Meat · Cured & processed meats

Bacon

Cured and often smoked pork, usually belly (streaky); fried crisp or used to add savoury depth.

Also called: streaky bacon

A kind of pork

Photo: Made20rder555, via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)

What it is

Bacon is pork cured with salt (and usually nitrites), often smoked. Streaky bacon (American bacon) comes from the belly and has stripes of fat; back bacon includes loin meat. Italian pancetta is cured belly that is usually unsmoked, and guanciale is cured pork cheek; both are used similarly but taste distinct.

How it’s used

Fried for breakfast and sandwiches
Diced as lardons for stews, quiche and salads
Carbonara and amatriciana (traditionally guanciale)
Wrapped around lean meats and dates
Flavouring beans, soups and greens

Characteristics

Taste: Salty, smoky and savoury.
Texture: Crisp or chewy depending on cooking.
When cooked: Start in a cold pan to render the fat gradually for crisp bacon. The rendered fat is excellent for frying.
Sold as: cured, smoked
Cooking uses: Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying
Common in: American, British, Irish, Italian, French, German, Canadian

Kinds in our pantry

Pancetta

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep sealed in the fridge and use within a week of opening; freeze for longer.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Raw bacon must be cooked through.
Processed meat, high in salt; contains nitrite curing salts.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy: 393 kcal
Protein: 13.66 g
Carbohydrate: 0 g
Fat: 37.13 g
Fibre: 0 g
Sugars: 0.35 g

USDA FoodData Central: Pork, cured, bacon, unprepared.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Prosciutto / dry-cured ham — Crisped in the oven or pan; saltier, less fatty.
Smoked paprika — For vegetarian dishes, a pinch adds a smoky note; nothing replaces the fat.