Cured meat · cured
Bacon
Salt-cured pork, usually belly, sold sliced or in a piece, smoked or unsmoked. Rendered for fat and savoury depth in stews, pasta, sauces and breakfasts.
What can replace it
- T2 · GoodGuanciale
Fattier and more intensely porky, unsmoked; render it longer.
- T2 · GoodPancetta
Usually unsmoked, so the dish loses bacon's smoke; add a pinch of smoked paprika if it matters.
- T2 · GoodSpeck
Leaner smoked ham; crisps less and gives less fat.
- T3 · In a pinchChinese cured pork belly
Sweeter and harder, with wine and soy notes; slice thin.
- T3 · In a pinchChorizo
Brings paprika colour and flavour along with the pork fat and smoke.
- T3 · In a pinchSmoked tofu
Vegetarian; gives smoke but no fat or crisp rendering, so fry in oil.
Cook with Bacon
No recipes use it yet.