Lardon for a coq au vin?

[meclone2]

Long time reader, very very infrequent poster (hello everyone).

Is there a butcher downtown that sells lardon? I'd like to try to making coq au vin for my very first time, but I'm not sure where to get it. My recipe says to substitute with bacon, if it's not available, but I'd rather not do that if I really didn't have to.

[meclone2]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

[Caroline1]

I always pick up a piece of salt pork, cut it into the lardon shapes, then blanch it (place in cold water, bring to a simmer, toss water and repeat) to reduce/remove the heavy saltiness, then use it as the recipe directs. Usually by browning, draining and reserving the drippings for browning the beef. Should bacon turn out to be your only option, I would blanch it as well to remove/reduce the smokiness or "bacon flavor" so it is more neutral. Everywhere I've ever lived, supermarkets always have salt pork on hand. I would think that holds true for Canada. Good luck!

[lamaranthe]

Yeh ! That's the way. I understand we are not supposed to post recipes here, so I suggest you google ''coq au vin recipes'',

[haggisdragon]

Bacon would work just fine, but if you don't want the smoky taste just buy a little hunk of pancetta, its the exact same thing, and its widely available.

[jlwong]

Agreed, pancetta is perfectly good to be used as a substitute to lardons in French recipes. Just cut them into small cubes. Loblaws actually sells pre-cut pancetta that largely ressembles the lardons you would buy in France. Good luck with the recipe!