What you need to know about bacon
The meat of the pork belly, bacon is becoming a popular part of a healthy and balanced diet. Since the thickness and parts from which the slices come play an important role in the quality of the bacon, finding a healthy bacon brand is tricky.
The type of the marbling will determine if the bacon is high, medium, or low in fat. This marbling can also influence the flavor, so look for bold flavors when choosing high fat content bacon and milder flavors in the medium and low fat varieties.
The kind of meat used in preparing the bacon also has an effect on the flavor and texture. Silverskin is the fatty strip on the belly of the pig and should be high in fat. If you are looking for a diet-friendly bacon, avoid this type as it is hard to chew and requires a lot of chewing. This strip is often found in high-grade bacon.
The cuts of bacon also vary, and each has a different texture and taste. Bacon comes from either side or middle of the belly, and the belly can be sliced into different cuts.
Classic bacon cuts include pancetta, Scottish-style roll, back bacon, old-fashioned side bacon, bacon, smoked bacon, Canadian bacon, breast, British back bacon, and American bacon.
A better understanding of the meat products available in the market and how each one differs from another will help you make smarter choices.
Types of Bacon
What is bacon, you may ask. Bacon is the meat from a pig (usually cured), which is sliced and eaten. Typically, pork belly or pork loin is used to make bacon. To be classified as bacon, it must be prepared from the belly of the pig.
Today, you can find bacon made from turkey, salmon, duck, beef, buffalo, seafood, and chicken. Because it is so popular and versatile, you can find bacon infused with different flavors, like Siracha, maple, jalapeno, garlic, and honey.
A little history about bacon probably won’t hurt either. It’s been around for many years, however, people disagree as to where it actually originated. Many countries claim to be the place where bacon was first created. It could’ve been ancient Rome, Britain, Italy, Germany, or Ireland.
Whatever region claims bacon as its own, they all agree that people in those regions cured pork bellies in salt, sugar, and spices until it was dried and then they’d then either eat it or store it. During the process of salting and drying the meat, the pork belly became saltier, more flavorful, and it could last longer.
Streaky bacon
Streaky bacon is the most common variety you will find in most grocery stores.
It comes from the pork belly and is very lean. As a result, it doesn’t put the fat in bacon belly, which tends to dry out. It is lighter in color than other varieties too and has that streaky texture.
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Back bacon
Made from the rear end of a pig, this cut will have as a full layer of fat running through it and, as such, is considerably fattier than a regular piece of bacon.
Back bacon is often used in recipes and is a great versatile lunch meat. It is also the cut that is used to make Canadian bacon, but that type of bacon is generally only available in restaurants, so if you’re looking to make this at home, back bacon is a good choice. This cut is famous in Britain where it is known as, wait for it, back bacon.
Collar bacon
Like any cut of pork, bacon comes in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, textures, and flavors. The cuts that yield the juiciest, most tender, and porkiest bacon are also the most difficult to find—and to afford.
What makes a cut of pork shoulder so good for bacon? After all, removing the tough connective tissue that makes the meat on the shoulder tough also plumps up the muscle, leaving it well suited for the grill. That flesh is easiest to find on the shoulder’s thicker collarbone end “ hence the name. The collar is also commonly referred to as “shoulder” because, like many other pork cuts, it’s attached to the shoulder blade of the pig.
Because it’s so well marbled with fat, the collar sounds like a fatty, yet it’s surprisingly juicy and lean, akin to tenderloin or filet mignon. The best collars are long and thin, with very little accompanying fat. It’s relatively expensive, but cooked correctly, a roast version can yield incredible flavor and satisfaction.
Jowls
Jowl bacon is what most people are familiar with. This is the bacon that grocery stores sell today. It comes from the pork belly, which is the lower part of the pig.
The belly has a nice fat cover and a thick layer of fat on the inside. This bacon has a consistent texture throughout and has a very salty taste to it.
Jowl bacon is a staple in my home. It’s a great bacon to cook with other foods because it’s not overwhelming.
Lardons
Lardon means “small slices” in French. A traditional cut of bacon from France and the Pays de la Loire region, lardons are little bits of bacon. — dry, fatty and heavily seasoned. This use of bacon has made its way to other countries and is seen as a peasant’s food.
In France, lardons were used as a garnish for snails but can be used anywhere that bacon can enhance a dish.
Lardon preparation is similar to American cut bacon. Bacon is cut into thin strips or small cubes from the belly.
Lardons are best when they are left slightly undercooked, as this renders the fat and makes the bacon bit crispier. Sauté them in a hot pan with some olive oil or butter until crispy.
To cook them, place enough water in a medium size saucepan to cover the amount of lardons you are cooking. Bring the water to a boil, then add the lardons. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the saucepan and cook for 10 minutes.
Here is a quick tip: Lardons can be cut thick or very thin. Think of thick ones like ham steaks. This cut of bacon is perfect for a Benedict.
Pancetta
Another form of Italian bacon, pancetta is Italian for "little belly." Quite literally, pancetta is a belly of pork, which is cured and then rubbed with spices and herbs. The result is a relatively mild but flavorful bacon. It's a favorite with Italians because it takes on the flavor of whatever you throw on the grill.
Speck
Speck is the national bacon of Germany and is quite popular in the US. It is made from the fatty back cut of the pig, known in the US as Salt pork. It was popularized by the Germans and the Italians and has spread through the rest of Europe.
It has a pale pink color and a very fatty taste. Speck has a higher fat content than American bacon and cannot be smoked. As a result, its taste is unique and subtle.
The bacon is sold in thin slices and is often used in sandwiches, or eaten by itself. Speck is a favorite in Germany, and it is served in many households for breakfast along with eggs. It is also popular as a side dish to seafood at the dinner table.
Speck is prepared with a slightly different method than other bacon. It is salted, but not cured or smoked. This prevents the meat from drawing moisture from the air. This makes the bacon become dry and chewy as opposed to being soft and tender like American bacon.
You may need to exercise some patience, as there is a big chance that your local butcher will not have Speck in stock. Failing that, you can simply do a search online for Speck and order it fresh from a reliable source.
Smoked and flavored bacon
If you can eat bacon that has been smoked and flavored, you definitely deserve a medal.
Award winning, in fact, can only begin to describe the way your mouth, tongue and throat will appreciate the bacon genre.
Salt and that smokey flavor are among the best tastes that mankind, and pig for that matter, has ever advanced.
It’s thick, the texture is perfect and those flavors seem to disappear more slowly than the melting-winter-snow.
So go try some bacon. Or better yet, do as the proud bacon-aficionados do: Go on a bacon tasting tour.
9 Types of Bacon to Try before You Die
{1}. Maple Flavored Bacon
{2}. Fruit Flavored Bacon
{3}. Tennessee hickory flavored bacon
{4}. Hickory smoked bacon
{5}. Peppered Bacon
{6}. Uncooked bacon
{7}. Bacon croutons
{8}. Bacon powder
Non-pork bacon
If you want to have a really rich experience, then head over to Piedmont in Italy. Here you can find the best beef bacon in the world, it’s the Piedmontese beef bacon.
This bacon is slow-cured and smoked beef from the rich tradition of the Piedmont and Gruyère regions of northern Italy. While these are great on their own, when they are fried you’ll see what it’s all about.
Toulouse goose & duck bacon with duck fat, France
No journey into eating bacon is complete without a bite or two of smoky goose and duck bacon. It is delicious and worth the price. Now you know why the French put it on everything.
Toulouse goose and duck bacon is made from the highest quality Continental and Black Forest goose and duck meat. Leaner than pork bacon, it’s slightly less fatty, and in my humble opinion, sometimes even better than pork bacon!
Whiskey cured wild boar bacon, USA
Nope. This is not your pork bacon. This is your wild boar bacon. If you haven’t tried wild boar bacon yet then you’re missing out.
Other bacon factors to consider
Sometimes bacon can be considered a little dull. It's the same taste, same flavor, same texture. What started out as your morning breakfast staple might end up as just another side dish for your evening dinner. That's why backyard chefs who want to jazz up bacon or add variety to their cooking recipe file sometimes rely on the bacon's flavor rather than the implications of the name bacon implies.
A lot of people love bacon for a wide variety of reasons. The key is the different ways to prepare it. And there are many ways to prepare bacon. It's all in the choice you make with your own personal flavor "bias." The following information describes nine kinds of bacon that will suit almost anyone's taste buds. As part of the information below, you will find the types of wood that the bacon was smoked with to build the hint of flavor that each type of bacon uses.
Cured vs dry-cured bacon
There are basically two types of bacon: 1) cured bacon and 2) dry-cured bacon.
Dry-cured bacon is cured in a brine but does not have as much moisture, salt, or nitrates as cured bacon. Dry-cured bacon may need days or weeks to cure and it might need to be cooked several times. It typically does not come with the same packaging as regular cured bacon.
Cured bacon is cured in a brine in a plastic bag inside a case of water. This type of bacon should be sold in the supermarket.
This type of bacon is relatively fast to make and is ready to cook after one or two days. Check the instructions on the package of the bacon you’re buying to find out when you can start cooking it.
Thickness
Bacon rashers come in a wide variety of thicknesses.
The thickest you will see are the standard American bacon slices, like the slices you can buy in the supermarket.
Bacon slices can also be found cut from the whole side of bacon.
Original sliced rasher bacon.
Thick-cut bacon, bacon slices.
Thick-cut rasher bacon.
Thinner rashers are popular in places on the opposite side of the Atlantic, in particular, in the U.S.A and also in Mexico.
The rashers are sometimes called American bacon, or cut from the pork belly, as well as Virginia bacon.
The thinner bacon slices are about 1 to 1.5 mm thick, and are cut from American-style bacon.
Thinner bacon slices.
Thinner rashers.
Bacon can also be cut very thin from other types of bacon, and these thinner slices are sometimes referred to as Canadian bacon, but in America this term is generally only used as part of a BLT sandwich.
The thinner rashers are between 1 and 2 mm thick.
Thinner bacon rashers.
Canadian-style bacon rashers.
Another type of bacon that can be cut quite thin is the Lardons. These can be between 5 mm and 8 mm thick.
Wrapping it up
Since you took time to read this book, I’m sure you are a person who wants to make a difference, who is in pursuit of creating a meaningful life, and who feels responsible for their own happiness.
You don’t want to be part of the masses and you believe that taking small steps on a daily basis towards your goals is the best way to achieve them.
I Hope that at Least a Few of the Actionable Steps in This Book Will
Help you in your journey.
Before we are done, here is a final question you should ask yourself:
- What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
- In my experience, we usually hold ourselves back by placing
- unrealistic goals, or by worrying about the outcome or result of our
- actions, or playing the victim and blaming others for our
Problems.
It’s time to stop living in fear and take the steps that will allow you to change your habits and leave you feeling proud of yourself.
It’s time to be a part of the motivated individuals who are taking small consistent steps towards their goals and living out their dreams.
What’s the difference between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin?
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are two different cuts with very different characteristics.
Pork Loin
Pork loin is generally leaner and has longer fibers than boneless pork tenderloin. It can weigh from 9 to 20 lbs (4 to 9 Kg) and is taken from the same area of the pig as the pork butt, shoulder, and ham. Pork loin is the second most purchased cut of pork in the United States. It is the sliced pork loin you find in the supermarket.
Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is the small, cylindrical muscle (longissimus dorsi) that lies under the loin in the upper part of the pig's back (also known as the center cut). The tenderloin is actually like a small backbone, hence the name. The tenderloin is a thin, cylindrical muscle that weighs between two and four pounds, and it can be cut into sections anywhere from 2 to 4-inches long.
If you are in the market for a tenderloin, be sure to not overlook the small size or just assume that all tenderloins are light in flavor and low in fat, because there are actually two different tenderloin cuts:
Pork Tenderloin
Longer center cut tenderloin section: