Bacon Like You've Never Seen It Before

Bacon. The smell of it greasing the air in your kitchen or drenching the air in a restaurant is overwhelmingly delicious, and one that many in this world can't live without. But just like the people who love and eat it around the world, bacon comes in all shapes and sizes.

South Korea

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

No meal of Korean barbecue is complete without samgyupsal (three layered flesh), or the Korean equivalent of bacon. Samgyupsal is thick, fat slices of uncured pork belly thrown right onto the grill, and you'll most definitely house every last bite. 

Australia

Photo Credit: Flickr/Gavin Tapp
Bacon down under comes in such a hefty, hearty chunk that it was almost unrecognizable as the thin, wavy strips in U.S. supermarket aisles — and it packs a big flavor to match. Some things just taste better on the other side of the world.

Canada

Photo Credit: Flickr/Dietrich Ayala

Canadians go right for the good stuff. Canadian bacon is called back bacon and is cut from the loin. That's not all. Canada also has peameal bacon, which is loin that is rolled in dried and ground peas (though yellow cornmeal is more common nowadays). Fine, Canada —now we have an excuse to come visit.

Italy

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Oh, pancetta. It just sounds cool saying it. Pancetta is Italy's version of cured, pork belly bacon for your bacon-hollow belly. Everything's betta with a little pancetta!

Hungary

Photo Credit: Flickr/carnub

Szalonna is Hungary's much-loved meat: back bacon made from smoked pork fat with the rind that's often pre-cooked and ready to eat. Sounds beautiful, doesn't it?

US of A

Photo credit: Flickr/Didriks

In America, we love our slabs of bacon our way. There is no denying that those thin, streaky strips of cured pork belly get us going every time.