“You can get bacon without nitrates. It just spoils faster.”
We get premium thick sliced pepper bacon without nitrates at one of the meat markets we go to.
They will divide the lb into 3 or 4 thick slices in each units/packages and wrap the units in wrap for freezing.
When we get home, 1 pack stays in the fridge and the rest go into the freezer. They stay in the freezer until needed.
We use the pepper bacon as seasoning in soups and stews and in egg dishes. We used to wrap our pork loins with it before charcoal grilling it. Now, we get the pork loins with bacon on the top. Of course we charcoal grill bacon burgers and bacon wrapped steaks or chicken fillets.
Of course nothing beats a BLT with home grown tomatoes/lettuce and a couple of slices of fried pepper bacon for a lunch or quick dinner.
If you can find slab bacon it will last a whole lot longer. I put mine up on the slab and cut as I need. Of course 30 lbs does not go along ways around my family.