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Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. In Australia, bacon is typically cured with a mix of salt, sugar, and nitrate, which gives it its distinctive pink colour. Other spices and flavourings may also be added, such as black pepper, maple syrup, or paprika. After curing, the bacon may be smoked or have liquid smoke applied to enhance its flavour. While it is difficult to find bacon made from 100% Australian ingredients due to the use of imported brines and salts, consumers can look for the pink Australian Pork logo or the PorkMark to support local pig farmers and ensure they are purchasing bacon made from Australian pork.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bacon is made from | Various cuts of pork, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back |
| Curing | Bacon is cured with a mix of salt, sugar, and nitrate. The nitrate gives it its pink colour. |
| Flavouring | Other spices and flavourings may be added, including black pepper, maple syrup, or paprika |
| Smoking | Bacon may be smoked or have liquid smoke applied to give it extra flavour |
| Types | The type of bacon depends on the cut of pork used. Streaky bacon, for example, comes from the belly or side of the pig and has distinct 'streaky' layers of fat |
| Preservation | Originally, bacon was cured to preserve meat during winter. Nowadays, it is cured for its taste |
| Bacon fat | Bacon fat liquefies when heated and can be used for cooking or as a flavouring |
| Australian bacon | Australian bacon is unlikely to be made from 100% Australian ingredients due to the use of imported brines and salts. Look for the pink Australian Pork logo to support local pig farmers |
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What You'll Learn
Australian bacon is rarely 100% Australian
Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. Bacon is often eaten at breakfast, with cooked eggs or pancakes, and is used as a flavouring or accent in dishes such as bacon-topped meatloaf.
In Australia, bacon is rarely 100% Australian. This is because the brines and salts used to cure the meat are not produced in the country. To identify bacon made from Australian pork, look for a bar chart on the packaging that is almost full, and a written statement with a percentage of over 90%. Bacon with less than 90% Australian ingredients is likely made with imported pork.
To support Australian pig farmers, who face high feed prices and competition from cheap imported pork, look for the pink Australian Pork logo on products. Brands such as Bertocchi and Smokeman Brothers offer bacon made with Australian pork, but they can be difficult to find in supermarkets, where most bacon is made from imported meat. Bacon from local butchers and farmers' markets is more likely to be made with Australian pork.
In addition to cuts of pork belly or back, bacon can also be made from other meats, including beef, lamb, chicken, goat, or turkey, which are prepared to resemble bacon. For example, turkey bacon is made from chopped, reformed, cured, and smoked turkey meat to taste similar to traditional bacon.
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Bacon is made from various pork cuts
In Australia, bacon is also made from the pork leg, like Italian speck, which is cured with salt and spices, lightly smoked, and dried. It can be eaten raw, thinly sliced with fresh bread and cheese, or added to rice, salad, and pasta dishes. Turkey bacon is another variety, made from chopped, reformed, cured, and smoked turkey meat to taste like bacon.
Cottage bacon is made from lean meat from a boneless pork shoulder that is tied into an oval shape. Jowl bacon is cured and smoked cheeks of pork. Guanciale is an Italian jowl bacon that is seasoned and dry-cured but not smoked. The bacon rind, or the inclusion of skin with the bacon cut, is less common in the English-speaking world.
In response to consumer diet-consciousness, some supermarkets offer the loin section only, sold as short-cut bacon, usually priced slightly higher than middle bacon. Both varieties are usually available with the rind removed.
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Bacon is cured with salt, sugar, and nitrate
Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. Bacon is cured with a mix of salt, sugar, and nitrate. The curing process involves preserving the meat with salt and ash, which was traditionally done to sustain people through the winter months. Today, bacon is cured not only for preservation but also to impart a unique flavour.
The salt used in the curing process draws out moisture from the meat, creating an environment hostile to bacteria and thus extending the meat's shelf life. Sugar is also added to the cure, providing a balancing sweetness to the savoury salt and helping to create a desirable exterior crust on the bacon when cooked.
Nitrates are added to bacon cure to give the meat its distinctive pink colour. Nitrates are a type of preservative that inhibits the growth of bacteria and helps to maintain the freshness of the meat. The use of nitrates in curing bacon is a modern innovation, enhancing the preservation properties of the traditional salt cure.
Other spices and flavourings may also be added to the cure, such as black pepper, maple syrup, or paprika. These additional ingredients contribute to the unique flavour profile of the bacon. After curing, the meat may be smoked or have liquid smoke applied to further enhance its taste.
While bacon is commonly made from pork, it can also be made from other meats such as turkey, which is cured and smoked to resemble the taste of traditional pork bacon.
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Bacon is flavoured with spices, syrup, or paprika
Spices and flavourings such as black pepper, maple syrup, or paprika may also be added during the curing process. Bacon may then be smoked or have liquid smoke applied to give it extra flavour.
Italian speck is a type of bacon made from pork leg instead of belly. It is cured with salt and spices and lightly smoked and dried. Unlike bacon, speck can be eaten raw and is often sliced thinly and served with fresh bread and cheese.
Turkey bacon is another alternative made from turkey meat that is chopped, reformed, cured, and smoked to taste like bacon.
In Australia, it is difficult to find bacon made from 100% Australian ingredients as the brines and salts used in the curing process are not produced in the country. However, bacon made at local butchers or bought at farmers' markets is more likely to be made from Australian pork.
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Bacon is smoked or has liquid smoke applied
Traditionally, bacon is made by curing pork in salt and ash, then smoking it and storing it in cellars. Today, bacon is cured with a mix of salt, sugar, and nitrate, which gives it its distinctive pink colour. Other spices and flavourings may be added, such as black pepper, maple syrup, or paprika.
After curing, the bacon may be smoked or have liquid smoke applied to give it extra flavour. This step is especially important for Australian bacon, as smoking adds flavour to the meat. During the smoking process, bacon is hung in a smokehouse or smoke chamber, where it is exposed to smoke generated by burning wood chips or sawdust. The smoke imparts a distinctive flavour and helps to further preserve the meat. Different types of wood, such as hickory, mesquite, or applewood, can be used to impart varying flavours.
Liquid smoke, a natural product made by condensing the smoke from burning wood, can also be used to flavour bacon. It is applied by spraying or dipping the bacon in the liquid, which is then absorbed into the meat. This method is often used for mass-produced bacon as it is a quicker and more efficient way to add smoke flavour without the need for traditional smoking equipment.
In Australia, brands like Bertocchi and Smokeman Brothers offer smoked bacon products, which can be identified by their "Australian Pork" logo. These brands use methods like smoking bacon with mountain ash wood to impart a unique flavour. When frying bacon, the water that pools in the pan is also indicative of Australian bacon, as it meets the "15% Australian content" criteria.
While bacon is commonly smoked or treated with liquid smoke, some varieties, like Italian speck, are only lightly smoked or not smoked at all. Speck is made from pork leg instead of the belly and is cured with salt and spices. It can be eaten raw and is commonly sliced thinly and enjoyed with bread and cheese or added to rice, salad, and pasta dishes.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian bacon is made from pork, specifically the belly or side of the pig, which is the fattiest part of the animal. Bacon can also be made from other meats, such as turkey, beef, lamb, chicken, goat, or turkey.
Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork. Traditionally, pork was preserved in salt and ash, then smoked and stored in cellars. Today, bacon is cured with a mix of salt, sugar, and nitrate, which gives it its pink colour. Other spices and flavourings, such as black pepper, maple syrup, or paprika, may also be added. After curing, the bacon may be smoked or have liquid smoke applied to it.
The most common type of bacon sold in Australia is middle bacon, which includes some of the streaky, fatty side bacon along with a portion of the loin of back bacon. Short cut bacon, which is just the loin section, is also available and is usually priced slightly higher. Other types of bacon available in Australia include cottage bacon, jowl bacon, and Italian speck.
If you want to support Australian pig farmers, look for brands that use Australian pork, such as Bertocchi and Smokeman Brothers. Bacon made at local butchers is generally made from Australian pork, and all bacon at farmers' markets is local. For Australian ham and bacon, look for a label with a bar chart that is almost full and a written statement with a percentage of over 90%.
