Bacon has been around since about 1500 BCE, with the Chinese the first to salt and cure pork belly. The Romans also had a hand making bacon from pork belly and eating it with bread and cheese. Medieval Europe carried on the tradition and eventually it spread to the rest of the world. The pig itself came to us from Eurasia and northern Africa and is now also a staple around the world.
Bacon is such a simple idea, taking a part of the pork that go bad rather quickly, smoking it so that it was shelf stable and would last a very long time, and also making it absolutely delicious. Fat is what makes food delicious, a perfectly lean steak would not be very interesting at all, and it is the fat content that makes Japanese Yagu streaks so incredible delicious.
Bacon is made around the world. In the UK it is known as rasher, in Italy and a few other countries it is known as speck, the Chinese soak it in water before curing it with brown sugar, but its international popularity is plenty proof of its deliciousness.
My favorite application for crispy fried smoked bacon is the simple bacon sandwich with a good coating of Dukes mayo. A great breakfast is bacon and eggs with buttered toast, but I also like bacon with yellow grits (I crumble it up and mix it in the grits, then pour it into molds to form little cakes). Bacon pairs well with vegetables too, like spinach or potatoes. Let’s face it, bacon is incredibly versatile.
Bacon is most often smoked with Hickory wood, but apple, cherry and mesquite are also used. If you have a home smoker, you can turn pork belly (Lee international Market on Division Steet in Biloxi also has a good selection) into homemade smoked bacon pretty easily.
Bacon is most often fried in a pan, but it can also be baked in the oven on a sheet of parchment paper. I have seen recipes for cooking bacon in a microwave, but it is not a method I would recommend. I am not a microwave fan.
I think that Benton’s Bacon from Madisonville, Tenn is the best (it has to ordered on-line and it’s not cheap), Chef David Chang made “discovered” Benton’s and made them famous on his TV show. Conecuh bacon, made in Alabama, is very smokey, perfect for beans and chili. Rouses also has a house brand that is good, and there are quite a few other brands that are pretty interesting. Shop around and find one that you like best, there’s plenty to choose from..
