Description
Bacon is a savory, boneless meat with an amazingly rich flavor.
It comes from the side of a pig with a long back, round body and thin skin. It is an animal with these characteristics that is necessary to prepare high-quality, tasty bacon. Some are experimenting, trying to make bacon from beef and chicken. Making turkey bacon is common. Today, such meat is presented in a wide assortment in the form of smoked and salted, and sometimes (yes, you may not believe it) and sweet. Residents of many countries can no longer imagine their existence without bacon: for breakfast, some people cook tender scrambled eggs with meat and tomatoes, a fluffy omelette with bacon and cheese, others prefer to dine on aromatic soup with mushrooms and delicious pasta made from spaghetti, bacon and cream, and for some, it’s enough to dine on a juicy sandwich or baked bacon along with accordion potatoes in the oven. Dishes made from this juicy cut are enjoyed by everyone.
In our article we will tell you in more detail about this type of meat, its varieties, how to make the right choice in a supermarket or regular store, how to store bacon, what its beneficial and harmful properties are, and we will also share the method of cooking meat at home and what dishes every housewife can make bacon in a frying pan, oven, slow cooker and other ways.
Application
Bacon is often used in modern cuisine in the preparation of various appetizers, salads, hot sandwiches, soups, scrambled eggs for breakfast, main courses and much more. Most often, bacon is seasoned with salt and fried in a well-heated frying pan, but it can also be baked in the oven and microwave, after which it needs to be thoroughly dried. Ready bacon is added to a fluffy soft bun with vegetables, lettuce or pickled cucumbers; you can add slices of fresh onion, but this is not for everyone. Bacon is also used to prepare aromatic soups or broths. Bacon is perfect for a hearty breakfast with eggs and fresh vegetables. Many chefs use bacon as a garnish for chicken Caesar salad, which adds a special twist to the salad.
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Fried partridge Meat of partridge is a rare delicacy on our table, and in many Western countries it has already been completely banned. The weight of the carcass is 400-500 grams, partridge meat is pink, soft, and not difficult to prepare. This is a truly Russian dish. In Tsarist Russia, not a single banquet was complete without fried partridge, but this delicacy was available only to the upper class. This dish gained wider popularity at the end of the 18th century. Today, all the chefs in the world prepare fried or stewed partridge, but this dish can be prepared at home if you have all the necessary ingredients. The meat of white, gray and mountain partridges is recommended to be fried and stewed. |
Chicken legs Chicken legs are the most common part of a chicken carcass, which is used to prepare various first and second courses. More than 5 thousand years have passed, and the chicken, domesticated by man, never ceases to be the most useful and productive bird. After all, we get from her not only meat, but also eggs, down, and feathers. Depending on what kind of chicken product a person needs, there are three main categories: egg (the highest percentage of egg production), meat (for home breeding) and meat (for producing chicken, including broiler chicken breeds). |
Marbled beef Marbled beef got its name because of its amazing resemblance to this stone. Japan is considered the birthplace of this type of meat, where back in the 19th century bulls were fed according to a special principle - they were tied up in stalls so that they could not move and they were massaged while listening to classics. Thanks to this, such soft and tender meat with layers of fat was obtained. Nowadays, this meat is considered almost the most expensive in the world; dishes made from it are served in the best restaurants. |
Lamb Man has been eating meat since ancient times. A special place among it is occupied by lamb, which is distinguished from pork, beef, chicken, etc. by a number of useful properties. Sheep began to be bred even before our era; they are often mentioned in the Bible. As a rule, animals are slaughtered at the age of one year. Lamb meat from three months old is called lamb, and up to eight weeks it is considered dairy meat. Among the peoples of eastern countries, a wedding or holiday table, as well as the birth of a child, is unthinkable without a whole roasted lamb. Scientists call the meat of the Kalmyk breed of sheep the most useful. |
Boiled beef Beef has long been considered one of the most popular types of meat, since this meat is very tasty and contains useful vitamins and elements. The quality of beef itself often depends on the age of the animal. It can be soft and tender (if it was a young calf), or a little hard and tough (if the animal was more mature). |
Ham Since time immemorial, ham has become a popular and beloved delicacy in the vast majority of countries in the world. Mention of this method of cooking pork is found in many sources - from Roman papyri to Chinese silk manuscripts. According to some sources, the recipe was invented by order of Alexander the Great before his Indian campaign. The goal was to come up with a way to prepare meat that could be stored for a long time and not lose its taste and healthy qualities, so that the soldiers of the Macedonian army would always have good meat at their table. According to others, the Chinese emperor, the predecessor of the Song dynasty, who had a delicate taste, wanted to try a dish of raw meat that would not harm his delicate stomach. |
Smoked chicken breast Chicken meat is healthy and valuable. A lot of different dishes are prepared from it in different countries, both for every day and on holidays. This product is very popular all over the world due to its beneficial properties. |
Stewed venison Since time immemorial, northern peoples have hunted deer, then venison is the main meat product in the diet of the peoples of the north. Today, some species have been domesticated and are bred by reindeer herders, not without success. There is practically no hunting for them, since most species of deer have been included in the Red Book. Meat sellers can offer meat from only two types of deer. These are reindeer and red deer. |
Beef cutlets Beef is lean meat from cattle, which is used in cooking to prepare tasty and healthy dietary dishes. The list of options for processing such meat is varied, but cutlets are considered the most successful dish. Beef has long been an indispensable product of European cuisine. In Russia, beef cutlets have become an almost everyday dietary product in the diet, but veal (meat from a young calf) began to be consumed only at the end of the 19th century. To prepare this dish, minced meat from rump, tenderloin, flank or shoulder is most often used. |
Pork entrecote The name “entrecote” itself comes from a part of a cattle carcass. The cut is made between the ribs and the tail. Another name “medal” was given because of its similarity with the shape of a round medal. Classic entrecote is made from the meat of an ox, a young calf, or a cow. In our country, they prefer to prepare this dish from pork. |
Varieties of bacon
There are several varieties of bacon. Each type has its own characteristics and distinctive characteristics from each other. So, these types of bacon are often distinguished.
- Canadian bacon, sometimes considered simply ham sausage. It is produced from part of the loin of a pork or other carcass. For this reason, Canadian bacon is considered the most expensive. © https://ydoo.info/product/bekon.htmlThe high cost does not allow it to be included in the daily diet. In addition, it is not sold in sliced form, and if you buy, then only large pieces or carcasses. Canadian bacon is quite often used as a stand-alone dish as a clean cut. A remarkable characteristic of this type of bacon is the fact that it contains a small number of veins or they are completely absent. Classic bacon is usually smoked and salted, but Canadian bacon is exclusively smoked. You can fry it together with cheese, champignons in a frying pan or in a slow cooker, and bake it in the oven, preparing a dish with vegetables, such as potatoes. This bacon is also the main ingredient in many salads, appetizers, pea soups and other goodies, making them truly special.
- Italian bacon known as "Pancetta". This type of meat is a fairly fatty part of the pork breast, which is salted. Pancetta is sold in the form of rolled sausage rolls. This serving option has spread all over the world straight from Italy. The taste becomes richer and the smell is more pleasant, since a significant amount of spices and all kinds of herbs are added to Italian bacon by professional and amateur chefs, as well as by many housewives who prepare meat at home. Nowadays there are a huge number of different spices. Everyone can choose something for themselves depending on their personal preferences. With all the abundance of various herbs and additives, the most common are the following: dill, pepper, garlic and nutmeg. The price of this type of bacon is more reasonable when compared with Canadian bacon.
- Turkey bacon. In terms of taste, this meat is in no way inferior to previous types, having its own differences, the main one being that it is made not from pork, but from the thigh part of the bird. Turkey meat is less fatty than pancetta. It can be smoked or salted, and also has something in common in taste with ham.
Each type of bacon has its own flavor and is made from different parts of the pig (Canadian and Italian) or from poultry altogether. Varieties of such meat are also used in different dishes: for some, fattier smoked meat is ideal, for others, lean salted meat is ideal, or vice versa. Either way, all types of bacon are delicious.
Bacon
Many people consider bacon to be a type of lard, but this is not true.
This meat is obtained from specially selected pigs that have embarked on a path of special fattening and the most improved living conditions. Long-backed and early-maturing individuals do not feed on food waste; on the contrary, they eat on par with the average office worker. These special piglets' diet includes milk, whole grain cereals and healthy beans. Bacon is cut from the sides of a young pig. There are no vertebrae or bones, and the meat with a small layer of fat has amazing taste and texture. The most popular way to prepare the product is by frying it into chips.
Let's figure out what the product of elite animals is and whether it's worth rushing around supermarkets in search of the freshest bacon.
Correct selection and storage
In order not to make a mistake when buying a store-bought deli meat, without confusing it with a good fake, you need to take into account a number of certain factors when choosing a product. Now we will tell you what nuances, and for some secrets, will be the key to the right purchase.
- Product price. In stores, goods have different prices, but you definitely need to pay attention to it. A price that is too low is a clear indication that unnatural products were used during the production of bacon. If the price on meat is simply exorbitant, this does not mean that it is of high quality. This point only indicates that the manufacturing company is very popular. High-quality and juicy bacon has an average price, thanks to which many can treat themselves to an appetizing dish.
- Composition of the product. From the information on the label, you can easily find out how natural the bacon is in front of you. A product that includes meat and only 10% saline solution will provide you with a quality purchase. The longer the list of meat ingredients, the less “natural” it is. It is not recommended to buy a delicacy with a long composition.
- Shelf life. This point is directly related to the previous one, since if a large number of food additives and unnatural preservatives were used during the production of bacon, its shelf life will be very long. And this does not guarantee quality. Bacon can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Only meat that does not exceed this period of time can be considered high quality.
- Product color. When buying a smoked product, you should definitely look at the shades of its color. When smoked naturally, the bacon will be light or dark brown in color. The meat layer in bacon will have a yellowish or orange color if treated with liquid smoke. In any case, the quality will be indicated by the uniformity of color and the distribution of meat and lard in the correct ratio for a particular type of bacon. The fat layer should not exceed 1.5 cm.
- Smell. Fresh natural meat has a rich smoky aroma. If there is no smell, we can conclude that the bacon is made from low-quality, unnatural products with the addition of preservatives.
- Skin. Store-bought bacon is sold without skin at all, but it is imperative that it be clean, unspotted, smooth, without any bristles or other damage.
Stick to these basics and the bacon you buy will be high quality, fresh and delicious. Don't delay using it. Prepare a delicious dish before its expiration date.
The benefits of bacon
The benefits of bacon have long been known. It lies in the fact that this meat contains a large amount of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other useful substances. Regarding vitamins, cut bacon contains the following vitamins:
- group A, which have a positive effect on the skin, rejuvenating it;
- group B, which normalize the functioning of the nervous system and help improve metabolism;
- group E, which has a beneficial effect on the human heart and blood vessels.
You can take care of the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system if you introduce this product into your diet, because it contains acids that are also necessary for the brain and liver. Protein (11.6 grams in the composition) is very important for nursing mothers, who, together with breast milk, transfer useful substances to the child, as well as to people who play hard at sports.
Bacon that is cured, in addition to being incredibly tasty, is very healthy. Scientists have proven that meat after such processing removes harmful substances from the human body and also removes cholesterol from the blood. Eating bacon reduces the risk of cancer.
The benefits of bacon when consumed in moderation don't stop there. We will share a few more beneficial properties of deli meat:
- The product also contains a substance such as lysine, which affects the formation of cartilage, skeleton and joints. That is why it is allowed to be given to children in limited quantities. There is no harm to the child’s body if you do not overdo it with the norm.
- Meat improves metabolism, normalizes the hormonal system, stabilizing disruptions, so bacon must be consumed at least sometimes, both in its pure form and as an ingredient in salads, pasta, and other main and first courses.
- It would seem impossible due to the caloric content of bacon, but in fact, when consumed together with water, it is also suitable for those who are on a diet, trying to lose weight. Yes, bacon can help you lose weight.
- This delicacy contains magnesium and zinc, and it is these substances that prevent diseases associated with blood vessels and heart function. Bacon, when consumed normally, increases potency thanks to magnesium and zinc!
- Meat is recommended for consumption by people prone to depression, easily susceptible to stressful situations, that is, those who experience disruptions in the nervous system, resulting in frequent mood swings. Bacon has a positive effect on the nerves, preventing the development of various diseases associated with this system.
Eat raw, smoked, fried, baked bacon in normal quantities - and you will not only enjoy the taste, but also fill your body with a lot of useful substances. But in addition to its benefits, this juicy pork delicacy can also cause harm to the human body, which we will tell you about below.
Fried bacon
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When we sneeze, our body stops working completely. Even the heart stops.
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Harm and contraindications
The harm and contraindications of bacon cannot be denied. This lies in the fact that bacon has a high calorie content (458 kilocalories per 100 grams of weight), so you should not overuse it, so that you don’t have to go on strict diets afterwards. Since this meat is quite heavy, you should not eat bacon in unreasonable quantities so that the stomach and intestines work without failures and dysfunction. Bacon is also fatty, and therefore can be harmful to people with diseases of the cardiovascular system.
The obvious fact is that contraindications are possible if unnatural products were used to make the meat delicacy, or a large amount of flavorings, preservatives, dyes and other substances were added. In this case, the human body will suffer.
Eating raw bacon is strictly prohibited, as pork may contain parasites. That is why bacon must be heat-treated and only eaten boiled, fried, or baked.
Limitless consumption of bacon is harmful for several other reasons, to summarize.
- High cholesterol levels lead to the formation of plaques in blood vessels and general disruption of the heart.
- Unnatural products contained in bacon, excessive amounts of harmful additives are fraught with negative consequences for the functioning of the stomach, intestines, pancreas and some other organs.
- Cancer cells form or increase in the human body.
- Since bacon is a fatty and also heavy meat, it is not recommended to eat it at night, so as not to disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- We have mentioned calories more than once. Do not overuse deli meat, as this can cause significant weight gain.
It is better to eat bacon with some caution (especially in large quantities) for children, as well as people with gastritis, ulcers, diabetes, and pregnant women whose pregnancy is quite long.
Consume this juicy meat in small quantities – and the listed harmful properties will not be terrible.
Homemade bacon cooking technology
The technology for making homemade bacon is not so simple, but anyone can do it if you follow clear rules. After you make the meat, it can be boiled, dried, fried in a frying pan or slow cooker, smoked, baked in foil in the oven and subjected to other processing.
You can cook bacon at home by following the following steps:
№ | Stage | What to do? |
1 | Purchase | Go to the store and buy raw pork belly. Stick to the parameters: length - 50 cm, width - 20 cm. Be sure to take only fresh pork with a clean skin. |
2 | Pickling | It's easy to marinate meat. The marinade consists of salt (4 cups), sugar (2 cups) and your favorite spices and additional ingredients to your taste - pepper, chopped garlic, bay leaf, basil. Store the marinated meat in the refrigerator for a week, then discard the liquid, rinse the bacon and leave for another day. |
3 | Smoking | This is done on a grill or charcoal grill. Better, of course, is the first option. Use half as many coals as you use for barbecue. Wait about half an hour before adding raw meat. Then place the half-cooked bacon on the grill, cover with a lid and wait for two hours. As the coals burn, add them to the grill or grill. Then cut off the skin while the bacon is still hot. |
At home, you can get not only smoked bacon, but also salted bacon. Carrying out this culinary mission with your own hands is absolutely easy. The task is carried out in two ways: dry salting or brine.
№ | Salting method | How to cook? |
1 | Dry | Sugar and salt are mixed in a ratio of one to two, spices are added to taste (pepper, paprika, cumin, cardamom, turmeric), pieces of bacon with cut skins are rubbed with the resulting mixture, the meat is placed in a plastic container and left to soak for a week in the refrigerator. Remember to drain the container and turn the bacon over. After a while, the salt, pepper and other spices you added are washed off with water, the bacon is wiped with dry napkins and served to the table as slices or in another form. |
2 | In brine | Salt dissolves in water, the liquid is boiled on the stove, cools to room temperature - ready-made brine. The meat, cut into pieces, is placed in the composition and stored in the refrigerator for a week, as during dry salting. Then everything is the same as in the previous method: the meat is removed, washed, dried, cut and served. |
Home-cooked bacon will have an even richer taste, a pleasant aroma, and, more importantly, you selected the products yourself, and therefore are confident in their quality.