we have a guest Director. His name is Zachary. He has the bloodlines of a true champion. He is in the eighth grade and he likes to listen to Van Halen. He claims that all his Fathers friends are 'Meat Freaks'. He is the son of the infamous Dr. Biggles. We welcome him to the bacon tasting circle. The bacon was cooked outside on the Weber. The second act is some Hot Wings with Biggles Buck Tooth Revenge Sauce.

Some bacon was picked up at Wolfsen's in Gustine California. They did not have any slab bacon, so a pound of sliced was purchased. The bacon will be cooked on my new Cowboy Wok. It is recommended to cook bacon on the Wok to help cure the pan. We can kill two birds with one stone. The Weber was fired up with one of my favorite "Man Toys", the blow torch. When you fire up mesquite charcoal with a blow torch, you need to step back. The sparks were flying every which way. I need to purchase some safety goggles and a fire proof suit. I did not set anything on fire except the charcoal. The Cowboy Wok fits perfectly in the Weber. The Wok was placed in the Weber and the bacon was fried. Zachary became impatient because of his desire to taste the cured pork belly delights. The bacon was cooked and drained on some paper towels. The Wok was removed and a cast iron cooking grate was the replacement. Some wings were then cooked to taste some Biggles Buck Tooth Revenge.

The Wolfsen's bacon crisped up really nice. We were all in agreement about the good quality of this bacon. At first bite you noticed a hint of sweetness. The smoke was present but not overpowering. The balance was just right. This was proven by Zachary's consumption of piece after piece of bacon. This bacon is a good 'Work Horse' bacon. There is nothing that really reaches out and grabs you. It is just very pleasant with a good balance of sweet and smoke. Today's bacon will receive 4 stars out of 5.

The wings were only dressed with salt and pepper. Dr. Biggles was Manning the Que. He turned and coddled these chicken parts. When they were browned and done to almost perfection, We doused a couple in 'Biggles Bucktooth Revenge'. It was time to try some of this Devil Burners sauce. Twenty four hours mellowed out this sauce of the Ages. You could actually eat some with out experiencing numbness. Once again the all important balance was what we were trying to achieve. It was definitely hot and not for the weak.The onions and garlic shined through. The molasses rounded out the punch. Bucktooth Revenge had a kick and flavor that cannot be beat. Look for "Biggles Bucktooth Revenge" at your local specialty and grocery stores in the future.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Price: 4.99/pd

Where: Wolfsen's Meat & Sausage
358 South Ave.
Gustine, California
209-854-6456

Thanks Zachary and welcome to the the 'Inner Circle of Bacon'. Thankyou Revererend Biggles for all the photos. You can view a couple more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7295452@N03/sets/72157607945510375/

COWBOY WOK

Is it possible to have to many barbeque tools? I do not think so. There is a new kid on the block. It is a Cowboy Wok. It is made out of recycled plow discs. It consists of three parts. There is a base to build and hold the fire. It has some nice horse shoe handles. This base will have other uses. It can be used as a base for Dutch Oven Cooking. The Wok is another plough disc that has been polished to a smooth surface. The third piece is a metal trivet to keep the Wok above the charcoals. These units were made in Texas by Cowboy Campfire Grills. To give these new beauties a test ride, We will be making some steak sandwiches and some corn fritters.

Corn Fritters

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups frozen, thawed or fresh

2 strips bacon fried and chopped

Mix all ingredients except corn. Do not over mix. This should be the consistency of a thick pancake batter. Add corn and fold into mixture. Take a hot fry pan and add a little vegetable oil. Drop 1/4 cup of mixture and fry for four minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Flip over and brown other side.

Fry your steaks to desired temperatures and serve on roll or buns. Serve the Corn Fritters with Maple Syrup. The Cowboy Wok is a welcome addition to our stable.