What is Breakfast Bacon and Why Do We Love it So Much?

Bacon is a breakfast staple for many people. Whether it’s crispy strips on the side of eggs and toast or chopped up in a breakfast sandwich, bacon makes the morning meal feel special. But what exactly is breakfast bacon and why do we love it so much?

A Brief History of Breakfast Bacon

While bacon has been around for centuries, it wasn’t always a breakfast food. Bacon originated as a way to preserve pork by curing it with salt. This cured pork product dates back to 1500 BC in China. From there, it spread through Europe and eventually made its way to North America with early settlers.

At first, bacon was considered more of a dinner food. It wasn’t until the 1920s-1930s that bacon became known as a breakfast food, mainly due to marketing campaigns by the meat industry. Companies like Beech-Nut Packing Company specifically advertised bacon as part of a big, hearty breakfast. They got doctors to confirm that a heavier breakfast was healthier than a light one and that bacon should be included. This shaped the American breakfast culture we know today.

Now the bacon market is over $4 billion in the United States alone. It’s clear that bacon holds a special place in America’s heart especially at breakfast time.

What Defines Breakfast Bacon?

When you go to the grocery store, you’ll find many different types of packaged bacon. But what exactly makes some bacon a go-to breakfast bacon? Here are the key characteristics:

• Cure method: Breakfast bacon is cured using either a dry rub or an immersion in a water-based brine. This curing process adds seasoning and preserves the meat.
• Smoking method: Quality breakfast bacon is smoked slowly over a wood fire rather than artificially smoked. This gives it a rich, smoky flavor.
• Cut style: Typical breakfast bacon is sliced thin and wide. This allows it to get extra crispy when cooked.
• Flavoring: Breakfast bacons are often flavored with warm spices like black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar. This gives a sweet, savory flavor.
• Fat content: Bacon for breakfast often has a higher fat content than bacon for other uses. The fat crisps up deliciously.

Popular breakfast bacon varieties like applewood smoked or maple-flavored follow these guidelines. Even turkey bacon uses these same criteria to create the breakfast bacon experience people love.

Why Do We Love Bacon at Breakfast?

There are a few key reasons bacon has become so attached to breakfast culture:

1. The smell and taste wake you up.

The rich, smoky aroma of sizzling bacon immediately activates your senses first thing in the morning. The bold, salty, slightly sweet taste also helps give you a jolt. It’s a much more appealing way to wake up than a blaring alarm clock!

2. The fat gives you lasting energy.

While you don’t want to go overboard, the fat in bacon provides fuel for your body and brain to start the day. The protein also stabilizes blood sugar by balancing out carbs from toast or pancakes. It keeps you satisfied longer than just eating pure carbs.

3. It pairs perfectly with other breakfast foods.

The smoky, salty, sweet bacon taste complements so many breakfast items like eggs, pancakes, toast, and avocado. Sprinkling some chopped bacon on a breakfast bowl or into an omelet brings the whole meal together.

4. It transforms breakfast sandwiches.

A breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese is good; a breakfast sandwich with the addition of bacon is great. The contrast of crispy, chewy bacon against the soft egg and bread is what breakfast sandwich dreams are made of.

5. The versatility lends itself to quick breakfasts.

From bacon egg cups to bacon-wrapped breakfast sausages, bacon can be prepared ahead of time and cooked quickly in the morning for an easy breakfast. It adds oomph to quick breads and baked goods too, like bacon muffins.

6. The ritual feels indulgent.

For many, taking time to cook fresh bacon feels luxurious compared to grabbing a protein bar on your way out the door. Enjoying that sizzling sound and smell starts your day on a positive note.

7. It brings back happy memories.

Perhaps your fondest food memory is waking up to the smell of bacon on weekend mornings as a kid. Maybe your family has a bacon pancake tradition on Christmas morning. Whatever it is, bacon triggers a nostalgic happiness for many.

Popular ways to Enjoy Breakfast Bacon

Now that you know why bacon and breakfast go hand in hand, here are some of the most popular ways to enjoy them:

Side of bacon

The classic! Strips or chopped bacon as a side to eggs, pancakes, waffles, avocado toast, etc. Crisp it up in a skillet or oven bake it.

Bacon sandwiches

From a classic Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato (BLT) to a Bacon and Egg on an English muffin, hot bacon sandwiches are always a good idea.

Baked bacon recipes

Baking bacon keeps it flat and evenly cooked. Perfect for things like bacon-wrapped appetizers or bacon-topped baked goods.

Bacon breakfast bowls

Crispy bacon adds a pop of flavor, saltiness, and crunch to healthy breakfast bowls with eggs, veggies, potatoes, grains.

Bacon burgers

Adding crumbled bacon to hamburger patties or placing strips on top of the burger enhances the meaty flavor.

Bacon pancakes and waffles

Mix bacon crumbles into pancake or waffle batter for a sweet and savory combo. Or top a stack with syrupy strips.

Bacon egg cups

Make a batch of these ahead: Fill a muffin tin with bacon nests, pour in whisked eggs and bake. Grab-and-go breakfast.

Bacon quiche and stratas

Incorporate diced bacon into egg bakes and stratas for breakfast or brunch. It adds extra richness.

Bacon breakfast pizza

Top cheese pizza with all your breakfast favorites: scrambled eggs, bacon crumbles, sausage, peppers, potatoes.

Bacon doughnuts

Because why not?! Some shops coat doughnuts in brown sugar bacon crumbles or maple glaze and chopped bacon.

Candied bacon

Coat bacon strips with brown sugar, maple, and spices and bake until caramelized. Crunch up on anything.

However you choose to indulge, quality breakfast bacon raises the morning meal experience. While everyday bacon has its place in BLTs, club sandwiches, mac and cheese, etc., breakfast bacon is specifically designed to complement all your favorite morning foods and start your day on the right foot.

Tips for Cooking Perfect Breakfast Bacon

Cooking method can make or break a perfect plate of breakfast bacon. Here are some top tips:

• Start with a cold pan. This allows the fat to render slowly and evenly as the bacon cooks.
• Use medium heat so the bacon sizzles but doesn’t burn.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook just enough strips to fit without overlapping.
• Cook low and slow. Turn the heat down if it seems to be cooking too fast.
• Flip only once. Frequent flipping can make the bacon dry.
• Blot on paper towels to remove excess grease for crisper bacon.
• Make a baked bacon sheet. Arrange strips on a foil-lined pan and bake at 400°F for even cooking with less splatter.
• Store cooked bacon between paper towels in a zip top bag for up to 5 days.
• Save the bacon grease in a jar. It adds incredible flavor when cooking other foods.

With these tips, you’ll be a breakfast bacon pro in no time! What are you waiting for? Go sizzle up some strips and treat yourself to a little extra luxury this morning. Just be prepared for some jealous family members or roommates trying to snag a piece!