Schmacon
is a beef product made to immitate bacon, but promoted as half the
calories, half the fat and great taste.
It’s
made by Howard Bender of Naperville, Ill. He offers it online and has
had orders from as far away as the Middle East where neither Jews nor
Muslims will eat pork.
“Schmacon
is delicious and different than anything else on the market,”
Bender told
the Chicago
Tribune.
He
first offered the product
last
year. The cut comes
from the underbelly of cattle which
is normally used for hamburger.
“It
is a new way for us to utilize more of the total carcass,” says
Mark Gwin, Certified Angus Beef product integration manager.
“What
we’re trying to do is value-add those lower priced parts of the
carcass.”
Celery
and cherry powder help naturally cure the meat and give it the cured
meat color without using nitrites. This process helps reduce the
amount of sodium used.
Schmacon
is not currently available nationwide. However, the product is sold
online through the Schmaltz
Deli website.
(schmalzdeli.com)
