All about Bacon!

HappyIdiotTalk

When I buy bacon I usually only get streaky. I tried back once, but it didn't make as good a bacon sandwich so I didn't bother again. Could anyone describe the different types you can buy, and what the differences are. I thought there was only back and streak, and normal and smoked. But someone asked for another type when I was in the butchers last week. Cant remember what it was, maybe back middle or something.

What do you lot have, and why?

TIA

janeawej

middle bacon is a longer rasher that is like a piece of back and a piece of streaky joined together, collar is sort of half way between to two, bacon can be wet cured by immersion in salt water or dry cured by rubbing with salt and spices over a period of time, 'green' bacon is an old fashoned term for unsmoked bacon, streaky is in fact made from the belly pork that you can get in thicker slices for grilling ect, some is sold rindless and some with rind on to make it more complicated too! hope this helps! Jane

mrs_mix

Probably middle back which is back and streaky all in one piece
I use mainly back as it's leaner than streaky and I use both smoked and unsmoked depending on what mood I'm in
pam xx

thriftlady_2

Yes, I expect it was middle. Middle is quite a useful cut because you get the best of both. I think it's cheaper than back, but more expensive than streaky.

I favour smoked streaky from a proper butcher, home cured if possible. I always save the fat when I cook it to fry potatoes or onions for soup or croutons.

Unsmoked bacon is sometimes called green bacon

lynzpower

Ive taken to buying asdas middle bacon ( sadly dire shortage of butchers roundhere) after reading about it on here. Its WAY better than back, and yes theres the streaky bit which we give to the dog for her treat nd cos Im claiming to watch my weight and OH has high cholestrol

xjlmummy

wE TRY TO GET tESCO vALUE bACK BACON - IT'S THE BEST FOR COOKED BREAKFASTS BUT MIGHT BE A BIT THICK FOR SARNIES.

xjlmummy

Ooops sorry, caps lock was on, pesky kids!

iwanttosave_2

I eat unsmoked middle or streaky, I love my bacon fatty so with these two, you are on to a winner.

They have a drycure at tesco which is nice, but I prefer not to buy from there.

HappyIdiotTalk

Thanks all, middle must be the stuff they depict on cartoons, bacon on the wide end, and a strip of streaky coming off the bottom. I'll ask for that next week instead of my normal streaky.

ThirftLady, when you say you save the fat, I take it you mean the fat that comes off during cooking it?

Quasar

Smoked back bacon for meeeeeeee!!! :drool:

My work often requires overnight stays at hotels, and I love the full English breakfast I get in the morning, but they always seem to have unsmoked bacon only.

I did find some wonderful, lean, organic back bacon once... I shall never ever forget it. :drool:

thriftlady_2

HappyIdiotTalk wrote: »

ThirftLady, when you say you save the fat, I take it you mean the fat that comes off during cooking it?

Yes, that's right. This only works if you've got proper bacon and not that nasty stuff that oozes white gunk when it's in the pan. I pour it into a tiny pot -you don't get loads, then leave it to get hard. During the war everyone would have saved little bits of fat like that and used them in pastry (for savoury things).