Bacon is a cut of meat taken from the sides, belly, or back of a pig that has been cured, smoked, or both. In modern English usage meat most often refers to Animal tissue used as food mostly Skeletal muscle and associated Fat, but it may also refer Pigs, also called hogs or' swine', are Ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food leather and similar products since ancient times In Food preparation curing refers to various preservation and Flavoring processes especially of Meat or Fish, by the addition of Smoking is the process of flavoring, Cooking, or preserving Food by exposing it to the Smoke from burning or smoldering plant materials Meat from other animals, such as beef, lamb, chicken, goat or turkey, may also be cut, cured, or otherwise prepared to resemble bacon. Beef is the Culinary name for Meat from Bovines especially domestic Cattle (cows Lamb, hogget, and mutton are the meat of Domestic sheep. The meat of an animal in its first year is lamb; that of an older sheep is hogget The chicken ( Gallus gallus, sometimes G gallus domesticus) is a domesticated Fowl which is traditionally believed to have descended from The domestic goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of goat Domesticated from the Wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe A turkey is either of two extant Species of large Birds in the Genus Meleagris native to North America. Bacon may be eaten fried, baked, or grilled, or used as a minor ingredient to flavor dishes. The word is derived from the Old High German bacho, meaning "back", "ham", or "bacon".

The USDA defines bacon as "the cured belly of a swine carcass"; other cuts and characteristics must be separately qualified (e. g. , "smoked pork loin bacon"). ^[1] "USDA Certified" bacon means that it has been treated for trichinella. Trichinella is the genus of parasitic Roundworms of the Phylum Nematoda that cause Trichinosis.

In continental Europe, bacon is used primarily in cubes (lardons) as a cooking ingredient, valued both as a source of fat and for its flavour. Lardons are strips of fat bacon or salt pork used in meat larding. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water In Italy, bacon is called pancetta and usually cooked in small cubes or served uncooked and thinly sliced as part of an antipasto. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Italian pancetta (panˈtʃetːa pronounced "pan-CHEH-tah" or Spanish panceta (panˈθeta is a type of dry cured meat ApetitizerShpjpg|thumb|Swiss cuisine ( Schynige Platte)]] Hors d'œuvre ( French literally 'outside the work' English ɔrˈdɝv or appetizers are Bacon is also used for barding and larding roasts, especially game birds. Barding and larding are techniques of adding fat to a lean piece of meat for Roasting to increase its tenderness and moisture Many people prefer to have bacon smoked using various types of woods or turf. This process can take up to ten hours depending on the intensity of the flavour desired.

Contents 1 In the English-speaking world 2 In Asia 3 In Mexico 4 Bacon used as a topping 5 Health concerns 6 Nutrients 7 Grease 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

In the English-speaking world

A side of unsliced bacon is a flitch,^[2] while an individual slice of bacon is a rasher (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) or simply a slice or strip (North America). Slices of bacon are also known as collops. Collops are slices of meat The term derives from the French escalope. Traditionally, the skin is left on the cut and is known as bacon rind, but rindless bacon is also common. The skin is the outer covering of living tissue of an animal (or plant In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, bacon comes in a wide variety of cuts and flavours. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. In the United States, ordinary bacon is made only from the pork belly, yielding what is known in Britain as "streaky bacon", or "streaky rashers". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The pork belly is the underside of the pig from which Bacon is made in the United States (in other parts of the world bacon is more often made from back and side meats and In Britain, bacon made from the meat on the back of the pig is referred to as back bacon or back rashers. It usually includes a streaky bit and a lean ovoid bit, and is part of traditional full breakfast commonly eaten in Britain and Ireland. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world In the United States, back bacon is called Canadian-style bacon or Canadian bacon, but this term refers usually to the lean ovoid portion. ^[3] What the U. S. terms "Canadian bacon" is actually back bacon rolled in cornmeal. In Canada, it is called peameal bacon, whereas bacon is used generally to refer to strip bacon, which is more common to the Canadian diet. Bacon is also a popular breakfast food.

In Asia

In Korea, one of the most popular cooked meats is grilled unsmoked pork belly called samgyeopsal (삼겹살), which literally means "three layered flesh". Samgyeopsal (samgjʌpsal is a popular Korean dish. Commonly served as an evening meal it consists of thick fatty slices of Pork belly meat (similar Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Samgyeopsal (samgjʌpsal is a popular Korean dish. Commonly served as an evening meal it consists of thick fatty slices of Pork belly meat (similar Like most traditional meat dishes in Korea, it is grilled at the table either by the customer or a waitress and eaten communally. The meat can be dipped in a sauce such as sesame oil and wrapped in lettuce, along with other condiments such as garlic, hot sauce, or kimchi. Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee, is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings most commonly referring to Usually, side dishes of vegetables are served. The dish is a very common meal for families and office workers having dinner after work. It is often accompanied by Soju. Soju is a Distilled beverage native to Korea. Most brands of modern soju are made in South Korea.

In Mexico

Bacon from the indigenous South American peccary is said to be one of the favoured dishes of Quetzalcoatl, an Aztec sky and creator god. Peccaries (also known as javelinas, by the Portuguese name javali and Spanish jabalí or pecarí) are medium-sized Quetzalcoatl (Quetzalcōhuātl keʦalˈkoːwaːtɬ is an Aztec sky and creator god. Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political

Bacon used as a topping

In the U. S. and Europe, bacon is often used as a condiment or topping on other foods. A condiment is a prepared edible substance or Mixture, often preserved or fermented (usually a liquid that is added in relatively small Streaky bacon is more commonly used as a topping in the U. S. , on items such as pizza, salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, baked potatoes, hot dogs, and soups. Pizza (ˈpiːtsə, in Italian:) is a popular dish made with an Oven -baked flat generally round Bread that is covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based Salad is a mixture of cold foods usually including vegetables and/or fruits often with a dressing occasionally nuts or Croutons, and sometimes with the addition of A sandwich is a food item made of two or more slices of Bread with one or more layers of a filling A hamburger (or burger) is a Sandwich consisting of a cooked ground Meat Patty, usually Beef, placed in a sliced bun or between A baked potato, also known as a jacket potato, is the edible result of Baking a Potato. A hot dog is a type of fully-cooked cured and/or smoked moist Sausage of soft even texture and flavor Soup is a Food that is made by combining ingredients such as Meat and Vegetables in stock or hot/boiling Water, until the flavor Back bacon is used less frequently in the United States, but can sometimes be found on pizza, salads and omelets. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Pizza (ˈpiːtsə, in Italian:) is a popular dish made with an Oven -baked flat generally round Bread that is covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based Salad is a mixture of cold foods usually including vegetables and/or fruits often with a dressing occasionally nuts or Croutons, and sometimes with the addition of An omelette is a preparation of beaten egg cooked with Butter or oil in a Frying pan, usually folded around a filling such as Bacon bits are chopped pieces of pre-cooked bacon intended to be sprinkled over foods, particularly salads. Bacon bits are a frequently used "topping" that enhances the flavor of Salad or Potatoes They are a common element of Salad bars Bacon bits are Imitation "bacon bits" made of texturized vegetable protein flavoured to resemble authentic bacon bits are also available. Textured or texturized vegetable protein ( TVP) also known as textured soy protein ( TSP) is a Meat substitute made

Health concerns

A 2007 study by Columbia University suggests a link between eating cured meats (such as bacon) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Columbia University is a private University in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. In Food preparation curing refers to various preservation and Flavoring processes especially of Meat or Fish, by the addition of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) is a Disease of the lungs in which the Airways become narrowed The preservative sodium nitrite is the probable cause. Sodium nitrite, with Chemical formula Na[[Nitrogen N]] O 2 is used as a Color fixative and Preservative in meats and ^[4]

Nutrients

Select nutritional data from types of bacon in the USDA National Nutrient Database:^[5]

	Streaky bacon, raw	Streaky bacon, cooked	Canadian style bacon, cooked	Hormel Canadian Style Bacon
Amount	1 slice	1 slice	2 slices	1 serving
Total Weight (g)	29	8	47	56
Water (g)	3. 57 (12%)	0. 99 (12%)	29 (62%)	40. 85 (73%)
Calories	157	43	87	68
Total Fat (g)	12. 12	3. 34	3. 97	9. 45
Saturated Fat (g)	3. 984	1. 099	1. 335	1. 025
Cholesterol (mg)	32	9	27	27
Sodium (mg)	670	185	727	569
Protein (g)	10. 74	2. 96	11. 39	9. 45

Grease

Bacon grease, also known as bacon drippings, is the grease created by cooking bacon. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water When bacon is cooked, its fat naturally melts, releasing a highly flavorful grease. Bacon grease is traditionally saved in southern U.S. cuisine and used as an all-purpose flavoring for everything from gravy to cornbread^[6] to salad dressing. See also List of foods of the Southern United States The Cuisine of the Southern United States is defined as the regional culinary form of states Gravy is an English Sauce made often from the juices that run naturally from meat or vegetables during cooking Cornbread is a generic name for any number of Quick breads (a bread leavened chemically rather than by Yeast) containing Cornmeal. Salad is a mixture of cold foods usually including vegetables and/or fruits often with a dressing occasionally nuts or Croutons, and sometimes with the addition of ^[7]

One teaspoon (4 grams) of bacon grease has 38 calories. A teaspoon is a small Spoon, or a spoon used in measuring commonly used to stir the contents of a cup of Tea or Coffee. This article is about the unit of energy For its use in Nutrition and Food labelling regulations, see the article on Food energy. ^[8] It is composed almost completely of fat, with very little additional nutritional value. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water Bacon fat is roughly 40% saturated. Saturated fat is Fat that consists of Triglycerides containing only saturated Fatty acids Explanation Fat that occurs ^[8] Despite the health consequences of excessive bacon grease consumption, it remains popular in the cuisine of the American South. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive

See also

• Guanciale
• Lard
• Pancetta
• Salt pork
• Jim Gaffigan

References

External links

• Cooking For Engineers - Cooking Tests: Bacon (Part I) | (Part II)
• About.com- History of Bacon Part III
• Bacon Cookies
• Cooking Bacon in the Oven

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