What is Kansas City Bacon? A Guide to This Smoky, Savory Treat

Kansas City is known for many things – jazz, barbecue, the Chiefs. But one of its most delicious claims to fame is Kansas City bacon This smoky, peppery bacon has developed a cult following across the U.S. But what exactly sets it apart from regular bacon?

Overview of Kansas City Bacon

Kansas City bacon, also called KC bacon, gets its name from the largest city in Missouri and the barbecue capital of the world. It has a signature flavor profile thanks to how it is cured and seasoned:

• Made from pork shoulder rather than pork belly
• Dry rubbed with spices before smoking
• Hickory smoked for a stronger smoky flavor
• Leaner than regular bacon with a meatier texture

This seasoning and smoking process gives KC bacon a more robust, savory taste compared to milder pork belly bacon. The dry rub permeates the meat deeply while smoking infuses rich smoky notes It’s often sliced thicker than regular bacon as well

While you can find it across the U.S. now, it originated in the Kansas City area where it remains most popular. The local barbecue culture influenced its trademark spice blend and smoking method.

What Cut of Meat is Used for KC Bacon?

One of the biggest differences between KC bacon and regular bacon is the cut of meat. While most bacon comes from pork belly, Kansas City bacon comes from the pork shoulder.

Other names for this shoulder cut include Boston butt pork butt and pork shoulder blade roast. It’s the upper part of the front leg from the hog. This area gets more exercise, so the meat has more fat marbling and collagen.

The pork shoulder is well-suited for making bacon because:

• It’s nicely marbled with fat to keep the bacon tender and juicy after smoking.

• The high collagen content helps the bacon hold up to the smoking process.

• It has a robust pork flavor that takes on spices well.

So while belly bacon focuses on fat for flavor, KC bacon highlights the meaty flavors of the pork itself. The result is a leaner yet more savory end product.

The Signature Dry Rub

One of the signature steps that sets KC bacon apart is coating the pork shoulder in a flavorful dry rub before smoking. This dry rub permeates the meat deeply and gives it a big flavor punch.

While recipes vary, the rub usually contains salt, brown sugar or maple sugar, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and other spices. Sweet paprika is essential for providing the trademark color as well as flavor.

Some versions use chili powder, cumin, mustard powder, coffee, or coriander. The sugar balances the saltiness while the array of spices adds a complexity you don’t get with just salt and smoke.

This seasoning blend infuses the bacon with the quintessential Kansas City barbecue flavor profile – sweet heat with a touch of smokiness.

The Smoking Process

Smoking is vital to Kansas City’s BBQ tradition, so it’s no surprise that KC bacon gets the same treatment. After the dry rub is applied, the pork shoulder is smoked low and slow to fully infuse it with flavor.

Authentic KC bacon uses hickory wood for smoking, which imparts a robust, hearty smoky taste. The meat smokes for hours until it reaches the proper internal temperature.

Compared to pork belly bacon which gets just a touch of applewood smoke, KC bacon makes smoke an integral part of its flavor. You get a pronounced smokiness in every bite.

Flavor Profile

When you combine the pork shoulder meat, signature dry rub, and hickory smoking, you get a bacon with a standout flavor profile:

• Smoky – Hickory smoke provides a bold, campfire-like smokiness.

• Savory – The umami pork flavors shine through.

• Peppery – Black pepper and other spices come through.

• Sweet – The brown sugar balances out the other flavors.

• Slight heat – Paprika, cayenne, or chili powder add a mild kick.

This balanced sweet and savory taste with a touch of heat is distinctly Kansas City. The pronounced smokiness alone makes it significantly different from regular bacon.

Appearance and Texture

In addition to its unique flavor, KC bacon looks and feels different than belly bacon:

• Darker red color from the spices and smoking.

• Thicker slices ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

• Meatier, chunkier texture than the thin, fatty belly cuts.

• Typically sold in slab form rather than thin, rashers style strips.

So Kansas City bacon provides heartier bites with more to chew on compared to the thin, brittle slices of regular bacon. This makes it perfect for dishes where you want the bacon flavor to hold its own.

Cooking Kansas City Bacon

While you can cook KC bacon the same as regular bacon, its thicker cut and meatier texture benefit from some special treatment:

• Cook over medium-low heat to render the fat fully without burning the meat.

• Bake in the oven between 375-400°F on a rack until crispy, 15-25 minutes.

• Grill or pan fry for breakfast tacos, burgers, etc. where you want bacon flavor infused into other foods.