How Is Bacon Made?

The majority of us love a good fry-up breakfast, which would never be complete without the presence of bacon on offer. Many love crispy streaky bacon and others prefer back bacon but, either way, how is bacon made? We break it down for you here. 

Different kinds of bacon cuts & their uses

Bacon can be enjoyed in a variety of forms depending on your preference as well as the quality of the bacon products. For those who don’t mind fat and rich food, streaky bacon is often the go-to. Back bacon, however, contains less fat and the meat is of a slightly tougher consistency. Regardless, both are delicious! 

• Streaky bacon: These are long, narrow, and thin slices of bacon that have been cut crosswise from the belly and have veins of pink meat within the white fat. Streaky bacon is commonly eaten as a breakfast favourite but can be used for snack dishes like Pigs in a Blanket (prunes wrapped in bacon and baked in the oven) or chopped up and included in pasta. 
• Back bacon: This cut comes from the pork loin from the back of the pig. It may also include a portion of the pork belly in the same cut. It is typically much leaner than other cuts and comes from the same cut used for pork chops. It can also be included in a scrumptious breakfast platter after caramelising in a pan. 

However, bacon can come from a variety of other places on the pig as long as it has an exceptionally high fat content, such as the belly, back, or sides. Thanks to bacon’s rich and salty taste and delicious texture, it has become known as a versatile red meat that can be included in a variety of savoury dishes. From bacon bits in alfredo pasta to crispy crumblings on a broccoli salad, you can’t go wrong with include bacon in your meals.

How is bacon made?

Since the first glorious discovery of bacon and pork cuts and how they can be commercialised for the food market, bacon was made by rubbing cuts of pork loin or belly with a mixture of salt and select spices and leaving the meat to cure for a week. Thereafter, it is then washed with warm water, dried, and smoked. The smoking process requires a low heat — enough to flavour the bacon without cooking it. The type of wood chips used in the smoker can infuse a specific flavour.  If the bacon isn’t smoked, dry-cured bacon can be hung to air dry in the cold for weeks or even months. Back in the day, it was easy to cure pork to create ham and bacon which would feed families throughout the winter months. Ever since, the dry curing method (no liquid added to the curing process) has been used to preserve and flavour this tasty pork cut. 

Bacon is the ultimate crowd-pleaser and everyone knows why! If you’re looking to buy bacon in bulk from a reliable and reputable online provider, get in touch with us at Van Wyngaardt.