Husbandito and I went off red meat last July after reading about the horrors of slaughterhouses in Fastfood Nation. It’s been almost a year since last sinking my fangs into a char-grilled cheeseburger or juicy steak. The scent of burgers cooking on my neighbor’s grill last weekend brought tears to my eyes.
I miss red meat and think about breaking my self-imposed embargo on meat in July–just sticking it out until I reach the 1-year mark to prove I have some restraint, and then diving head-long into a giant steak. Screw the slaughterhouses and their disgusting practices. I’ll just buy kosher meat or my own cow to carve.
Here’s what’s been bothering me for the last 302 days…is BACON really meat? It’s not technically RED meat because it doesn’t come from a cow. Maybe it’s not really meat at all because smoked and processed? I’m grasping at straws here in an attempt to justify my bacon consumption.
Lest you think I settle down with a slab of bacon each night, let me say now that I only eat bacon once in a while–maybe at brunch or on a BLT–but I do eat it. But is it really meat? Do you eat it?
ah, the great meat debate.
This is one of those things like when people who call themselves vegetarians and they eat fish. This annoys me to no extent as fish is not a vegetable, last I checked. Also, Sushi is not made up of Swedish Fish (which, while looking like fish, are not animals at all… unless you’re a vegan, then that’s a whole ‘nother can of gelatin-free-gummi-worms) so eating sushi also disqualifies you from being a vegetarian.
Right, so thank you for not calling yourself a vegetarian who eats chicken.
Onto the topic at hand…
Referring to the relevant part of the definition of “meat” from dictionary.com:
–noun
1. the flesh of animals as used for food.
2. the edible part of anything, as a fruit or nut: Crack the walnuts and remove the meats.
So, technically Bacon is meat as it comes from a pig and unless you’re making a diorama with Bacon, not meant for consumption, natch, Bacon is meat.
HOWEVER, “red meat” is defined as:
–noun
any meat that is dark-colored before cooking, as beef, lamb, venison, or mutton (distinguished from white meat).
(BTW, “white meat:
–noun
1. any meat that is light-colored before cooking, as veal or chicken (distinguished from red meat).
2. meat that is light-colored after cooking, as veal or breast of chicken or of turkey (distinguished from dark meat). )
So bacon is pink (right?) but then it turns dark and- 10 minutes later-I think this is a gray area.
Glad to have wasted your time.
I’m a dork.
P.S.
Other uses for the word “meat” and it’s related words relates all to closely to The Doodle Post.
How about turkey bacon? It’s better for you anyway.
Bacon is meat! Pig! Tasty, hmmmmmmmmmm especially with a splodge of red sauce.
Sorry about that little outburst. :o)
I eat meat… and fish.. and chicken :o)
bouncer: well, thank you for that very educational lesson differentiating meats. i enjoyed it and am proud to say that i’m a chick-a-turk-a-bac-a-terian.
additionally, i was hoping no one would make note of the phallic nature of the corn cob i drew…but i can always count on you!
@ pi: but does it taste the SAME?! i tried to make turkey chili and it sucked a little.
@ daffy: a splodge of red sauce? would that be ketchup? oh my…you’re pretty funny!!
Yeah, bacon is meat, and I don’t think a pig slaughterhouse is a kinder, gentler place than a cow slaughterhouse (red or white, puh-lease). If you still want the meat without the guilt, I think obtaining a cow/pig from an organic farm and doing your own butchering is the way to go.
I’m a big fan of meat and I would go the above route if I had the time and money. 
We’ve recently gone on to quorn sausages….and very nice they are too!….and no guilt about little piglets being deprived of their mummy or daddy!….unless we are all being conned and quorns have to be slaughtered as well!
Have you thought of Bacos? I just looked at their website and they contain *no real meat or animal fat*. Which might account for their taste.
As for the red meat dilemma, I suggest you and dito (once you resume said consumption) begin buying organic, free-range beef from Whole Foods. Yes, it is more expensive - but if you want a clear conscience w/out deprivation, you gotta cough up sister.
And I agree w/ IrishPisky - meat-free alternatives are a great solution. Though I can only imagine your look of horror when facing down a plate of faux chik nuggets. HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHHH!!
dishy: faux chicken nuggets? mmm…i might have to take a pass on them unless they are drowning in ketchup. as for the whole foods, we go that route and i don’t mind paying extra. additionally, kosher meat must be slaughtered in a specific and humane way, so perhaps i’ll go jewish with my cheeseburgers. lol.
pipsky: thank you for that very vivid description of the poor little piglets being ripped away from their families. appreciate it.
spidey: listen pal…if you want to come carve up some animals for me, go for it. i, for one, get queasy when i see the poor little lobsters trapped in the tank at the supermarket.
Man, I love bacon and could possibly eat them 365-24-7 if I was impervious to pesky little things like heart disease and obesity. I’ll tell you this, if you’re going to eat bacon eat the real thing– try to avoid the substitutes like turkey bacon or lean bacon or vegetarian bacon. Commit to the fat, I always say! Uh, what was your question again? Oh, yeah. Is bacon considered meat? Yes, and it’s heavenly.
I consider it meat if only for awhile I was a pescetarian and not eating any non-fish meat…but I recently had bacon for the first time in about six years and my goodness gracious it is the greatest thing ever. I say eat it!