This weekend I found myself once again at The Anchor Bar in Superior, Wisconsin. After a night of great music at Pizza Luce I was invited to lunch with the fine folks from the two bands that performed the night before: Cars & Trucks and The Evening Rig.

The Anchor Bar is famous in dive bar circles and has been featured on some popular foodie shows in the past couple years. You might think I’m jumping on the bandwagon but I was born in the city of Superior so I’ve got some street cred.

I opted for the plain old $2.50 burger, some greasy bar fries, and a side of bacon. The burgers are what make the Anchor famous, but I go there for the bacon. They prepare their meat candy with all the love and affection you’d expect from northern Wisconsin dive bar — they drop the stips in the deep fryer then toss them on the flat giddle to finish them off. Mmmmmmm…deep fried bacon.

I grabbed one of the perfectly cooked strips of thick bacon and gave it the official taste test. In a word — perfect. For me, there is not a better way to prepare bacon then they do at the Anchor. I then piled the bacon high on my burger and topped it off with dill pickles and a splash of mustard.

The meal was absolute heaven for a bacon lover. If you can wiggle your way up to the south shore of Lake Superior, make the Anchor Bar a lunchtime stop. Make sure to order the Pancake Breakfast Shot as an added bonus.

Smaste™ rating: 42.959

Credit my mom with spotting this gem of a sign at the Burger King in Hinckley, Minnesota:

Bacon: You take things to another level. One meat just isn’t enough. In fact, if they could find a way to make the bun out of meat, you’d be all set.

Mmmmmm…buns of meat (not to be confused with hats of meat). I think the folks at Burger King may be on to something there…

Well, the fun folks over at the ADV Rider (that’s Adventure Rider for you folks not in the know) discussion boards have done me one better and created a traveling mascot that’s been around the world and then some.

Meet Bacon the Pig — a world traveling stuffed adventurer that’s been all around the United States, Europe, and more. The little stuffing-filled puppet gets passed from one adventure rider to another on their various journeys and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Read more on the ADV Rider Bacon the Pig thread.

50% Bacon + 50% Beef = 100% Scrumptious

Best Bacon Infused Burger in So Cal…By Far

by field reporter James Harter

After a two hour workout, how better to reward yourself, than a bountiful bacon bonanza while catching up with your out of town brother-in-law (Tom), over a refreshing pitcher of Land Shark.

But enough with the small talk, let’s get down to bacon business. After a nice chat with Brad Lyons, the Executive Chef and Director of Operations of Slater’s 50/50 Burgers by Design, it was clear that a passion for bacon and burgers ran through his arteries.  He kindly made a few recommendations, with the standard 50/50 burger among the top picks along with the Bacon Mac and Cheese as a must do, which of course we did (c’mon it has bacon and cheese, what’s not to love).

Being adventurous and having a craving for Feta, I couldn’t resist the build your own option, which came with an a la carte checklist to build your very own burger masterpiece.

Accoutrements to rebuild Bacon Today’s burger shown here:

• The 50/50- 50% Bacon, 50% Beef
• 1/3 lb (choice up to a full pound for the hungry)
• Whole Wheat Squaw Bun
• Feta Cheese
• Red Onion
• Green Leaf Lettuce
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Baconnaise spread

*Bacon Lover’s option- Slap on Thick Cut Bacon or Turkey Bacon if desired to put your burger over the top.

After a bit of a wait, the Bacon Mac and Cheese (pictured) made it out first and served as a great creamy appetizer to help rev up your bacon buds.  Between the two of us, we made quick work of it.  Now, it was the moment of glory and what I had looked forward to all day.  When my custom creation arrived, the presentation was excellent and as I took the time to snap a few photos to share with my fellow bacon lovers, Tom had polished off his 1/3 lb 50/50 and was somewhat shocked I was still relishing in bacon appreciation mode.  I, along with one of the servers had wondered where his burger disappeared to.  After ruling out the Hamburglar, we agreed a savage hunger fit was the culprit. Needless to say, Tom was a fan.

Now, it was my turn.  Gently squeezing the 5-1/2  inch tall burger to a manageable edible height, I dove in and savored the tender burger with the instant flavor of bacon, blasting away at the bacon buds.  Oh yeah, now that’s a tasty burger! It was love at first bacon bite, intensified by the baconaise spread (a secret blend of mayonaise and bacon salt) on the top bun- definitely a good call for bacon lovers.  The burger and crumbled feta seemed to almost dissolve with every bite, complemented by the sweetness of the wheat squaw bun and red onions.  The slices of avocado added a nice firm texture, while the fresh tomato, pickles and lettuce served their juicy purpose.

Bacon Budget: Under $40 for two flavorful burgers ($9 each) a side and a pitcher of beer, it proved to be a great value for the quality that could match up nicely with your favorite stuffy steakhouse.

Slater’s, celebrating its two month anniversary, is still breaking in their beer taps and settling into the cozy Anaheim Hills community. Founder, Scott Slater and Chef, Brad Lyons, were old fraternity brothers who reunited several years after college to create a culinary adventure worth following.  If you are a true bacon and/or burger lover, definitely find some time to stop by to make your own creation, then share your favorites with Bacon Today.  For more details visit, www.Slaters5050.com.

What’s next? Perhaps the peanut butter and jelly bacon burger, recommended by Chef Lyons, which I’ll definitely have to try to believe.

With over 300,000 combinations for your burger by design, your only problem will be choosing which burger to try.  To make it even more of a dilemma, you can build your own milkshake too!  So many choices and so little time before hunger sets in!

A big bacon bravo from Bacon Today.  Smaste™ rating of a whopping 43.959.

I stopped in to Pizza Luce smack dab in downtown Duluth and had some lunch with a colleague. It was a scouting mission in a way since I would be returning to Pizza Luce later that evening to take in a great local band –  Cars & Trucks.

I ordered the Smoked Gouda Macaroni which comes with an ample  amount of real bacon. The menu description is as follows:

Creamy gouda cheese, broccoli and bacon tossed with macaroni and topped with toasted bread crumbs and our bruschetta.

Those ingredients combine to create a wonderfully light and tasty meal that I would gladly order again. Of course, when I went back that evening it was pizza & beer that kept me going while listening to the band. Next time I’ll remember to hop across the bridge to the Anchor Bar in Superior, WI to grab some deep fried bacon to keep me going.

Smaste™ rating: 32.142

On a recent trip to Toronto, I got a craving for some good old-fashioned, non-Canadian bacon. I ran into a Tim Horton’s fast food restaurant not quite knowing what to expect and ordered a Breakfast Sandwich with bacon. What I got was a great meal featuring crispy, savory bacon in a compact package.

The quality of the bacon was excellent. The placement on the sandwich was my only gripe, but the tastiness more than made up for the poor presentation. Heck, not everyone is going to pop the top off the sandwich for a photograph. By the way, the eggs were great as well. So much better than what you get from another popular fast Mc-food place featuring baconless breakfast sandwiches.

I just wish they had Tim Horton’s restaurants on the west coast of the United States. Oh well, gives me a good excuse for another bacon-filled trip.

Smaste™ rating: 31.202

On a recent trip to Phoenix I found myself wandering away from University of Phoenix Stadium on foot in search of some dinner. The trade show I was attending had just ended and I was in need of food fast. I was so hungry I didn’t care what was on the menu, as long as the food came quickly and was located somewhere between the stadium and my hotel.

Soon enough I was standing in a moderately sized shopping center with dining choices galore. My choice was easy though, I spied a Johnny Rockets hamburger joint and walked in the door.

I had never tried bacon at a Johnny Rockets so my meal was easy to order — a Bacon Cheddar Single Burger (hold the tomato please). When the burger arrived the bacon was jutting out from all sides under the buns. From looks alone I knew this was a good choice, then I got a whiff of the bacony scent and prepared to enjoy.

This burger earns a Smaste™ rating of 37.394. The high quality bacon outshines a fairly average burger, but it’s something I’d definitely order again.

This weekend a bunch of buddies and I took a motorcycle camping trip to the Sequoia National Forest. It was an epic journey that I never knew would result in a bikes & bacon trip but let me tell you — the campsite got extra baconony when I busted out the Yoders canned bacon.

Much to my surprise, the fellas stuck the Yoders bacon in a can on the grill and heated it up. Prior to that day I had only tried Yoders canned bacon straight out of the can at room temperature.

Let me tell you, the heated bacon in a can was stellar. Warming up the bacon made it even more tasty than I knew it could be. Everyone in the campsite loved the canned bacon and the campsite neighbors even came over to give it a try.

The campsite Smaste™ rating for Yoder’s bacon in a can: 41.233. Even higher than our previous rating!

Order your Yoders Bacon in a Can today at MRE Depot.

This weekend I’m on the road. I hopped on the motorcycle and headed for the wilds of California. In fact, I’m probably riding around the Sequoia National Forest as you’re reading this article.

While I’m riding around the central portion of this big state, I’ll be in search of some great bacon. Stopping in all the local diners, meat shops, etc. I’ll see if I can find some bacony goodness to share with you all. I won’t look as cool as the dude in the above photo, but I’ll do my best.

Know of any great bacon spots near Sequoia National Park? Let me know. I’ll be checking the comments and modifying my bikes & bacon trip accordingly.

(thanks to Dan S. for emailing us the photo)

Whatever the case, you should always be prepared when you travel. You should have a first aid kit, mobile phone, and most importantly — plenty of bacon. “But wait” you say, “bacon needs to be refridgerated and I’ve only got so much ice in the cooler.” Well, with a little searching you can find all the bacon products you need to keep you full of the good stuff while you wait to get rescued from that avalanche.

Introducing the ultra-portable bacon survival kit. We cobbled together just a few items that can keep you from going mad from lack of bacon for at least a day or two. After that , you’re on your own. “Oh c’mon, I could ration my bacon and eat just a little a day,” you’re thinking. Sure, you just go ahead and try to resist.

Included in our first attempt at the ultimate bacon survival kit are: Bacon & Cheddar cheese flavored spread, Rocco’s Bacon Flavored Seasoning, Bacon & Cheese Flavored Crickets, and Yoder’s Bacon in a Can, and a portable can opener. (Read Mike’s article for more info on the canned bacon)

On our latest bikes & bacon camping trip we took along this survival kit and thought of many ways that the well-preserved and protien-rich food could be combined with other items in your backpack to vary your survival meals. Right out of the box though, here’s the meal we tried and enjoyed quite thoroughly…

Bacon-Wrapped Crickets

Making bacon-wrapped crickets from the bacon survival kit is quite simple. They even taste okay when you’re not starving and waiting for rescue.

Smaste™ rating for Yoder’s bacon in a can alone: 39.988 (I loved this stuff)

Smaste™ rating for bacon-wrapped crickets: 15.332 (only recommended when you need your bacony-nutrients)

Smaste™ rating when you’re trapped in the woods and have been without bacon for a few days: priceless

Do you have any other ideas for items that could be included in the bacon survival kit?
Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.