Name: Lamb Bacon
Yield: Makes 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 2 teaspoons pink curing salt; 3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar; 4 dried bay leaves, crushed; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 1 1/2- to 2-pound boneless lamb breast, with silver skin intact; Cherry wood chips, apple wood chips, or other fruit wood chips

Noah: We're always looking for alternatives to pork at Mile End, and this dry-cured lamb breast was an amazing meat discovery for me. You can use lamb bacon in pretty much any dish you'd use standard bacon or pancetta for: Italian peasant soups, potato salads, meat braises, pasta dishes, whatever. We finish our lamb bacon in a smoker, though at home I've cooked it in the oven and gotten great results; it just has a milder flavor. You can store the bacon in the fridge for many weeks.

Note:

If you'd prefer to use an oven, preheat to 200°F and cook for 3 hours.

Recipe notes

Spice-Grilled Pork Chops

A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Grape Dumplings

Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.

Slow-Smoked Chicken

An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.

Not-So-Secret Burger Sauce

Every sauce needs a few secrets. Ours is smoky, sweet, and savory—use it for burgers, fries, tenders, and more.

Moo Ping (Thai Grilled Pork Skewers)

This version of pork skewers is made in the oven, which tastes just as good, but you could always throw these on the grill for a version closer to the original.

Wampanoaug Clam Fritters

The clams’ natural briny sweetness serves as a surprising foil for the tender fritter batter—just be sure to pull off the tough outer coating of the siphon.