Bacon

There's something about bacon. The way it smells while it's cooking, the way it tastes when it is dished up...it'd irresistible, and it is, by far, our favourite breakfast meat.

There are usually four different cuts of bacon to look out for: streaky, middle, middle eye and shoulder. Rindless options are also available, but as fat is usually the main reason behind the great aromas and taste of cooked bacon, rindless options might lack full-on bacon appeal.

Streaky bacon is a belly cut, and is sliced into thin strands. It is a good choice if you want to cook crispy bacon, and it has the highest fat content too, which adds considerably to its flavour. Middle eye bacon is just loin with no belly, and is a leaner cut. Middle bacon is probably our most popular variety. It has the large middle eye bacon portion, with the streaky bacon tail as well. It is the perfect bacon for bacon and eggs. Finally, shoulder bacon has a high meat to fat ratio and is best used in soups, pastas, and risottos.

Wet cured bacon is the most common form of curing for the bacon we buy. The pork is immersed in brine or brine is injected into the meat. This is a quick and economical process and is reflected in lower prices. The alternative is dry cured bacon. A little more costly but bacon connoisseurs believe it has a purer flavour. 

Finally, be kind by choosing free farmed or free-range pork when buying bacon. It might cost a little more, but you'll know you've done your bit for animal welfare, and the flavour will be so much better.