Bacon is any of certain cuts of meat taken from the sides or back or belly of a pig, or Beef Cattle, cured and possibly smoked. The defining element is the cut. There also exist a product called "Turkey Bacon" which is reconstituted Turkey. It is generally considered a breakfast dish, cut into thin slices before being fried, or grilled. It is commonly used as an ingredient in recipes, and is valued both as a source of fat and for its flavour.
A side of unsliced bacon is known as a flitch. An individual slice of bacon is called a rasher. Traditionally the skin is left on the cut and is known as bacon rindIncluding:
Curing means preserving with salt. The traditional dry-cure process involves taking the meat and rubbing it, over a number of days, with dry salt or a mixture of salt, sugar and spices. It is then left to hang for up to 2 weeks in order for the moisture to be drawn out. It must then be left to cure in a cool, dry, airy environment for anything up to 9 months. Less time is needed if it is going to be smoked.
The alternative wet-cure process (which produces Wiltshire bacon) involves immersing the meat in brine for two to three days. Swe ...
Most bacon consumed in the UK is back bacon (also called short back bacon). The cut comes from the loin in the middle of the back of the animal. It is a lean meaty cut of bacon, with relatively less fat compared to other cuts.
Back bacon is known as Canadian bacon in the United States but not in Canada, where it is simply called back bacon. In Canada it is traditionally unsmoked back bacon that has been sweet pickle cured and coated in yellow cornmeal. This variation is also known as peameal bacon, because in times past a mixtu ...
