If you enjoy eating bacon, you may be wondering where does bacon come from. This is a commonly asked question, as bacon is a term that is used to describe a kind of meat, but most people don’t know where that meat comes from.
You most likely know that bacon comes from a pig but what part of the pig makes bacon? Most animals are divided into sections to create different kinds of meat, even though they come from the same animal.
This is very common as these different cuts of meat have different names so that customers know what they are buying. So it goes without saying that bacon is also going to be its own specific area of me on a pig.
Keep reading to find out where does bacon come from and why bacon tastes so good to most people.
What Part of the Pig Does Bacon Come From?
If you enjoy eating bacon, you may be wondering what part of the pig bacon comes from. The area of the pig that creates bacon is the pork belly, which, as the name suggests is the underbelly of the pig, which is removed during butchering.
This is a thick layer of meat and fat that is quite thin, which is why bacon is typically cut into strips. It is one of the most popular cuts of the pig as bacon is so high in demand, and the majority enjoy eating it.
Every part of the pig produces a different cut of meat than you will usually see at stores. Because of this, bacon is typically only ever made with the pork belly, which contains a generous amount of fat.
You will not usually see bacon made from any other part of the pig, as it just won’t taste or look the same. This goes for other cuts of meat as well as certain animals provide certain cuts of meat that you will usually expect to find.
So when you go to buy bacon from the store, you know that you are getting pork belly.
Can Bacon Come From Other Animals?
If you really enjoy bacon, you may be wondering if bacon can come from other animals. The short answer is that traditional bacon is not going to come from any other animal besides a pig.
Though nowadays more and more types of bacon are being made depending on what people are wanting. For instance, there is turkey bacon, which is made out of turkey meat, not pig meat.
This is typically very thin strips of turkey that can be cooked just like you would cook normal bacon. Though it is not going to have the same flavor that normal bacon is going to have despite having the same name.
There is also a type of bacon called beef bacon, which is made from cow meat. This is another type of meat that is made to be similar to bacon, but it is not going to have the same kind of flavor.
So even though there are different kinds of animal meats that have been made into bacon, they are not going to taste exactly like bacon. In fact, the majority of these alternatives don’t taste like bacon at all, as bacon has a very distinct flavor.
The other options may be healthier, but you are going to be missing out on that traditional bacon flavor. As well as the texture that real bacon provides once cooked.
Why Does Bacon Taste so Good?
If you were to pick a meat that people are obsessed with, it would definitely have to be bacon. People love bacon, and the majority of people who eat meat prefer bacon over other kinds of meat.
It can be hard to describe exactly why bacon is so popular, but it definitely is one of the top choices. This mostly comes down to various factors that make bacon stand out from the other kinds of meat that a pig provides.
Pork Flavor
One of the most delicious aspects of bacon is the pork flavor that it has. This is different from other areas of the pig as the pork belly is very rich and full of flavor, creating very flavorful bacon.
So you are definitely able to tell that you are eating pork when you are consuming bacon, as the two types of meat taste very similar. Despite coming from different areas of the pig.
Pork belly has a very rich and full flavor that is very satisfying to meat lovers. It has a lot more flavor than other cuts of the pig as it is very rich and fatty.
Saltiness
One of the best aspects of bacon is the fact that it is so salty. When it comes to many different kinds of foods, saltiness may not be something that is desirable for most people.
But when it comes to something like bacon, the saltiness is what really makes the bacon so good. Most types of bacon are not too salty but definitely are heavily salted so that you can taste it.
The saltiness adds richness to the bacon and helps to cut through how rich the fat is. Making it the perfect side to any sweet breakfast of pancakes or waffles alongside scrambled eggs.
The downside to this is that it means bacon is quite salty, and you will be consuming a lot of salt when you eat it. Which just adds to the unhealthiness of bacon, as it is already quite unhealthy on its own.
Crispiness
Another aspect of bacon that makes it so popular is how deliciously crispy it gets when it is cooked. Most types of meat do not get crispy all the way through, though you may be able to create a type of crust on the outside.
When it comes to bacon, the slices are long and thin and can be cooked to perfection. You may like your bacon to be more chewy than crunchy, but a lot of people like to cook their bacon until it is nice and crispy all the way through.
This only highlights the bacon flavor and makes it a wonderful textured food.
Bacon Isn’t Healthy
Whe unfortunate aspect of bacon is the fact that it is not considered to be healthy. This is an area of the pig that is very high in fat, which is why you are usually left with so much melted fat after cooking bacon.
It is also high in salt and cholesterol, which makes it one of the more unhealthy meats that you can eat. Definitely not a healthy choice for starting your day with if you already consume a lot of salt and cholesterol.
Because of this, bacon is considered to be a specialty type of meat that should only be eaten occasionally. It should definitely not be part of your daily diet or even your weekly diet.
Final Thoughts
If you enjoy eating bacon, you may not know where bacon comes from. Bacon comes from the part of the pig that is classified as the pork belly, which is why bacon comes in perfectly shaped strips.
Bacon is a very fatty type of meat that has a very rich pork flavor with plenty of saltines to complement it. It is one of the only types of meat that you can cook to create a very crispy piece of meat without burning it.