651732 Fri Sep 11 14:59:42 -0700 2009 22 28 Kosher 0 5023163 Julia Child's recipe calls for browning the beef and vegetables in bacon fat, then cooking everything together (the recipe calls for a 6 ounce chunk). Obviously, I can't use bacon. Can anyone recommend a good substitute? I didn't think oil would provide enough flavor. Many thanks.... Fri Sep 11 14:59:43 -0700 2009 260630 E_M 1 5023189 There's always schmaltz and grieben.... Fri Sep 11 15:13:39 -0700 2009 5023163 26694 nm1 1 5023214 I've had sesame oil in a vegetarian dish that gave it a similarly smoky taste to bacon, but I don't know if it would work in bourgignon. You probably wouldn't want to use a lot. Fri Sep 11 15:25:12 -0700 2009 5023163 214703 LisaPA 1 5023500 Just skip it. We have friends who are French (and owned a restaurant in France). Their recipe was very similar but they never used bacon. It won't be "exactly" Julia Child's recipe but so what? Fri Sep 11 17:57:42 -0700 2009 5023163 202198 ferret 1 5023581 If you have a kosher butcher that cures its own meats nearby I would go for their house cured beef fry - I have done that many a time with great success Fri Sep 11 18:42:40 -0700 2009 5023163 11622 weinstein5 2 5029236 I usually use a little chopped and sauteed Turkey Cabanos just for the smoky flavor. Mon Sep 14 12:57:37 -0700 2009 5023581 65093 azna29 1 5029304 And let's not forget Bacon Salt! :) http://www.baconsalt.com/ (Watch out for the milchig flavors.) Mon Sep 14 13:18:47 -0700 2009 5023163 202198 ferret 2 5031451 Is Bacon Salt salty? Tue Sep 15 09:39:31 -0700 2009 5029304 84083 daphnar 3 5031692 It's like Lawry's seasoned salt with a smoky something. Great on scrambled eggs & popcorn. Two of the flavors have something milchig in the mix so beware. They also have Baconnaise - bacon-y mayo (also milchig). http://www.baconnaise.com/ Tue Sep 15 10:56:00 -0700 2009 5031451 202198 ferret 3 5033633 Believe it or not, it's actually pretty low in sodium. I find the salt taste noticable but not objectionable. Both the salt and the Baconnaise have gone over gangbusters in our house. Wed Sep 16 06:55:06 -0700 2009 5031451 25244 rockycat 4 5033733 They should make the baconnaise pareve. Wed Sep 16 07:30:58 -0700 2009 5033633 12009 DeisCane 5 5033804 It's not clear from the ingredients why it's milchig (or why two of the salt products are). I'm sure they were happy just to tap the Kosher market, probably didn't consider the practical ramifications. Wed Sep 16 07:58:06 -0700 2009 5033733 202198 ferret 1 5029422 In Israel we get kosher smoked goose breast, which is the closest thing I've found to something I haven't eaten in at least 30 years. Is it available in the U.S.? I have also smoked my own goose breast using a sweet cure similar to those used for bacon and it tasted really good. Though it's more than a bit of work, it freezes well, so I made enough to make the effort worthwhile. Mon Sep 14 14:01:15 -0700 2009 5023163 188431 lawmann 2 5029555 Smoked goose leg or thigh would be even better. It's not available in the US. The closest would have been the now-halted Aaron's smoked turkey shawarma thigh. Mon Sep 14 14:44:40 -0700 2009 5029422 12009 DeisCane 3 5029808 I've had smoked goose thigh and it was quite tasty. The reason I recommend the breast in place of bacon is the nice layer of fat all along the top. Mon Sep 14 16:47:30 -0700 2009 5029555 188431 lawmann 4 5029903 But the thigh has to be fattier, no? Mon Sep 14 17:26:54 -0700 2009 5029808 12009 DeisCane 5 5030687 I don't recall the thigh having that much fat unless, maybe, you break down a whole goose. I've bought them as separate parts, the way you can buy chicken thighs which have been already cut. Be that as it may, another advantage of the boneless breast is that the fat is a nice even layer across the top. After you smoke it you can slice it and each slice has a really flavorful edge of fat, which partially renders and partially crisps up when you put it in a fry pan. It is quite reminiscient of bacon. Tue Sep 15 02:50:03 -0700 2009 5029903 188431 lawmann 1 5049938 Well, I made it, and used a bit of beef fat to brown the meat. As far as I can tell, it didn't add anything to the flavor. However, the meal was one of the best I've ever made. Her recipe, you see, calls for boiling the rind of the bacon to remove the smoky flavor. So I am assuming that she intends the bacon to act as a fat and not flavor enhancer? Tue Sep 22 13:37:38 -0700 2009 5023163 260630 E_M 1 5145571 For the next time, you might try a couple of slices of beef salami which you cut into chunks and brown as if they are bacon lards. There is a lot of fat in the salami and it has a smokey flavor. It is salty and garlicky, so you will want to adjust the salt and garlic in the recipe. I also use a chunk of salami in my pea lentil soup. It gives it a delicious creamy flavor that you can't get otherwise. Of course, it does make it a meat dish, but mine isn't allowed to hang about long enough to be there for another meal, so it's not an issue in my house. Sat Oct 31 14:37:38 -0700 2009 5023163 1120693 koshermasterchef 2 5146022 Do you brown the salami before you add it to the pea lentil soup? Thanks! Sat Oct 31 19:26:12 -0700 2009 5145571 15126 Bzdhkap 3 5146343 in my split pea soup I have always added without browning - but browning sounds like a nice touch - a little crispier in the soup Sun Nov 01 04:30:21 -0800 2009 5146022 11622 weinstein5 3 5147625 I typically do not brown it and I "fish" it out of the soup before serving. However, if you intend to leave it in, I would cut it into small chunks and leave it in the soup, or do a combination of these, by also separately browning some till crispy which you crumble and sprinkle over the soup when serving. I don't think that browning it before adding the rest of the ingredients to make the soup will give you a desirable texture to the soup. As with all things, you wont' know till you try, so try it a few different ways and let us know. Sun Nov 01 15:50:59 -0800 2009 5146022 1120693 koshermasterchef 1 5156650 French "bacon" is not smoked, so any substitute should likewise not be smoked. The pork product is used for its fat and, of course, its distinct flavor. Any substitution -- oil would work for the fat -- simply will not impart the pork flavor. BUT the dish is wonderful without those porky undertones. Wed Nov 04 16:50:51 -0800 2009 5023163 1121806 rprp2