Bonnie: A couple of years ago, my friend and colleague Janet Cabot suggested Nueske’s Peppered Bacon to the Bite of the Best team. Well, we’re finally highlighting Janet’s recommendation as this week’s FeaturedBite along with Nueske’s Wild Cherrywood Smoked Uncured Bacon.

Both are delicious. Both do contain sodium nitrite.

Yes, yes I know the Wild Cherrywood Smoked Bacon package says “uncured,” but in fact it is “cured,” so to speak, with celery juice.

Let me explain. The USDA’s standard of identity (AKA definition) of cured smoked bacon includes sodium nitrite — a substance that prevents spoilage and blocks the growth of botulism-causing bacteria.

This “uncured” bacon uses a celery derivative, which naturally contains nitrates.  When that sodium nitrate is exposed to certain bacteria in the bacon, the nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite – ending up with the same amount of nitrites as in the cured version.

The use of celery juice, or other vegetable-based ingredients naturally containing nitrates, allows the manufacturer to call it “uncured,” pleasing a segment of the population looking for — and willing to pay more for — natural products.

Back to taste: Both are delicious, with my preference being Janet’s recommendation for the peppery version.

Bryan: Speak, and ye shall be heard! Even if it does take a while. More than three years ago, a faithful BiteoftheBest.com reader told us “If you haven’t tried it, please check out Nueske’s applewood-smoked bacon…  the best!” Well, we get a lot of suggested products around here, (and we really do read every single one), but we finally found our way to Nueske’s bacon and I can certainly attest to the fact that it is one of the best!

So, what makes it so good?

Well, the hogs for Nueske’s bacon are fed a larger percentage of barley with their corn feed. They are also processed at very specific weights, a multi-step process that is aimed at minimizing fattiness in the meat without destroying taste.

Nueske’s bacon slabs spend about 24 hours in brine (well more than standard bacons), but the real key to the intense flavor of Nueske’s bacon lies in its smokehouse techniques. Whereas most bacon is cured with dry rubs and smoked in stainless-steel machines (over junk wood or sawdust) for four-to-six hours, Nueske’s uses concrete-block lined smokehouses that are heated by open fires of applewood. The bacon is smoked for 24 hours before it’s then hand-trimmed, machine-sliced and wrapped for your enjoyment.

A standard pound of raw bacon will actually produce only about a third of a pound of cooked bacon; Nueske’s estimates that its bacon produces about three-quarters of a pound! Nueske’s is able to render most of the fat from its bacon in the factory, and not in your frying pan.

It’s bacon, people; do you really need that much cheerleading to try it? This is top-of-the-line stuff here! Rediscover a homemade BLT, or chop it into sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta dishes or anything else you’re considering eating. Heck, bacon and chocolate is one of the newest foodie trends. Rediscover bacon! Discover Nueske’s….

Eric: I really thought I’d be able to write pages about bacon. Thinking about it, bacon is one of the few foods keeping me from starting down the path of becoming a vegetarian. But like most food, bacon is not best represented by the standard supermarket varieties (that’s right, I’m talking about you, Oscar Mayer). When I think of bacon, I think of thick, meaty slabs, the kind that inspire you to chew.

Whether it be cured, uncured or nitrite-free, the only quality that matters to me is the taste. I figure if you’re going to enjoy bacon, your last concern is the details of how it’s made. This is why Nueske’s bacon has found a way into our hearts. Yes, it contains sodium nitrite, but do you really care? Many of the foods you consume have far more chemicals than just that, so why compromise now?

Nueske’s bacon is worth its weight in gold for any carnivore, and as I finish off my delicious BLT (toasted wheat bread, heirloom tomatoes, romaine and arugula, a dollop of mayo and of course Nueske’s peppercorn bacon), I hope your mouth begins to salivate and you heed our advice on enjoying a should-be staple of your diet.