Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork[1] made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back.

Before the advent of cheap and widespread artificial refrigeration in the modern era, the curing of meat was necessary for its safe long-term preservation.

However, both the flavour imparted to the meat in doing so and the extended shelf life it offered had become much prized, and although curing is in general no longer necessary in the developed world, it continues in wide use.

The Virginia Housewife (1824), thought to be one of the earliest American cookbooks, gives no indication that bacon is ever not smoked, though it gives no advice on flavouring, noting only that care should be taken lest the fire get too hot.

[7] Bacon is distinguished from other salt-cured pork by differences in the cuts of meat used and in the brine or dry packing.

Historically, the terms "ham" and "bacon" referred to different cuts of meat that were brined or packed identically, often together in the same barrel.

[8] For safety, bacon may be treated to prevent trichinosis,[9] caused by Trichinella, a parasitic roundworm which can be destroyed by heating, freezing, drying, or smoking.

Bacon type differs depending on the primal cut of pork from which it is prepared,[8][1] which reflects local preference.

Traditional German cold cuts favour ham over bacon; however, Wammerl (grilled pork belly) remains popular in Bavaria.

Instead of preparing them at home from larger slices, they have been sold ready made as convenience foods recently as Baconwürfel ("bacon cubes") in German retail stores.

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.

[20] Uncured, sliced pork belly, known as bara (バラ), is very popular in Japan and is used in a variety of dishes (e.g. yakitori and yakiniku).

[23] Bacon is also sold and served as joints, usually boiled, broiled or roast,[24] or in thicker slices called chops or steaks.

Hot bacon sandwiches are a popular cafe dish throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland,[25] and are anecdotally recommended as a hangover cure.

[28][29] American bacons include varieties smoked with hickory, mesquite or applewood and flavourings such as maple, brown sugar, honey, or molasses.

[37][38] Celebrity chef Bobby Flay has endorsed a "Bacon of the Month" club online, in print,[39] and on national television.

Sarah Hepola, in a 2008 article in Salon.com, suggests a number of reasons, one of them being that eating bacon in the modern, health-conscious world is an act of rebellion: "Loving bacon is like shoving a middle finger in the face of all that is healthy and holy while an unfiltered cigarette smoulders between your lips.

Tatws Pum Munud is a traditional Welsh stew, made with sliced potatoes, vegetables and smoked bacon.

Streaky bacon is more commonly used as a topping in the US on such items as pizza, salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, baked potatoes, hot dogs, and soups.

In the US, sliced smoked back bacon is used less frequently than the streaky variety, but can sometimes be found on pizza, salads, and omelettes.

Traditionally, bacon grease is saved in British and southern US cuisine, and used as a base for cooking and as an all-purpose flavouring, for everything from gravy to cornbread[50] to salad dressing.

It is often used for roast game birds, and is a traditional method of preparing beef filet mignon, which is wrapped in strips of bacon before cooking.

[52] Despite the likely health risks of excessive bacon grease consumption, it remains popular in the cuisine of the American South.

Vitamin C (ascorbate) or sodium erythorbate can be added to bacon, which greatly reduces the formation of nitrosamines but has no effect on S-Nitrosothiols and nitrosyl-heme.

[60] According to the World Health Organization in 2015, regular consumption of processed meats such as bacon increases the likelihood of developing colorectal cancers by 18%.

[64] The low fat content of turkey bacon means it does not shrink while being cooked and has a tendency to stick to the pan.

[69] Vegetarian bacon is usually made from marinated strips of textured soy protein or tempeh (fermented soybeans).