The Secret Behind Chick-fil-A’s Mouthwatering Bacon

As a bacon lover, I’m always on the hunt for the best bacon around. Crispy, smoky, salty – when done right, bacon takes a dish from good to phenomenal. So when I first tried the Smokehouse BBQ Bacon Sandwich from Chick-fil-A, I knew I had discovered bacon perfection. The question was, what makes their bacon so dang good?

After some digging, I uncovered the truth about Chick-fil-A’s bacon. Let’s just say there’s a reason their sandwich tastes so smoky, savory and downright addicting. Keep reading to learn the secrets behind this fast food chain’s incredibly delicious bacon.

Chick-fil-A’s Bacon is Smoked, Not Fried

Many fast food joints simply fry bacon on a griddle and call it a day, But not Chick-fil-A, Their bacon goes through a low and slow smoking process first before it ever touches a grill,

Chick-fil-A smokes their bacon for hours over a natural hardwood fire This infuses the meat with a deep, wood-fired flavor you simply can’t replicate by frying alone. The smoking process gives each slice a melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich, savory taste.

So while frying crisps up the bacon, it’s the smoking that really sets Chick-fil-A’s bacon apart. This extra step is key to getting that smoky essence in every bite.

They Use Only Natural Hardwoods for Smoking

Chick-fil-A doesn’t take shortcuts when it comes to smoking their bacon. Instead of artificial smoke flavor, they use real hardwood fires to naturally smoke their pork belly slices.

According to their website, Chick-fil-A smokes their bacon over natural maple wood. This gives the bacon a slightly sweet, nutty taste that perfectly balances the saltiness.

Using natural hardwoods through traditional pit smoking methods allows for deep flavor infusion. Chick-fil-A’s dedication to low and slow wood smoking is a lost art in commercial food production, but it pays off in their incredibly nuanced, smoky bacon.

The Bacon is Fresh, Never Frozen

Chick-fil-A makes their bacon in-house at their restaurants. Each location slices pork belly into bacon strips and smokes them daily over natural maple.

Because the bacon is smoked on-site, Chick-fil-A avoids freezing or mass transportation that could degrade quality. The bacon goes straight from smoker to sandwich, maximizing freshness and flavor. No preservatives needed.

You’d be amazed how many restaurants freeze and reheat bacon to cut costs. The freshness of Chick-fil-A’s smoked bacon keeps the flavor and texture at peak levels. No soggy or limp slices here!

They Use Humanely Raised Pork

In line with their corporate values, Chick-fil-A aims to provide ethical animal products whenever possible. Their bacon is made from pork sourced from humanely raised pigs.

The pigs are provided with ample space in temperature-controlled barns with natural light. Their diets are nutritionally balanced, free of hormones or unnecessary antibiotics. Humane rearing standards avoid undue stress, which improves pork quality.

Happy, healthy pigs just taste better. The humanely raised pork gives Chick-fil-A’s bacon superior marbling and a buttery texture that completes the perfect bite.

It’s Uncured Bacon Without Artificial Ingredients

True to their focus on quality ingredients, Chick-fil-A’s bacon contains no artificial preservatives. Traditional bacon is cured using nitrites for preservation and color.

However, Chick-fil-A’s is uncured. Without chemical curing agents, their bacon stays a natural pork color. Uncured bacon also fits better with health-conscious lifestyles.

Even without curing salts, Chick-fil-A’s bacon stays fresh thanks to the rapid turnover from site smoking. The minimal ingredients let the natural pork and smoke flavors shine.

Chick-fil-A Cuts Their Bacon Extra Thick

There’s nothing worse than a wimpy strip of bacon. Chick-fil-A does it right by cutting their smoked pork belly into extra thick slices.

While regular bacon slices are around 1/16 inch thick, Chick-fil-A’s bacon clocks in at a 1/4 inch or more per slice. The hefty slices hold up well during smoking and grilling.

Thicker cut bacon means more smoky, porky bliss in every piece. More surface area = more crispy, caramelized meaty bits. Chick-fil-A truly goes above and beyond with their bacon’s cut and quality.

They Grill the Bacon For Crispy Perfection

After a relaxing smoke bath, Chick-fil-A’s plush bacon gets finished on the grill. The hot grill crisps up and caramelizes the exterior while melting the peppery, maple-smoked fat.

Chick-fil-A chefs grill the bacon in small batches to guarantee the ideal crispiness. Their high heat searing adds textural contrast against the juicy pork interior.

Fried bacon can get overcooked and dried out since the grease doesn’t drain. But by grilling after smoking, even the edges of Chick-fil-A’s bacon stay tender. Their method ensures deliciously crispy bacon without fail.

It’s Uniquely Seasoned With Savory Spices

Plain smoked bacon is great, but Chick-fil-A takes their flavor up a notch with custom spice blends. Their signature bacon is rubbed down with hearty spices before smoking.

According to employees, the bacon contains spices like smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. The sweet, savory and salty seasonings complement the bacon beautifully.

Chick-fil-A struck flavor gold with their secret spice mixes and smoking methods. Their bacon has a one-of-a-kind depth and soulfulness no other fast food joint can touch.

Chick-fil-A Offers Bacon in Several Menu Items

Luckily, Chick-fil-A allows you to get your smoked bacon fix in a variety of dishes beyond their BBQ bacon sandwich:

• Hash Brown Scramble Bowl – Diced bacon in a bowl with smoked cheddar cheese, eggs, and crispy hash browns.

• Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit – A classic breakfast sandwich with a puck of their smoked bacon.

• Bacon Scramble Wrap – Cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon crumbles, and hash browns in a warm tortilla.

• Bacon Sunflower Multigrain Bagel – A hearty bagel layered with cream cheese spread and 3 strips of bacon.

Their online menu shows nutrition info if you feel like getting your bacon fix a bit healthier. No matter how you enjoy it, Chick-fil-A’s bacon always brings maximum flavor.

Why Chick-fil-A’s Bacon is So Addictive

After learning all about their smoking and preparation methods, it’s easy to see why Chick