What Are Smoked & Unsmoked Bacon?

Most bacon in the U.S. is treated with smoke or liquid smoke.

Bacon is a popular addition to many breakfast meals. Before landing on your breakfast table, this pig belly meat may undergo a number of processes, including salt curing and smoking.

Smoked Bacon

Smoked bacon is meat that has been exposed to smoke from burning wood. This process not only enhances flavor but also it helps to preserve the food. Hickory and apple are two common woods used for smoking bacon.

Unsmoked Bacon

Unsmoked bacon is cured in salt, but it does not undergo the smoking process. Smoked bacon is both salted and smoked.

Fun Fact

In some cases, bacon is exposed to liquid smoke rather than real smoke. This technique may reduce the cost of production and distribution.

References

• New York Times Food Chain: Types of Bacon