Types of Bacon: A Guide to Different Bacon Cuts

Bacon is basically a national treasure for us Brits, and it has been that way for a long time.

Whether it is a bacon sandwich, a full English breakfast, pigs in blankets, crispy bacon on a burger, or lardons tossed through a salad, bacon turns up everywhere.

But while we eat plenty of it, not everyone knows the different types of bacon or where they come from on the pig.

So, what different types of bacon are there? Let’s break it down.

What Is Bacon?

Bacon is pork that has been cured with salt. Depending on the recipe, the cure may also include sugar, spices, smoke or other flavourings.

The curing process is what turns pork into bacon. It was originally used as a way of preserving meat, but today it is also about flavour, texture and tradition.

Bacon can come from different parts of the pig, which is why back bacon, streaky bacon, middle bacon and bacon medallions all look and cook differently.

If you want to understand the curing side in more detail, read our guide on what dry cured bacon is.

Types of Bacon

The main types of bacon include:

• Back bacon
• Streaky bacon
• Middle bacon
• Bacon medallions
• Bacon chops
• American bacon
• Lardons
• Smoked bacon
• Dry cured bacon
• Wet cured bacon

Some of these are different cuts of bacon, while others describe how the bacon has been cured, smoked or prepared.

Back Bacon

Back bacon is by far the most popular type of bacon in the UK.

This is the classic rasher you would expect in a bacon sandwich, full English breakfast or local café breakfast. It is made from pork loin and usually has a lean eye of meat with a strip of fat around the outside.

Back bacon is shaped a bit like an apostrophe and is meatier and leaner than streaky bacon.

For most British bacon lovers, back bacon is the everyday rasher.

Streaky Bacon

Streaky bacon comes from pork belly.

Unlike back bacon, which comes from the loin, streaky bacon has fat running through the rasher. This gives it the streaky appearance and makes it brilliant for crispy bacon.

Streaky bacon is the one you wrap around sausages for pigs in blankets. It is also great for burgers, pancakes, loaded fries, toppings, salads and American-style breakfasts.

If you like bacon crispy, streaky bacon is usually the one to choose.

For a fuller comparison, read our guide to streaky bacon vs back bacon.

Bacon Medallions

Bacon medallions are made from cured pork loin, with most of the fat removed.

They are basically the lean eye of the bacon rasher, trimmed into a neat round medallion. This makes them one of the leanest types of bacon.

Bacon medallions are a good option if you want the flavour of bacon with less fat. They work well for breakfasts, sandwiches, salads and higher-protein meals.

For more detail, read our guide on what bacon medallions are.

Bacon Chops

Bacon chops, sometimes called bacon steaks, are thick-cut chops taken from whole bacon loins.

In simple terms, a bacon chop is like a super thick rasher of back bacon. It comes from the same place and is cured in a similar way, but it is cut much thicker.

Bacon chops are great when you want bacon as the main part of a meal rather than just a rasher on the side.

Middle Bacon

Middle bacon is an old-fashioned type of bacon that includes both the loin and the belly in one rasher.

That means you get the leaner back bacon section and the fattier streaky section together.

Middle bacon is still popular with more traditional bacon customers. It is often served with the rind left on and gives you a larger, more old-school rasher.

American Bacon

American bacon is usually what we would call streaky bacon in the UK.

In America, pork belly bacon is the standard, so they often just call it bacon. Here in the UK, we usually call it streaky bacon to separate it from back bacon.

American-style bacon is often smoked and can have a slightly sweeter cure. It is ideal when you want crispy strips of bacon for burgers, pancakes, breakfast plates or toppings.

Lardons

Lardons are small pieces or cubes of bacon, often cut from pork belly.

They are usually fattier than lean bacon rashers and are used more as a cooking ingredient than as breakfast bacon.

Lardons are brilliant fried and added to pasta, salads, soups, stews, omelettes, quiches, sprouts, potatoes or creamy sauces.

Because they are small and fatty, they bring loads of flavour to recipes.

Back Bacon vs Streaky Bacon

The main difference between back bacon and streaky bacon is where they come from on the pig.

How Is Bacon Made?

Bacon is made by curing pork with salt.

Depending on the method, the cure may be rubbed onto the outside of the pork or made into a brine. The pork is then left for the cure to work through the meat.

Once the pork is fully cured, it can be sliced into bacon.

Different curing methods affect the flavour, texture, water content and how the bacon cooks.

Dry Cured Bacon

Dry cured bacon is made by rubbing pork with a dry cure mix, then leaving it to cure over time.

Dry curing usually gives bacon a firmer texture, stronger flavour and less water in the pan. Because the process removes moisture rather than adding it, dry cured bacon will usually shrink less when cooked.

This is the traditional way of making bacon and is the method many people associate with proper butcher’s bacon.

Wet Cured Bacon

Wet cured bacon is made using a liquid brine.

The pork may be soaked in brine or injected with brine. This process is often quicker than dry curing and can produce a more budget-friendly product.

Wet cured bacon usually has a higher water content, which can mean more liquid in the pan and more shrinkage when cooked.

Smoked Bacon

Smoked bacon is bacon that has been smoked after curing.

Smoking is not the same as curing. The bacon must be cured first, then smoked to add flavour.

Oak smoked bacon is popular in the UK, while hickory smoked bacon is especially popular in American-style bacon.

Maple Cured and Sweet Cured Bacon

Maple cured bacon is made by adding maple flavour or maple syrup to the cure.

Sweet cured bacon uses sugar, such as demerara, muscovado, molasses or other sweet ingredients, to create a sweeter bacon flavour.

These styles are especially good if you like sweet and salty bacon.

Which Type of Bacon Is Best?

The best type of bacon depends on how you want to use it.

• For a bacon sandwich, choose back bacon.
• For crispy bacon, choose streaky bacon.
• For lower-fat bacon, choose bacon medallions.
• For traditional rashers, choose middle bacon.
• For cooking in recipes, choose lardons or streaky bacon.
• For stronger flavour and less water in the pan, choose dry cured bacon.

You can browse our full bacon range to compare the different cuts.

How to Cook Different Types of Bacon

Bacon can be cooked in a pan, under the grill or in the oven.

Back bacon works well fried or grilled. Streaky bacon is excellent fried slowly until crisp. Oven cooking is useful when cooking a larger batch.

For more cooking advice, read our guides on how to cook bacon, how to cook bacon in a pan, how to cook bacon in the oven, how to grill bacon and how to cook streaky bacon.

Final Thoughts

There are more types of bacon than most people realise.

Back bacon is the classic UK favourite. Streaky bacon is the crispy one. Middle bacon is the traditional old-school rasher. Bacon medallions are the lean option. Bacon chops are the thick-cut choice. Lardons are perfect for cooking.

Then you have curing and flavour differences too, such as dry cured, wet cured, smoked, maple cured and sweet cured bacon.

In short, there is bacon for just about every job. Which is exactly how it should be.

FAQs

What are the main types of bacon?

The main types of bacon include back bacon, streaky bacon, middle bacon, bacon medallions, bacon chops, American bacon and lardons.

What is the most popular bacon in the UK?

Back bacon is the most popular type of bacon in the UK. It is the classic rasher used for bacon sandwiches and full English breakfasts.

What is streaky bacon?

Streaky bacon is bacon made from pork belly. It has more fat running through it and is excellent for crispy bacon.

What is back bacon?

Back bacon is bacon made from pork loin. It is leaner and meatier than streaky bacon and is the most common bacon in the UK.

What is middle bacon?

Middle bacon is a traditional type of bacon that includes both the loin and belly in one rasher.

What are bacon medallions?

Bacon medallions are made from the lean eye of the pork loin, with most of the fat trimmed away.

Is American bacon the same as streaky bacon?

Yes, American bacon is usually what we call streaky bacon in the UK. It is made from pork belly.

What is the best bacon for crispy bacon?

Streaky bacon is usually the best choice for crispy bacon because it has more fat running through the rasher.