We’re thrilled to present the WINNERS of The OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Premium Bacon Contest. After evaluating over 100 amazing entries showcasing OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Premium Bacon, the following were selected as winners by the Hormel judging team.
OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Bacon is crafted with time and care to create an experience that remains with the guest long after they’ve finished the meal…because great bacon should be unforgettable. Learn more and explore the full OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Bacon Portfolio here.
Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who competed in this year’s contest!
FIRST PLACE WINNER
- $2,000 USD cash prize
- “Free Bacon for a Year” – Up 100 CASES of bacon (2,000lbs!) to be delivered throughout the year.
Chef Wes Tyler – Smokehouse Beef Tournedos Rossini
Smokehouse Beef Tournedos Rossini
Allen Brothers Prime Beef Tenderloin | OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Crispy Pecanwood Smoked Bacon
Caramelized Foie Gras | Buttered Brioche Crouton | Cider Glazed Brussels
Warm Fig & Bacon Jam | Shaved Winter Truffles | Madeira Demi-Glace
Rooted in classical French cuisine, this contemporary take on an iconic dish encompasses my passion for modernizing boundaries and pushing the culinary precincts of our industry. By honoring the origin and legacy of this dish, we are still able to maintain its authenticity while incorporating new flavors and components that bring it back to life through a new set of eyes.
Wrapping the beef tenderloin in OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Premium Bacon adds an unmistakable layer of decadence and texture to this recipe. The additional layers of flavor introduced by the warm fig & bacon jam, also note a level of complexity that compliments the plate and enhances the overall profile, while remaining balanced and well-rounded on the palate with a hint of pecan smoke on the finish.
SECOND PLACE WINNER
- $1,000 USD cash prize
- A 20lb case of each type of OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Premium Bacon: Applewood, Pecanwood, Sugar Cured, and Maple Pepper. 4 cases (80lbs) total.
Chef Keith Lord – Chestnut Ditalini
- OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Pecanwood Smoked Bacon
- all the fall mushrooms
- celery root
- hazelnuts
- parmigiano-reggiano
- nasturtium leaves
THIRD PLACE WINNER
- $500 USD cash prize
- A 20lb case of each type of OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Premium Bacon: Applewood, Pecanwood, Sugar Cured, and Maple Pepper. 4 cases (80lbs) total.
Chef Chris Spayde – Monte Cristo Stuffed French Toast
Smoked Ham, Turkey, and Gruyere cheese stuffed brioche french toast topped with paprika and cayenne candied OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Pecanwood Smoked Bacon and served with jalapeno blackberry jam. This is our contemporary take on a classic Monte Cristo sandwich combining sweet, salty, smokey, spicy, and savory flavors. The intense smokiness of the pecan wood smoked bacon compliments the sweetness of the french toast and the subtle spiciness of the blackberry jam. I believe all of these flavors combine well for an award winning French Toast!
RUNNER UP WINNERS
- A 20lb case of each type of OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Premium Bacon: Applewood, Pecanwood, Sugar Cured, and Maple Pepper. 4 cases (80lbs) total.
Chef Ben Diaz – Smoked Bacon Cinnamon Rolls
Smoked maple-bourbon Cinnamon Rolls
OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Bacon was caramelized and low smoked to create a flavorful candy bacon, cinnamon and brown sugar was blended with the rendered bacon fat to create the filling, the dough was brushed with the mixture and then layered with the candied bacon. steam baked and finished with a Mexican vanilla bean frosting and more crisp candied bacon.
Chef Matthew Russ – Southern Shrimp and Grits
Blackened shrimp, sherry infused savory cheese grits, and an OLD SMOKEHOUSE® bacon bell pepper sherry cream sauce.
This is a very very popular item on our menu and bacon is a key ingredient to the cream sauce. I also added crumbled bits of bacon on top for extra texture. Otherwise, this is our decades old recipe but using a smokier bacon added depth to the overall flavor profile.
The authentic smokiness of the OLD SMOKEHOUSE® bacon is great in this cream sauce. Prominent, yet also subtle. That is a flavor only achieved with real wood that is burned just right to avoid those harsh flavors.
Chef Aron Spector – A Bacon Takeover On Scallops & Risotto
I Put Bacon In Everything On This One!
OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Bacon Fat Seared U8 Scallops | OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Bacon, Pea & Butternut Risotto | Tomato OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Bacon Jam | OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Bacon Laminated Baby Kale | Key Lime | Lemon Zest | Herb Oil
This Dish Was Really Fun To Make. The Butternut Puree For The Risotto Was Made With Bacon Stock. Everything Was Cooked In Bacon Fat. I Even Finished The Risotto With Bacon Fat. I Had To Lean Heavily Into Herb, Citrus & Acid In General To Balance All That Fatty & Salty Goodness. The Team Really Enjoyed Sharing & Tasting This One!
We Are Really Happy With The Bacon We Received Definitely An Amazing Product!
Chef Andrew Dolich – Tortelloni Di Zucca
Tortelloni Di Zucca
Caramelized pumpkin + ricotta filling, bacon + squash brodo, bacon jam, sage
My dish is based from Lombardy Italy, mainly celebrated during the holidays and fall season. It is also celebrated in Emilia Romagna.
I decided to make a bacon jam with caramelized onion, brown sugar, balsamic, and OLD SMOKEHOUSE® bacon. This adds a sweet Smokey note to the dish. Normally is paired with mostarda and amaretti crumble. I think candied bacon is a pretty good twist for this dish.
Then utilized bacon fat to cook squash and emulsified with brown butter and touch stock for a brodo (broth).
I made an orange and black dough to celebrate the fall season.
The filling is caramelized pumpkin (cooked for 1 hour low and slow) and rich hand dipped ricotta with touch nutmeg and grana padano.
Chef Jack Bennett – Bacon wrapped Kimchi Frank with Chive whipped Cream Cheese
Our bacon wrapped kimchi dog was on our menu and we feel we enhanced it greatly with the OLD SMOKEHOUSE® Pecanwood Smoked Bacon. Starting with a 1904 Dearborn frank, we add to the umami and add a beautiful layer of smoke with the bacon. This smokey, meaty, umami dog is complimented with a whipped chive cream cheese sweetened with mirin and our house cabbage kimchi. The funk, spiciness, and crunch of the cabbage with the sweet and savory cream cheese balance this smokey frank perfectly. And we hear comments on the nice smokiness all the time.
