Handbook of Meat Processing

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Chapter 18

Bacon

Peter R. Sheard

Introduction

Originally developed as a method of preserv-
ing pork before the widespread use of refrig-
eration, bacon remains a popular product in
its own right. Its production varies from
country to country (Feiner 2006 ), but typi-
cally involves the treatment of boneless pork
cuts with curing salt, usually added as a
brine. As practiced in North America, bacon
is produced from boneless pork belly that is
hot smoked, sliced thinly, and vacuum
packed (Andersen 2004 ), while in Ireland
and the United Kingdom, the most popular
bacon is made from cured pork loins. In con-
tinental Europe, bacon lardons (cubes) are
used mainly as a cooking ingredient.
Salt (sodium chloride) and nitrite are
essential for curing, although nitrates (sodium
or potassium) are still used in some brines.
Both major ingredients, salt and nitrite, are
multifunctional. Salt acts as a preservative by
lowering water activity, gives bacon its char-
acteristic salty fl avor, and increases the
water - holding capacity of meat by solubiliz-
ing myofi brillar protein and increasing the
myofi brillar lattice spacing (Offer and Trinick
1983 ). Although nitrite chemistry is rela-
tively complex, the basic functions of nitrite
are well known (e.g., Pegg and Shahidi 2000 ;
Honikel 2008 ). It (1) acts as a preservative,
(2) promotes the formation of the cured meat
color, (3) contributes to cured meat fl avor,
and (4) acts as an antioxidant. The principles
of curing have been described in an earlier

chapter. This chapter focuses on the manu-

facture of bacon, as practiced in Europe, par-

ticularly in the UK where annual per capita

consumption is about 8 kg (Fisher 2006 ).

Processing Stages

Traditional Wiltshire Curing

Fifty years ago, nearly all bacon was made

by a traditional Wiltshire process (Fig. 18.1 ).

This involved three distinct stages: injection,

immersion, and maturation. The process has

been described elsewhere (Hughes 1988 ;

Varnam and Sutherland 1995 ; Ranken 2000 ;

Lawrie and Ledward 2006 ).

Injection of Pork Sides

Whole sides, usually bone - in and rind - on,

were injected with a brine containing salt,

nitrate, and nitrite. Injection was carried out

manually, using a single needle. The brine

was introduced at multiple points (25 – 30)

along the carcass in order to obtain a reason-

ably uniform distribution.

Immersion in a “ Live Brine ”

Following injection, sides were stacked into

large tanks capable of holding several

hundred pieces. These were sprinkled with

salt, covered with an immersion brine, and

held for several days. A characteristic feature

of the process was that the immersion brine