As a nation, the UK has an all-consuming love for bacon. But did you know that not all bacon from around the world is made equal? Different countries actually use different parts of pigs to meet their nation’s love of this cut, with Canadians going for loins while Americans use the shoulder. Here in the UK we use the shoulder which butchers across the country will say is definitely the best cut for this popular favourite.
Bacon, more than any other protein, is at the top of the UK consumers’ shopping list, with seven out of ten bacon shoppers making the decision to buy even before they enter the store.
The UK bacon industry is worth over £900 million, with consumers currently purchasing over 150,000 tonnes per year. Rashers remain the most popular form of bacon.
So with this in mind, here are some facts about bacon, where it comes from and why it smells and tastes so good.
Bacon the Facts
- All pork, including bacon and sausages is the single most popular in-home meat consumed and almost a third is accounted for by Bacon consumption.
- 41% of us grill bacon, while a third fry it
- Bacon appears in a third of out of home breakfast meals [NPD Crest, March 2017]
- Bacon is most commonly eaten with bread, eggs and tea (no surprises there), but it increasingly being eaten with vegetables, dried pasta and cheese, suggesting it is being introduced into more in dishes and more home cooking
- Households don’t want to be without bacon – there’s generally some in the fridge and, even if people don’t have a specific recipe in mind when they buy it, it is acknowledged that it will be eaten fairly quickly after purchase
- The humble bacon sarnie is the nation’s favourite “guilty” food, despite the growing popularity of exotic, spicy dishes
- Bacon is the UK’s fastest growing out of home sandwich
- The snack topped a poll of the 50 greatest national treasures, with a traditional roast dinner in second place and a nice cup of tea third.
(Source: Love Pork Website)
Bacon Nutrition
Bacon sometimes get bad press, but here are the positive nutritional benefits of bacon that you may not be aware of:
- Bacon is an excellent source of protein and two or three rashers of grilled back bacon (50g) contains about 13g of protein. Protein is essential for growth and maintenance of muscle mass
- Bacon is a rich source of Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), with 50g of grilled back bacon containing about half of your RDA. B1 is important for helping the nervous system to work normally as well as energy release
- Bacon is also an excellent source of Vitamin B12 which can help to form normal blood cells and helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. 50g of grilled back bacon provides around a fifth (20%) of your RDA of Vitamin B12
- Bacon is a source of both zinc and selenium. These minerals act as antioxidants and help support your immunity
- The amount of calories in bacon may surprise you, as the fat content of Back Bacon has reduced dramatically over the years, by 60% since 1978.
Our Love for Bacon From Hugh Phillips Gower Butcher
At Hugh Phillips Gower Butchers, we have been dry curing Welsh bacon, the traditional way by hand, since 1887.
Our qualified butchers prepare the loins of pork to our high standards giving us the best product to start the dry curing process. With just the right amount of fat covering each piece we guarantee lean bacon with no added water and which is very low in salt – suitable for anyone following a low fat healthy lifestyle.
We offer a complete range of bacon cuts including ribs and short back slices to streaky bacon and whole joints.
Our bacon is available to buy from our stall in Swansea market and from our online shop www.bestonlinebutcher.co.uk. Order today for delivery next week.
