There is nothing better than the aroma of bacon sizzling in the pan – Kiwis love it! Most of us have grown up with Dad cooking bacon and eggs on a Sunday morning.
But now there are so many other meal options that use bacon.
Bacon is essentially cured pork and there are various cuts available. A good bacon should not release too much water when cooking.
Streaky bacon – big flavour
This is a belly cut, and is sliced into long, thin strands. It crisps well when cooked and is perfect for wrapping around chicken, turkey and scallops. It is the bacon with the highest fat content, which many equate with flavour.
Middle bacon – with eggs
Cut from the middle eye with the streaky bacon tail all in one, this cut is from the whole loin, including the belly. It is a popular choice of bacon for serving with eggs for breakfast.
Shoulder bacon – with pasta
As it’s name suggests, shoulder bacon is off the shoulder. It’s an economical cut and with a high meat-to-fat ratio, it is perfect for soups, pastas and risottos.
Danish bacon – low fat
Danish bacon is cut from the eye of the loin, with no skin and very little fat.
Bacon bones – stock
These are smoked pork bones that generally have only a small amount of meat on them. Ideal in a stock for soups, they impart a warm, smoky flavour and small flakes of meat.
Bacon hocks – soup
A section of the shin bone, hocks are smoked and cured similar to the ham process. These add great flavour to soups.