PANCETTA

Pancetta is Italian back bacon, available smoked or unsmoked. It is typically salt-cured and seasoned with spices (fennel, garlic, nutmeg, peppercorns, even hot chile flakes) and then dried. It can be sold in straight strips or rolls. Cured Italian bacon which is normally not smoked, can be used as a substitute when guanciale is not available. The French word is ventrèche.

PEAMEAL BACON or CORNMEAL BACON

Originating in Toronto, Canada, the name reflects the historic practice of preserving pork by rolling the cured and trimmed boneless loin, cut from the leaner portions of the loin, in dried and ground yellow peas. In modern times, it has been rolled in ground yellow cornmeal; hence the use of both terms. Bacon made from the pork loin is leaner. It is not smoked but pickled.

PEPPER BACON

Bacon that is seasoned with cracked peppercorns after smoking.

PICNIC BACON

Bacon made from the picnic cut, which includes the shoulder beneath the blade. Picnic bacon is fairly lean.

PRECOOKED BACON

Major brands like Oscar Mayer, Schwan’s and Tyson’s have recently introduced precooked bacon, a fully-cooked product that is shelf-stable and can be heated in 60 seconds. It’s a real time saver, doesn’t leave a greasy pan and doesn’t fill the house with cooked bacon aroma. It is, however more expensive. But consider keeping it on the shelf for a BLT or a quick bacon and eggs.

PORK BELLY or SIDE PORK

This is the area on the lower side and underside of the pig from which American bacon (“side bacon” or “streaky bacon”) is cut (see chart above). Though a fattier meat, it can be diced for stir-fry, rolled for roasting or cut into square or rectangular “steaks”—a preparation that has become popular at chic restaurants in the last five years.

RASHER

A slice (or a portion of three to four slices) of bacon.

SALT PORK OR SIDE PORK

This is bacon from the pork belly that is more fat than lean. It can be fried and eaten as regular bacon; and the bacon grease is prized (although not by cardiologists) for cooking onions, greens, frying potatoes, adding to soups, etc. The terms pork belly and side pork are interchangeable. They are both lean cuts and can be made into bacon, as well as cooked as jowl meat (guanciale).

STREAKY BACON

As  you’ve seen in this Bacon Glossary, there are numerous types of bacon, cut from different parts of the pig and cured in different ways. Streaky bacon, also called side bacon, is the type of bacon favored in the U.S. It comes from the pork belly, and is very fatty with long layers of fat “streaked” with meat. Pancetta is the Italian version of streaky bacon, which can be either smoked or unsmoked.

VEGAN BACON

Also called facon (fake bacon), vacon, or veggie bacon, vegan bacon is a plant-based product made from tempeh, tofu, or vegetables and tamari. along with liquid smoke and “bacon spices.” There are numerous recipes online for homemade, as well as excellent commercial products like Smart Bacon from Lightlife.

WILD BOAR BACON

While it continues to be called wild boar because all domestic pigs are descended from it, today’s “wild boar” is in fact a pastured animal. Like its true wild ancestor, it remains an extremely hardy animal that is capable of growth even during the hardest winter. And unlike the domestic pig, wild boar are not prone to illness or disease. The meat is darker in color with a distinct, more flavorful taste than domestic pork; but it is not gamey tasting.