Back bacon or streaky bacon: which should you choose?

Back bacon comes from the pork loin and has a broad, relatively lean section of meat. Streaky bacon comes from the belly and has more fat running through it. Back bacon is a familiar choice for a traditional English breakfast.

Two different cuts

The difference starts with the part of the animal. Back bacon is made from cured pork loin. Its broad, oval section makes the rasher easy to recognise. Streaky bacon is made from cured pork belly and has clear bands of fat. In the Netherlands, that second style is commonly known as ontbijtspek.

The word “bacon” alone is not enough to specify your order. Check the cut, the product information and how it looks on the plate after cooking. LovePork explains the distinction in its guides to back bacon and streaky bacon.

Smoked or unsmoked?

Smoked versus unsmoked is a separate decision from back versus streaky. One describes the smoky flavour; the other describes the cut. Decide which bacon you want to present first, then choose the flavour profile for your menu. If you are unsure, ask about comparing two options in your own kitchen.

Which bacon suits the dish?

Back bacon is a common choice for a full English. Streaky bacon offers another option, for example in a breakfast sandwich. Assess the bacon in the dish you intend to serve: flavour, slice thickness and the portion on the plate all matter.

Prepare each variety according to its instructions and compare it against the same intended serving size. Record how many usable portions you get from each pack.

Compare the cost per portion

Price per kilogram alone can give an incomplete picture. Pack size, portions, slice thickness and cooking loss all affect the actual cost. A simple kitchen trial helps make those differences visible.

Product cost per served portion = cost of the pack used ÷ number of usable portions.

Use the usable portion count from your own kitchen trial. This accounts for the effects of slice thickness and cooking loss in your comparison.

Ordering bacon from Green Acres

Green Acres lists smoked and unsmoked back bacon, plus VDM streaky bacon. Check pack sizes in the catalogue and quote the item number when requesting the current price and specification.