# Looming bacon shortage in the U.S. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766 "2017-02-01T19:23:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/1 "2017-02-01T19:23:36Z")
The Ohio Pork Council has said that the US reserves of pork bellies (from which bacon is made) is at a 50 year low. Warning about higher prices or a marketing ploy by the pork industry? Will you stock up on bacon to ensure your own personal supply, or could bacon prices reach a point where you won’t bother to buy it? _Obligatory bacon dish recipes_: Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps 6 fresh jalapenos 12 slices of bacon 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese Halve and seed jalapenos. Fill with cream cheese. Wrap with bacon. Place on high heat grill and cook until bacon is done. Delish! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/2 "2017-02-01T19:27:52Z")
Bacon Jam 1 lb smoked bacon, sliced into small pieces 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 medium brown onion, sliced 3 tablespoons brown sugar Tabasco sauce (according to taste and optional) 1 cup brewed coffee 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar 1⁄4 cup maple syrup black pepper Fry the bacon in batches until lightly browned and beginning to crisp. Fry the onion and garlic in the rendered bacon fat on medium heat until translucent. Transfer the bacon, onion and garlic into a heavy based cast iron pot and add the rest of the ingredients except for the water. Simmer for 2 hours adding 1/4 of a cup of water every 25-30 minutes or so and stirring. When ready, cool for about 15-20 minutes and then place in a food processor. Pulse for 2-3 seconds so that you leave some texture to the “jam” or of course you could keep whizzing and make it a smoother and more paste like. Great as a condiment on anything and I mean ANYTHING! ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/3 "2017-02-01T19:27:57Z")
This sounds really familiar. Wasn’t somebody saying the same thing last year, and then it got blown all out of proportion on the internets? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/4 "2017-02-01T19:31:47Z")
No, there isn’t a [shortage](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/business/bacon-shortage.html?_r=0). ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/5 "2017-02-01T19:39:44Z")
Where are your bacon recipes? They are obligatory. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/6 "2017-02-01T19:43:02Z")
Bacon Recipe: Fry bacon in pan. Eat. Have happy heart attack. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/7 "2017-02-01T19:43:31Z")
My favorite bacon recipe: 4 strips bacon Fry in a pan EDIT: Ninja’d! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/8 "2017-02-01T19:44:42Z")
Bacon Horseradish Dip Crisp bacon, crumbled Miracle Whip Sour Cream Horseradish (not the condiment, the fresh stuff in the dairy section of your grocery store) Mix together, let sit in the fridge so the flavors get good and comfy with each other. Serve with pretzels. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/9 "2017-02-01T19:48:04Z")
‘Good and comfy’. I like that!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/10 "2017-02-01T19:49:05Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > My favorite bacon recipe: > > 4 strips bacon > Fry in a pan > > EDIT: Ninja’d! 🙂 Just 4?!! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/11 "2017-02-01T19:54:18Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Just 4?!! 😉 It’s a small pan ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/12 "2017-02-01T19:57:10Z")
Huh! And I was under the impression that bacon would definitely be listed in a list of the really unhealthy foods. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/13 "2017-02-01T19:59:28Z")
I wouldn’t want to live in a world without bacon. ---
**Author:** ![witzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/edb3f5/32.png) [@witzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/witzel)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/14 "2017-02-01T20:26:06Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > The Ohio Pork Council has said that the US reserves of pork bellies (from which bacon is made) is at a 50 year low. I, for one, wish there not to be anything like a “reserve” for things I’m meant to eat reasonably fresh. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/15 "2017-02-01T20:36:45Z")
California chicken club with bacon. Sub guac or avocado for ‘California’. The rest is eponymous. ---
**Author:** ![UberArchetype](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2bfe46/32.png) [@UberArchetype](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UberArchetype)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/16 "2017-02-01T20:53:28Z")
I think this calls for a new Executive Order banning the export of U.S. pork bellies. Why hasn’t this been brought to President Trump’s attention? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/17 "2017-02-01T21:04:41Z")
Don’t have the recipe, but a place up the road from me does a tempura dipped bacon appetizer (it’s that really thick cut pork belly about an inch to an inch and a half thick) that’s pretty yummy. I think it’s hype…there isn’t going to be some huge bacon shortage in the US this year (except for the whole end of the world/apocalypse thingy, but at that point who will care?). I suppose there is a point at which bacon would become so expensive I wouldn’t buy it, but not sure what that point is. Probably when I’m having to choose between whether I can pay my bills or have a big plate of (not crisp) bacon for breakfast… ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/18 "2017-02-01T22:51:51Z")
Lately every Thanksgiving there’s a turkey “shortage” announced by Butterball. A chocolate “shortage” announced by Hersheys. Etc. The increasing gullibility of the American public is unbelievably depressing. Sad. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/19 "2017-02-01T22:57:02Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I wouldn’t want to live in a world without bacon. QFT. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766/20 "2017-02-01T23:01:00Z")
As long as the grocery store keeps selling (perfectly good) nearly-past-the-sell-by-date bacon in buy one get one free packages, I’m fine. I heard there was a shortage because the types of hog that make bacon aren’t as good for other pork and ham products, so the bacon is getting stinted in the interests of keeping the pork/ham market going strong. Bacon Recipe Bacon Soup Pick a couple of root veggies: turnips, sweet potatoes, yams, regular potatoes, whatever Pick a couple of gourd/squash type things: butternut squash is good, acorn works, pink winter is nice Cube the things, boil then simmer til soft Puree with immersion blender or pour into regular blender Fry bacon Crumble bacon into soup Add seasonings (and pepper/spice) to taste. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looming-bacon-shortage-in-the-u-s/778766.md?page=2)