Who doesn’t love bacon, at least once in a while, on their burger? Did you know there are different types of bacon for burgers that you may not have thought of? These could really be some game-changers to making the flavor of your burger absolutely amazing if it isn’t already. However, what is the best bacon for burgers?
We are going to go over some of the possibilities for adding bacon to your burger. These types of bacon can be used as toppings for the burgers or incorporated into the meat you are using. Use your imagination and taste buds to give different things a try. We are sure you will come up with some amazing ideas for your perfect burger!
Where Does Bacon Come From?
That might seem like a silly question, but do you know the answer? Bacon is actually cut from the belly of the pig. According to butcherbox.com bacon is cut from the pork belly, but it can also come from the back, collar, shoulder, and jowls of the pig.
The different cuts create the different varieties of bacon and most of these weren’t actually introduced until the 1990s. So there are many different types of bacon for burgers you can choose from.
Bacon can also be sourced from cows, turkeys, and chicken. So the type of bacon you buy is determined by where it came from.
Varieties of Bacon
You may just think that bacon is bacon. We eat it for breakfast with eggs, put it in potato salad, and yes, use it on our burgers. The traditional bacon most of us would use is the American style bacon. It is the strip bacon with the streaks of meat and fat.
Not that it isn’t a slice of wonderful bacon to use, but there are other different types of bacon you might be interested in using for your burgers. Check out some of these and see what you think.
American Style – this variety is considered the standard of the kinds of bacon with its long narrow strips cooked crispy or chewy and streaked with a combination of meat and fat. And like your ground beef, the flavor comes from the fat. Due to its popularity and variety of flavors, American Style bacon may be considered the best for burgers.
American style bacon comes from the pork’s belly and produces a lot of bacon fat. Many like to save and reuse the fat in other fry cooking because of the wonderful bacon/smoke flavor it gives your food.
American style bacon is the most common and widely used variety for making bacon cheeseburgers. You get a nice extra salty, but not salty in a bad way, taste addition to the burger mixed with the cheesy meltiness mixed in and you have a taste treat you can’t deny. Did we make you really hungry?!!
You will also find this type of bacon in various flavors such as hickory-smoked, Applewood, and black pepper rub. Any of these different flavors would taste amazing on a burger.
Slab Bacon – this is American style bacon before it is sliced. Consider buying the slab of bacon and have your butcher cut if for you, if you want more control over the thickness of your slices.
Canadian Bacon or Back Bacon – this cut of bacon includes the pork loin from the back of the pig. You will find it to be a very lean cut of bacon because it comes from the same cut as pork chops.
Back bacon is mainly British or Canadian bacon and is actually a form of Canadian bacon. It has less marbling so it won’t render as much fat and grease. Canadian bacon traditionally comes in thicker round slices and is used in eggs benedict recipes.
Canadian bacon would be a great bacon alternative to your burgers for those of you who want the bacon burger, but with a leaner cut. This would be the best type of bacon for your burger used in an 80/20 or 70/30 ratio of beef.
Pancetta – a typical Italian type of bacon, this comes either cubed or a thinly-sliced, round variety and comes from pork belly. Pancetta is not smoked after it is cured (American style is). It is usually sold in small cubes that have been chopped as it is used in different cooking recipes such as pasta. It is also great as a wrapping around other meat or vegetables before cooking.
While pancetta is widely used in Italian cooking using the thin, round variety slightly grilled would make an amazing addition to the toppings for your burgers. Pancetta doesn’t have the smoky flavor that you think of when you think of bacon. So if you are looking for something a bit milder, try this.
Turkey Bacon – you hear turkey so you immediately think it is better for you. This variety of bacon is very often served as a low-fat alternative and thought of to be a healthier option. However, turkey bacon is still high in saturated fat, as is pork bacon. Remember with any bacon you consume, you want to be careful about the amount you eat.
This is a good alternative if you are looking for lower fat intake. Turkey bacon can be spicy and salty so be sure to check the sodium content in the brand you buy.
Turkey bacon can be a great addition to your burger due to its notably spicier flavor.
Applewood smoked, hickory, black pepper rub, sugar or maple-flavored, candied bacon, and American bacon with brown sugar are the various bacon flavors. Pick one that you like as an addition to your burger toppings.
Cured vs Uncured Bacon
You may have heard of bacon as being cured or uncured, but what does that actually mean? When bacon is “cured” it essentially means it has been preserved in a salt brine as a preservative.
If you read a label that says “uncured” you might think of it as being healthier. The fact is, according to the Washington Post, uncured bacon is actually cured but done using a nitrite derived from celery or another vegetable that is naturally high in nitrites.
Bacon is cured to preserve the meat to slow its spoiling and prevent the growth of bacteria thereby preventing disease.
We want to answer what everyone already thinks is that bacon is bad for you. Actually any processed meat or food is not good for you and with the amount of salt in bacon and saturated fat content, it is not something you want to eat every day.
You want to enjoy bacon occasionally limiting it to the minimum recommendations of health organizations. So continue to love your bacon but as an occasional addition to your diet.
Ways to Cook Bacon
According to thekitchn.com, there are many ways to cook bacon. Some good and some not so good!
The traditional, and most used, methods are stovetop in a non-stick skillet and oven baking. There are a couple of different ways to cook in the oven, but it looks like the baking on parchment paper is the winner!
If you are on the outside grill, try cooking your bacon in a cast-iron skillet right on the grill. You will then get that extra smoky flavor.
A lot depends on the amount of time you have to spend on the process and your preference for the result of each method.
Conclusion
The best bacon for burgers consists of a wide range of varieties and textures. It is also dependent on how you like your bacon and how you like it on your burgers.
Hopefully, this gives you some ideas on how you can dress up your burgers with not only the traditional American-style bacon but also some other possibilities.
Let us know what you try and how you like it. We love to hear your ideas! Keep lovin’ your burgers.
Below is a Pinterest-friendly photo . . . so you can pin it to your Burger Board!
