What a baconista need to know about the basic
FAQ
Definition of bacon
Cured pork belly, other cuts of the pig, beef, turkey and chiken, which, depending on preference, may also be smoked. Often, bacon is matured for months after being cured or smoked. But the entry point is always that bacon is cured. But just to be clear – original bacon is from the pig 🙂
Producing bacon
Before a piece of pork can be called bacon it must be processed using techniques of curing, smoking and dry aging
Curing / Salt etc.
Curing is the first step in the processing of producing bacon and, of course, salt is used here. But other spices, herbs, sugars and chemical preservatives (e-numbers) can also be added during the curing process – depending on your needs and preference.
Smoking bacon
Smoking adds smoke flavors, which vary depending on the wood used in the process and how the smoking is done
Dry aging
The final stage of processing is dry aging. Under the right conditions, dry aging ensures that the scents, basic flavors, aromas and textures develop even further. Dry aging takes time and can span anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
Curing methods
When curing bacon, we talk about two ways of curing: dry curing and brine curing. For both dry curing and brine curing, salt or a salt mixture consisting of salt, sugar, spices and/or e-numbers is used. Dry curing is carried out by applying salt or a salt mixture to the pork. Brine curing is carried out by immersing the pork in a brine of water to which you add salt or a salt mixture.