Center Cut Vs Regular Bacon: What's The Difference?

We're all guilty of spending a little too much in the bacon aisle debating which variety to buy. This is especially true for center cut and regular packs of bacon as they look similar but differ in fat content. Fans of chewy, meaty bacon should opt for center cut as it contains less fat than regular bacon. Though, if you love the richness from the fat then standard bacon is the pick for you.

Taking a closer look at both varieties, regular bacon strips in a pack appear longer than center cut bacon due to the fat at the ends. The catch is that most of this fat renders off during cooking, so it doesn't result in a significantly longer bacon strip. As far as the price goes, you're also paying the same regardless of the kind you go with. The bottom line is, your flavor and texture preferences will dictate if you end up putting center cut or regular bacon in your shopping cart.

All bacon comes from pork belly, which is often cured and smoked to give the ingredient its signature bold and savory flavor. The differences for varieties like center cut and regular bacon come into play when the pork belly slab is trimmed and sliced into strips. Although both types of bacon are around the same thickness, center cut will have 25 to 30 percent of the fat removed compared to a standard option.

With less fat, center cut bacon delivers a heartier chew that's a meat lover's dream. So, it's a good choice of bacon for a BLT, candied bacon strips, or homemade bacon jam to dress up any sandwich. Meanwhile, you might want to stick to regular bacon as a fatty addition to this spicy harissa breakfast sandwich or creamy pasta dishes like carbonara. You can even use that bacon grease to flavor up store-bought ramen. There's no hard and fast rule to this, but your chances of a delicious bacon-infused dish are higher when you select the appropriate kind.

Once you decide on the right bacon variety, you'll want to store it correctly once opened. This allows the strips to maintain their pink color, concentrated flavors, and smoky aroma. An opened package of bacon can last for a week when stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. That's plenty of time to give your favorite dishes a mouthwatering bacon twist.