The Exact Difference Between Center And Thick-Cut Bacon

Shopping for bacon seems pretty easy; that is, until you see the packaging labels. Some companies market bacon with tasty-sounding ingredients like brown sugar. It can also be smoked with different types of wood, or cured or uncured (the difference between these variants isn't so clear-cut).  Most bacon you'll find at the supermarket is labeled as "regular cut," which means each slice is 1/16-inch thick. You may also see two other cuts of bacon — "center cut" and "thick cut" — and to clear up any confusion, both come from the exact same part of the pig as regular-cut bacon. There are 21 types of bacon that may be cut, some from the pig's back, loin, shoulder, or cheek, but the most common type is cut from the pig's belly. The only difference between pork belly and bacon is that the former is sold raw while the latter is cured and smoked. 

Thus, center-cut bacon is simply a clever marketing strategy designed to fool consumers into believing they're buying bacon from a specialty cut of the pig. It's simply regular bacon with its fatty ends chopped off. Center-cut bacon may be comparable in price to regular bacon, but you're actually paying 25% more since it's sold in 12-ounce (3/4-pound) packages, and regular bacon is often sold in 16-ounce (1-pound) packages. 

Conversely, there's no marketing deception with thick-cut bacon, which is simply bacon that's been cut to 1/8-inch thick. Thick-cut bacon is generally also sold in 12-ounce packages, and the number of slices varies. The popularity of thick-cut bacon is on the rise, and it's attributed to people who love bacon that has more porky flavor and a meaty chew. One factor you should consider when buying thick-cut bacon is that you need to cook it longer to achieve the crisp edges, and oven-baking bacon is one of the best methods for monitoring that it's evenly cooked. 

Thick-cut bacon is certainly welcome at breakfast, but because it doesn't shrink as much as regular-cut bacon, it can retain its texture and add more flavor to roasted vegetables, like maple bacon Brussels sprouts, or baked in a sweet potato casserole, or even serve as a savory stirrer for a Bloody Mary. Center-cut bacon is better for recipes when you want the bacon to complement rather than overpower the protein you're cooking, like bacon-baked scallops. If you want to decrease fat intake, then center-cut bacon may be the way to go. But on the other hand, with a small amount of effort, you could save money by buying regular-cut bacon and trim off the edges yourself.