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Bacon
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Bacon is a cut of meat taken from the sides, belly, or back of a pig, then cured, smoked, or both. Meat from other animals, such as beef, lamb, chicken, goat, or turkey, may also be cut, cured, or otherwise prepared to resemble bacon. Bacon may be eaten fried, baked, or grilled, or used as a minor ingredient to flavor dishes. Bacon is also used for barding and larding roasts, especially game birds. The word is derived from the Old High German bacho, meaning "back", "ham", or "bacon".
The USDA defines bacon as "the cured belly of a swine carcass"; other cuts and characteristics must be separately qualified (e.g., "smoked pork loin bacon").
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Encyclopedia
Bacon is a cut of meat taken from the sides, belly, or back of a pig, then cured, smoked, or both. Meat from other animals, such as beef, lamb, chicken, goat, or turkey, may also be cut, cured, or otherwise prepared to resemble bacon. Bacon may be eaten fried, baked, or grilled, or used as a minor ingredient to flavor dishes. Bacon is also used for barding and larding roasts, especially game birds. The word is derived from the Old High German bacho, meaning "back", "ham", or "bacon".
The USDA defines bacon as "the cured belly of a swine carcass"; other cuts and characteristics must be separately qualified (e.g., "smoked pork loin bacon"). "USDA Certified" bacon means that it has been treated for trichinella. Many people prefer to have bacon smoked using various types of woods or turf. This process can take up to ten hours depending on the intensity of the flavour desired.
In continental Europe, this part of the pig is usually not smoked like bacon is in America; it is used primarily in cubes (lardons) as a cooking ingredient, valued both as a source of fat and for its flavour. In Italy, this is called pancetta and is usually cooked in small cubes or served uncooked and thinly sliced as part of an antipasto.
Cuts of bacon
The names of rashers or slices differ depending on where they are cut from:
- Streaky bacon comes from the belly of a pig. It is very fatty with long veins of fat running parallel to the rind. This is the most common form of bacon in the United States. Pancetta is Italian streaky bacon, smoked or aqua (unsmoked), with a strong flavor. It is generally rolled up into cylinders after curing.
- Back bacon comes from the loin in the middle of the back of the pig. It is a lean meaty cut of bacon, with relatively less fat compared to other cuts and has a ham-like texture and flavour. Most bacon consumed in the United Kingdom is back bacon. Also called Irish bacon or Canadian Bacon.
- Middle bacon is much like back bacon but is cheaper and somewhat fattier, with a richer flavor.
- Cottage bacon is thinly sliced lean pork meat from a shoulder cut that is typically oval shaped and meaty. It is cured and then sliced into round pieces for baking or frying.
- Jowl bacon is cured and smoked cheeks of pork
Bacon joints include the following:
- Collar bacon is taken from the back of a pig near the head.
- Hock, from the hog ankle joint between the ham and the foot.
- Gammon, from the hind leg, traditionally "Wiltshire cured".
- Picnic bacon is from the picnic cut, which includes the shoulder beneath the blade. It is fairly lean, but tougher than most pork cuts.
In the English-speaking world
Traditionally, the skin is left on the cut and is known as bacon rind, but rindless bacon is also common throughout the English-speaking world. The meat may be bought smoked or unsmoked.
Australia, Ireland, New Zealand
Generally follow UK usage.
British Isles
An individual slice of bacon is a rasher, or occasionally a collop. In this region, bacon comes in a wide variety of cuts and flavours:
- The term bacon on its own suggests the more common back bacon, but can refer to any cut.
- The term Canadian Bacon means bacon from Canada, though whether the pig was entirely reared, slaughtered, cured, sliced and packed in Canada is not normally made clear on packaging.
- Slices from the pork belly are referred to as streaky bacon, streaky rashers or belly bacon.
- Slices from the back of the pig are referred to as back bacon or back rashers. These usually include a streaky bit and a lean ovoid bit, and are part of the traditional full breakfast.
Canada
An individual slice of bacon is a slice or strip. In Canada:
- The term bacon on its own refers generically to strip bacon from the belly meat of the pig, which is the most popular type of bacon sold in Canada.
- The term Canadian bacon means bacon from Canada.
- The term peameal bacon is a variety of unsmoked back bacon which historically was brined and rolled in a meal made from ground yellow peas. Today, fine cornmeal is more commonly used as a coating.
United States
A side of unsliced bacon was once known as a flitch; it is now known as a slab. An individual slice of bacon is a slice or strip.
- The term bacon on its own refers generically to strip bacon from the belly meat of the pig, which is the most popular type of bacon sold in the U.S.
- The term Canadian Bacon or Canadian-style bacon means back bacon, but this term refers usually to the lean ovoid portion. This should not be confused with the round, sliced, smoked ham product called "Canadian Bacon" in much of the United States.
In Asia
In Korea, one of the most popular cooked meats is grilled unsmoked pork belly called samgyeopsal, literally "three layered meat". Like most traditional meat dishes in Korea, it is grilled at the table, cut into small pieces with scissors when partly or wholly cooked, and eaten communally. Koreans prize samgyeopsal meat with a high fat content, and pay a premium for meat that is especially fatty.
In Japan, bacon is pronounced "beikon". It is cured and smoked belly meat as in the U.S., but is usually shorter. There are also other kinds of "bacon" made from the shoulder and loin. The uncured belly slices, known as bara, are used in a variety of dishes.
Bacon dishes
Bacon dishes include bacon and eggs, BLT sandwiches, bacon wrapped foods (scallops, shrimp, and asparagus), and cobb salad. Other bacon dishes include chicken fried bacon, chocolate covered bacon, and the bacon explosion.
In the U.S. and Europe, bacon is often used as a condiment or topping on other foods. Streaky bacon is more commonly used as a topping in the U.S., on items such as pizza, salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, baked potatoes, hot dogs, and soups. Back bacon is used less frequently in the U.S., but can sometimes be found on pizza, salads, and omelets. This type is referred to by Americans as Canadian Bacon. Bacon bits are chopped pieces of pre-cooked bacon intended to be sprinkled over foods, particularly salads. Imitation "bacon bits" are made of texturized vegetable protein flavoured to resemble authentic bacon bits.
Bacon fat
Bacon fat liquifies and becomes bacon drippings when it is cooked. Once cool, it firms into lard. Bacon fat is flavorful and is used for various cooking purposes. Traditionally, bacon grease is saved in southern U.S. cuisine and used as a base for cooking and as an all-purpose flavoring, for everything from gravy to cornbread to salad dressing.
One teaspoon of bacon grease has . It is composed almost completely of fat, with very little additional nutritional value. Bacon fat is roughly 40% saturated. Despite the health consequences of excessive bacon grease consumption, it remains popular in the cuisine of the American South.
Nutrients
Bacon is high in fat and contains protein. The fat and protein content varies depending on the cut and cooking method.
Health concerns
A 2007 study by Columbia University suggests a link between eating cured meats (such as bacon) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The preservative sodium nitrite is the probable cause, and bacon made without added nitrites is available.
See also
External links
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