Editing Bacon (section)

== Around the world ==
=== Australia and New Zealand ===
The most common form sold is ''middle bacon'', which includes some of the streaky, fatty section of side bacon along with a portion of the loin of back bacon. In response to increasing consumer [[Diet (nutrition)|diet]]-consciousness, some [[supermarkets]] also offer the loin section only. This is sold as ''short cut bacon'' and is usually priced slightly higher than middle bacon. Both varieties are usually available with the rind removed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.krcastlemaine.com.au/foodservice/product_info.php?category_id=1&category_name=Bacon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001024943/http://www.krcastlemaine.com.au/foodservice/product_info.php?category_id=1&category_name=Bacon |title=Food Service – Bacon |publisher=KR Castlemaine |access-date=2 January 2014 |archive-date=1 October 2009}}</ref>

=== Canada ===
[[File:Flickr bokchoi-snowpea 4266923676--Roast peameal bacon.jpg|thumb|Roasted peameal bacon with a maple glaze at the St. Lawrence Market in [[Toronto]], Ontario, Canada]]
In Canada, the term ''bacon'' on its own typically refers to side bacon.<ref name="Canadian Oxford Dictionary 2004">''Canadian Oxford Dictionary'', 2nd ed. (2004).</ref> Canadian-style back bacon is a lean cut from the eye of the pork loin with little surrounding fat.<ref name="Canadian Oxford Dictionary 2004"/> [[Peameal bacon]] is an unsmoked back bacon, wet-cured and coated in fine-ground cornmeal (historically, it was rolled in ground, dried [[peas]]);<ref name="Canadian Oxford Dictionary 2004"/> it is popular in [[southern Ontario]]. Bacon is often eaten in breakfasts, such as with cooked eggs or pancakes. [[Maple syrup]] is often used as a flavouring while curing bacon in Canada.

=== Germany ===
[[File:Speck-1.jpg|thumb|German ''Speck'', a salted, smoked, and roasted pork fatback or belly cut used as a cold cut]]

Some of the meanings of bacon overlap with the German-language term ''[[Speck]]''. Germans use the term ''bacon'' explicitly for {{Lang|de|Frühstücksspeck}} ('breakfast {{Lang|de|Speck}}') which are cured or smoked pork slices. Traditional German [[cold cut]]s favour ham over bacon; however, {{Lang|de|Wammerl}} (grilled pork belly) remains popular in Bavaria.

Small bacon cubes (called {{Lang|de|Grieben}} or {{Lang|de|Grammerln}} in Austria and southern Germany) have been a rather important ingredient of various southern German dishes. They are used for adding flavour to soups and salads and for Speck dumplings and various noodle and potato dishes. Instead of preparing them at home from larger slices, they have been sold ready made as [[convenience food]]s recently as {{Lang|de|Baconwürfel}} ("bacon cubes") in German retail stores.

=== Japan ===
In Japan, bacon ({{Lang|ja|ベーコン}})<ref>{{cite web | url=https://japanese.english-dictionary.help/english-to-japanese-meaning-bacon | title=Japanese Meaning or Translation of – 'bacon' | publisher=Bdword | access-date=9 February 2014}}</ref> is pronounced {{Lang|ja-latn|bēkon}}. It is cured and smoked belly meat as in the US, and is sold in either regular or half-length sizes. Bacon in Japan is different from that in the US in that the meat is not sold raw, but is processed, precooked and has a ham-like consistency when cooked.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itoham.co.jp/product/dtl/00000022/ |title=伊藤ハム &#124; 商品情報 &#124; |publisher=Itoham.co.jp |access-date=2 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102191041/http://www.itoham.co.jp/product/dtl/00000022/ |archive-date=2 January 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Uncured, sliced pork belly, known as {{Lang|ja-latn|bara}} ({{Lang|ja|バラ}}), is very popular in Japan and is used in a variety of dishes (e.g. [[Yakitori#Common non-poultry dishes|yakitori]] and [[Yakiniku#Typical ingredients|yakiniku]]).

=== Great Britain and Ireland ===
Back bacon is the most common form in [[Great Britain]] and [[Ireland]], and is the usual meaning of the plain term ''bacon''. A thin slice of bacon is known as a ''rasher''; about 70% of bacon is sold as rashers.<ref>{{cite news|title=How to make the perfect full English breakfast|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11029015/How-to-make-the-perfect-full-English-breakfast.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11029015/How-to-make-the-perfect-full-English-breakfast.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|date=25 June 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Heavily trimmed back cuts which consist of just the eye of meat, known as a ''medallion'', are also available. All types may be unsmoked or smoked. The side cut normal in America is known as "streaky bacon",<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-full-english-breakfast-hops-the-pond-1444080283 "The Full English Breakfast Hops the Pond"]. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 February 2018</ref> and there is also a long cut, curving round on itself, known as "middle bacon", which is back bacon at one end, and streaky at the other, as well as less common cuts.<ref>[https://www.puddledub.co.uk/blog/latest-news/whats-the-difference-between-the-different-bacon-cuts "What's the difference between the different bacon cuts?"], 14 July 2017, www.puddledub.co.uk/blog.</ref> Bacon is also sold and served as joints, usually boiled, broiled or roast,<ref>[https://wiltshirebacon.com/what-are-bacon-joints/ "What are Bacon Joints?"], Wiltshire Bacon Co.</ref> or in thicker slices called chops or steaks. These are usually eaten as part of other meals.<ref name="jwb"/>

Bacon may be cured in several ways, and may be smoked or unsmoked; unsmoked bacon is known as "green bacon".<ref name="jwb"/> Fried or grilled bacon rashers are included in the "traditional" [[full breakfast]]. Hot [[bacon sandwich]]es are a popular [[Cafe (British)|cafe]] dish throughout the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Republic of Ireland]],<ref name="cloake20120307">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/mar/08/how-to-cook-perfect-bacon-sandwiches | title=How to cook the perfect bacon sandwich | work=The Guardian | date=7 March 2012 | access-date=15 January 2015 | author=Cloake, Felicity}}</ref> and are anecdotally recommended as a [[hangover cure]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5118283/Bacon-sandwich-really-does-cure-a-hangover.html|title=Bacon sandwich really does cure a hangover|date=7 April 2009|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=7 February 2019 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100107032547/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5118283/Bacon-sandwich-really-does-cure-a-hangover.html | archive-date = 7 January 2010}}</ref>

Bacon is often served with [[Egg (food)|eggs]] and [[sausages]] as part of a full English breakfast.<ref name="ebs full">{{cite web | url=https://www.englishbreakfastsociety.com/full-english-breakfast.html | title=The Full English Breakfast | publisher=English Breakfast Society | work=4 January 2014 | access-date=8 February 2014 | archive-date=25 January 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125193916/http://englishbreakfastsociety.com/full-english-breakfast.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== United States ===
The term ''bacon'' on its own generally refers to side bacon, which is the most popular type of bacon sold in the US. Back bacon is known as "Canadian bacon" or "Canadian-style bacon", and is usually sold pre-cooked and thick-sliced.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canadian Bacon - Kitchen Dictionary - Food.com |url=https://www.food.com/about/canadian-bacon-601 |access-date=20 June 2023 |website=www.food.com}}</ref><ref name=kitchen>{{cite web|url=https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-canadian-bacon-or-irish-or-english-and-american-bacon-ingredient-intelligence-166956|title=What's the Difference Between Canadian Bacon (or Irish, or English) and American?|first=Emma|last=Christensen|website=thekitchen.com|date=7 October 2020|access-date=14 September 2021}}</ref> American bacons include varieties smoked with [[hickory]], [[mesquite]] or [[apple tree|applewood]] and flavourings such as [[maple]], [[brown sugar]], [[honey]], or [[molasses]].<ref name="smoky">R. W. Apple Jr. [https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/16/style/the-smoky-trail-to-a-great-bacon.html?pagewanted=all The Smoky Trail To a Great Bacon] 16 February 2000 ''The New York Times''</ref> A side of unsliced bacon is known as "slab bacon".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bacontoday.com/whiskey-maple-glazed-slab-bacon/ | title=Whiskey Maple Glazed Slab Bacon | work=Bacon Today | access-date=9 February 2014 | author=Hog, Boss | date=19 April 2013 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222063416/http://bacontoday.com/whiskey-maple-glazed-slab-bacon/ | archive-date=22 February 2014}}</ref>

[[USDA]] regulations only recognise bacon as "cured" if it has been treated with synthetic nitrites or nitrates (e.g. [[sodium nitrate]] or [[potassium nitrate]]). This means that bacon cured with nitrites derived from celery or beets (which has the same chemical outcome) must be labelled "uncured" and include a notice such as "no nitrates or nitrites added except for that naturally occurring in celery". There is also bacon for sale uncured with any nitrites from any sources.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Haspel |first=Tamar |date=2019-04-23 |title= The 'uncured' bacon illusion: It's actually cured, and it's not better for you. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/the-uncured-bacon-illusion-its-actually-cured-and-its-not-better-for-you/2019/04/19/0c89630c-608c-11e9-9ff2-abc984dc9eec_story.html |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230813065606/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/the-uncured-bacon-illusion-its-actually-cured-and-its-not-better-for-you/2019/04/19/0c89630c-608c-11e9-9ff2-abc984dc9eec_story.html |archive-date= Aug 13, 2023 }}</ref>