Makes me wonder if it wasn't packaged "clean", and some of those barnyard bugs might flourishing on the surface of that bacon. Also, if it is bacon ends, those would be the bits that were most exposed to air during smoking/curing, and would smell the most like the surroundings where it was hanging.

Not to be sexist, but women have better noses for sniffing out bacteria (I wonder how much of that led to the division of labor that put women in charge of meal prep). I've gone round and round with hubby about whether or not to throw out meat that smelled off to me, but he couldn't smell anything. If it doesn't smell "good" or neutral, or something just feels off to you, I'd definitely contact the people who sold it to you and ask to return it. Trust your spidey senses.

It's been a looong time since I had home-grown bacon, but I don't remember it ever having that musky barnyard taste. It's possible, though, that what you have is a fluke, and that other bacon from these folks won't taste that way.

You might do some background checking on that vendor. Here in my state, the rules and regs for raising and selling pork are more strenuous than for beef, and it's hard to meet them. Check to see if these guys have been certified lately as meeting your local regulations. If so, I'd probably give them another chance. (And if not--well! 'Nuff said!)

You didn't care for the animal. Kill it and butcher it. You have no idea what you're eating. Sometimes you'll get good quality products, and other times, less than good quality.

My home butchered bacon is a little over-smoked for my taste, but there's no off-flavor I could describe as barnyard. "Barnyard" flavors generally mean poor hygiene.

I've heard that pigs get castrated so that the meat won't taste of "boar". Maybe the bacon was made of uncastrated pig's meat. Just a guess though, could be also something with their hygiene standards...

I've had bacon from my rancher that's only been partially smoked and lightly cured... more or less a "koshered" (please forgive this term in context) pork belly, stripped of most of it's moisture but still retaining the gamier smell and taste, without the smoke or cure affecting it. I've found that without the salty/smokey it doesn't retain much flavor on it's own, and it keeps a "musty", slightly barnyard smell and flavor.

It's alot like fatback, without the heavy salt... it reminds me of the fatback my grandmother used to fry and sandwich on biscuits with fresh apples.

And yes, it does smell, and even taste, slightly odd compared to bacon that's been cured throughout and smoked a sufficient amount of time.

Sounds like your source needs to either brine or extend the time they cure the bacon, or they need to smoke it longer.

It was probably boar taint. I grew up on a hog farm and meat from older swine and uncastrated sexually mature males smells of live swine. Its a terrible smell and unmistakable. Your description on pigs on a warm day is perfect. Its strongee in bacon because the hormone hides in the fat. Its safe to eat if you can get passed the smell and will have a faint "pig" after. taste. Its also less common in light colored swine (ever notice that large hog operations are usually "pink" pigs?) So always ask what color swine your provider raises and if they castrate at birth.

I've experienced the same smell with some pork. I've also tasted it....where the taste is the way an armpit would smell. I've read that it has to do with lactic acid in the meat tissue which typically accumaltes when the animal is stressed or has too much adrenline right before slaughter. The resting perioed after transport to slaughter should be ...around 72 hours-- or that is what I've read. When I smell it..I simply can not eat it because it's revolting to me to point of gagging sometimes.