# Anyone ever use the jowls for bacon ?



## flyinlizard (Apr 15, 2015)

Never made bacon before and have an opportunity to obtain  4  jowls.    Any  input


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## pc farmer (Apr 15, 2015)

Never tried it but I sure would give it a go.   Cant be bad, the jowels are  a great piece of meat.


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## pc farmer (Apr 17, 2015)

Bump for more info.


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## foamheart (Apr 17, 2015)

Jowls are only for special days or sppecial company! They were always Pops top of the list.

They should be great, never seen anywhere to find them other than crypo-pac'd already cured and smoked.


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## snorkelinggirl (Apr 18, 2015)

Enthusiastic yes for pork jowl!!

Pork jowl makes a better bacon than pork belly, unless you are one of those weird people who only likes lean bacon.  Pork jowl is quite a bit fattier than belly, and makes a richer porkier bacon.  Like Kevin said, its a really special day if it includes pork jowl!

I have cured and smoked pork jowl just like bacon.  However, I actually prefer it cured and air dried to make a product called guanciale.  You can still cook and eat guanciale just like bacon, but you can also use it to make a really delicious pasta dish called Bucatini All'Amatriciana.  Just google it…I like the Mario Batali recipe.

If you want to try your hand at guanciale, you can get very complete and reputable instructions at Jason Molinari's Cured Meats blog. If you want to just make bacon out of it, and you haven't made bacon before, I'd suggest researching Pop's Curing Brine on this forum along with some of the many excellent threads on making and smoking bacon.  

Hope this helps,

Clarissa


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 18, 2015)

IMO jowls beats belly any day. I only made guanciale from jowls. After comparing guanciale vs cold smoked belly I can only imagine jowls bacon tastes awesome. Go ahead baconize those jowls.

P.s. For an authentic carbonara one needs guanciale.


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