UK Bacon?

[Grouperman941]

I was in the UK for a couple of weeks last year, and I loved the bacon there. I asked what cut of meat the bacon was from at a couple of places, and they both said , "bacon" so no help.

Does anyone know what cut is used in the UK for bacon and/or if there is a special method that is used there? I would like to try and duplicate it.

[LM600]

Hi Grouperman941,

Here in the UK we have two main types of bacon :

1) Back Bacon

2) Streaky Bacon

The back bacon is produced from pork loin with a little bit of the rib flap meat (if that makes sense). The pork loins I have seen in the US do not have this piece of meat attached, just the eye of the loin.
(Although, I have made bacon from this cut of meat which I bought from Costco...it's like a very lean bacon)

The streaky bacon is produced from the belly meat.

I haven't seen it recently but I remember as a kid my Mum buying bacon that was both the back and the streaky in one piece.

I'm just about to run out the door to go to work, but I'll post some pictures of the back bacon I've just finished curing and am smoking at the moment when I get in tonight.

[sjmcdowall]

If you know local butcher that is good and can get large pieces of pork (luckily, living in NC we are the 2nd largest pork producer in the US) -- you can ask him to get your a bone-less loin UNTRIMMED (i.e. with all the fat) .. from the rear of the rib area .. this should turn into great UK Back Bacon.  Otherwise a decent loin (not tenderloin, loin "roast") that has some good fat will do the trick too..  I just order both whole sides of the pig rib area and turn it into spareribs, and either bone-in rib roasts and/or pork loin roasts to turn into "Canadian" bacon / Back-bacon. 

Basically, "Canadian" or "Pea Meal" bacon is 95% the same as UK back bacon .. just where they got the loin (front, middle, or back) and the amount of trimming to the fat.  Alas, the US seems to like lean (I mean, ultra lean) Canadian bacon .. <sigh>.  Gives me a reason to make more and more of it !  :)

[Grouperman941]

Thanks for the info, guys. Looking forward to the pics.

All I know is I had like two fried egg and bacon sandwiches a day when I was there. 
Cheap, delicious snacks. Delicious eggs, too. :-)

[dorsetbutcher]

I haven't seen it recently but I remember as a kid my Mum buying bacon that was both the back and the streaky in one piece.

Thats called middle cut bacon