Here's a new video showing me butchering a whole young pig and making two flavors of bacon and ham. Enjoy! Hope all 15 of you "Name-Your-Own-Bacon" level donors are coming up with good flavor requests!!

The Ethical Butcher from Moira Morel on Vimeo.

The last time I was interviewed, I noticed a pattern in some of the questions I was getting. I have been lucky enough to have folks around the country to support my bacon project sight unseen. People here in Portland have never tasted my bacon either, which will change after the Heritage Breed Supper Club. Thus far, only a fortunate circle of Brooklyn foodies have experienced this alchemy. As far as I know, and I've done some research, I am the only person testing the limits of meat curing this way. For this reason, the product itself is misunderstood. I'd like to quickly clear up some of these meaty misgivings.

My bacon is not the bacon you get in the store, even the 15 buck a pound stuff you find in specialty shops. That bacon is cured in a few ingredients and almost always smoked. My bacon is also not this finished product covered in different seasonings, or the caboose on the bacon train that has taken over food blogs. It is not smoked bacon covered in chocolate or infused in booze.

All those things are what my bacon is not. So you ask, what is my bacon?

My bacon starts from raw pork, is cured in many ingredients and roasted not smoked. Because I start every slab from scratch, I can do darn near any flavor you can think of. It is all physics and chemistry, as long as I keep certain elements in balance, I can really push the boundaries. For example, a slab of Mango-Chili bacon would start as a raw piece of belly. I would then slather it in a handmade sauce of chili peppers and mango, spices, and the most necessary part of curing-- salt. It would then sit in that mixture for a number of days before being oven-roasted. I use only kosher salt and never use nitrates/nitrites, even from natural sources. Not smoking my bacon makes that possible. Roasting as opposed to smoking also results in a much more nuanced, layered and delicate flavor profile. Someone even described it as tasting "clean". In contrast, smoking anything results in a deep, smoky flavor which is undeniably delicious, but not a friend of subtlety.

As my process is pretty unique and there are no patents on recipes, I have been and will remain pretty secretive about my exact methods. I just thought it would be good to clear up some of the confusion and to explain why this will be pretty much the best bacon you have ever tasted.
I really look forward to the 15 new flavors that will be developed as a result of the Kickstarter drive! Can't wait to share them!

There are still a few seats available for the Heritage Breed Supper Club at The Cleaners at Ace Hotel Portland! See previous post for info, hurry and reserve your seats today! This is a wonderful gift idea or holiday date night! See you there!

Thanks to each and every donor, The Bacon Gospel : BCN/PDX has been backed successfully! I've still got 3 weeks to raise more! Consultations with donors who pledged at the $50 level will begin after the new year. Requests for T-shirt sizes will also be sent.

Don't forget to tell friends and family about the Heritage Breed Supper Club Dec 21st at The Cleaners at Ace Hotel Portland! This will be the first opportunity for folks here to taste my bacon, I am working on 3 flavors in addition to several other dishes, all from one whole Red Wattle pig.
This will be a wonderful holiday evening to share with friends and family.
Check out the blog for more info on reservations!! This event has very limited seating, get yours today!!

I am incredibly excited to announce an event I've been working on for months has finally been confirmed! The first Heritage Breed Supper Club will meet on the evening of December 21st. I will be preparing and hosting a dinner and discussion, focusing on the Red Wattle pig. The Cleaners at Ace Hotel Portland has graciously donated their space, and I am grateful beyond words. I will be using a suckling pig from Heritage Farms Northwest, the farm I visited back in September(see earlier post). Jim and Wendy Parker plan to attend and will be sharing their experience as the only farmers in the state raising this rare breed of pig. With their population numbered in the hundreds worldwide, this is not a breed you will see in your grocery store or even the best restaurants for years to come. The meat of the Red Wattle is prized for its lean, meaty flavor and this will be a chance to taste the compelling argument for bringing heritage breeds back from the brink of extinction. I will be butchering the pig and preparing the entire menu with the help of a few volunteers. A short film documenting this process will be presented at the beginning of the event. This is a very special and unique opportunity that will have VERY limited seating. If you are interested, please do not hesitate to request an invite. Invitations are $45 per person and will sell out quickly. There is a secure paypal link below to request an invite to this private event. Once payment is received, you will receive an email notification with a numbered invitation. You may print this out and bring it with you to the event, but I will also have a list with each attendant's name, so it is not necessary. The menu is a mouthwatering secret until that night, but will include appetizers, a main course with sides and dessert.
I will say that those who attend will get to taste that bacon I've been talking about...

I have been overwhelmed and encouraged with the positive responses I have gotten to this blog, my bacon project and my general philosophy toward food and specifically meat. This will be the first in a series of dinners spotlighting local heritage breeds and the farmers who raise them. I hope that all who are able will attend so that I may meet some of you!

Ethical Butcher T-shirts will be available for purchase as well, so bring a little cash!

PAYPAL LINK: https://cms.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/...

NOTE: Send payments to the following address once logged in to Paypal: ally.picard@gmail.com

Again, once payment is received, an email notification and numbered invitation(s) will be sent.
See you there!

http://blog.kickstarter.com/post/239550362/creator-q-a-the-ethical-butcher

The writer who interviewed me a few weeks back for the Willamette Week has posted more about our discussion. Check it out on her blog at:

http://sea-salted.blogspot.com/2009/11/meat-beat.html

Check out this week's feature in the Willamette Week with yours truly!
Thanks to all who have pledged, hope you've been thinking up fun recipe ideas for your personal flavors!! Looks like there will be quite a few new additions to the menu!

Keep sharing The Bacon Gospel : BCN/PDX with all your bacon-loving and sustainability-conscious friends! For those who are salivating from other parts of the continent, rest assured, The Bacon Gospel will come to a town near you. It may be next year, it may be in 3 years, but this project will continue indefinitely. I'd especially like to try to get to cities at least close to each of the donors. So please shoot me an email or comment with your town, I'll be sure to put it on the list!
"Ethical Butchers Do It Better"
--Willamette Week Nov. 4th, 2009

Flavors pictured include:

Horseradish-Lemon-Turmeric
Watermelon-Basil
Jerk
Maple
Blackberry-Brandy-Mint
Rum and Grenada Nutmeg

What's YOUR custom flavor? Pledge $50 or more and add a flavor of your very own!

Thanks to all who have already pledged!

Just wanted to send out a thanks to those first few backers. We've gotten a bit over 20% to the goal in just days! With more than 2 months left in the pledge period, I am really excited about the possibility of this being successfully funded. Please continue to support and ensure this project's success by reposting and forwarding to friends. I have included below a link to several blog posts about my bacon. Check them out, get your mouth watering and pass on the word!

http://ethicalbutcher.blogspot.com/search/label/bacon