Poor Quality Bacon?

[Kizzikate]

I s it just me, or has anyone else noticed a decline in the quality of bacon lately? I buy 2 national brands, Hormel, and Smithfield, depending on the price. The last several packages i've bought look like some kind of "bargin generic" bacon!! It's sliced unevenly, sometimes too think, other times so thin that I can't seperate the slices. This latest package of Hormel fell apart as I tried to seperate it!
Going to email both companies and see what's up!!

[Kchurchill5]

I got my Publix brand, but 2-3 years ago it was much better. I used to get smithfield but I haven't liked it recently.

I have ended up getting thick sliced, which in turn is really NORMAL sliced compared to bacon 5 years ago. The thin sliced just falls apart and the thick really isn't thick any more.

Yes, decline in bacon big time.

[MaMere]

Last time I bought bacon was at Sams, double pack. And although it was thick slice, there was far more fat on it than I care for
I always buy it at Sams, and then slice each package in half, ao it goes far, this time I couldnt do that though, because of the fatty tail end.

[Kizzikate]

It's maddening! The price keeps going up, the quality going down....

[Denise]

It is so thin, you can't pull it apart. I've started buying the thick sliced as well. Just bought some!

[HeatherFeather]

I had never tried Smithfield brand bacon until recently and I was disappointed as well. It cost more and didn't really seem very meaty and did tear easily for me too.

I didn't try another package. I don't usually buy Hormel bacon either, it seems very salty to me. I will try to find the name of the brands I do like - I can't think of them right now and don't have any in the house to check.

[Denise]

Btw, I bought the Kroger brand thick cut, I'll let y'all know how it is. It doesn't look really thin.

[Felix4067]

Most of the time, I get Plumrose or Thorn Apple Valley. I haven't noticed the slices getting thinner or tearing easily, but the last package of Thorn Apple Valley tasted not at all bacony, if that makes sense. The fat has increased no matter what brand I get, but that actually works for me as I like the fat better than the actual meat. Sometimes I'll get Meijer brand, but it's one of the few things they don't do as well or better than a national brand. Exactly what you're saying...slices are thin, they tear easily, and they seem to be randomly cut.

What I have started buying is the center cut, especially if I need strips for a recipe that doesn't get crumbled. The slices are much more uniform without the goofy curly ends you get with the regular cut.

I'm glad y'all told me about Hormel, though...it's on sale this week for $3.79/pound, and I would've gotten some. Now I'll just wait until one of the other brands goes on sale.

[HeatherFeather]

I was mistaken about the Smithfield! It was Jones Cherrywood that I tried and was unhappy with. I must not have tried the Smithfield after all. I was in the grocery store today looking at the bacon packages and the one I was thinking of was definitely the Jones brand, which surprised me because I love their sausages.

There is a center cut Hormel that I don't mind, but their regular versions tasted quite salty when I tried them. The center cut was meatier and while still salty, was not as bad.

The Publix brand is what I picked up today. They didn't seem to have the brand I remember liking in stock today.

[EggeRNMom58]

I have had good luck with Aldi's thick-cut bacon. Pretty meaty and smoky flavor. Comes in different flavors- peppercorn, maple glazed. The price is about $5.50/#, but I have not had a dud yet.