Quick links
side bacon
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
n. — Food
slices of pork from the belly of a pig.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — The term side bacon refers to slices of pork cut from the belly, or side, of a pig (see Image 1). Note that "side" and "belly" refer to the same part of the pig (see the 2007 quotation). Side bacon is usually sliced, containing streaks of both fat and meat, hence the term "streaky bacon" (see the 2014 quotation). The earliest found Canadian attestation of the term (see the 1847 quotation) antedates American sources (see DARE, s.v. "side bacon", DAE, s.v. "side bacon", DA, s.v. "side" (3)(I)). As seen in Chart 1, the term is not the most frequently used in Canada. It appears that although the technical name of this particular bacon type is side bacon, as the term appears on Canadian packaging labels, everyday language users simply refer to this type of bacon as "bacon" (see the 2014 quotation). Its prototypical nature is reiterated in the 2011 quotation, where side bacon is referred to as the "average" bacon or Canada's "staple bacon" (see the 2007 quotation).
Chart 1 shows that the term is also very prominent in New Zealand, while the phrase sliced side bacon is most frequent in Canada. Ontario and the Northwest Territories show most uses within Canada (Chart 3).
See also COD-2, s.v. "side bacon", which is marked "Cdn.
Chart 1 shows that the term is also very prominent in New Zealand, while the phrase sliced side bacon is most frequent in Canada. Ontario and the Northwest Territories show most uses within Canada (Chart 3).
See also COD-2, s.v. "side bacon", which is marked "Cdn.
Quotations
1842
PORK.--there are various kinds or divisions of Pork--depending upon the size and quality of the hog and the market for which it is intended. There is Bacon singed and scalded, which is divided into whole side Bacon or Middles. Barreled Pork is divided into Prime, and Bacon Mess, and is put up into barrels and tierces.
1847
[ADVERTISEMENT]
120 BARRELS Mess and Prime Mess Pork,
60cwt. superior SIDE BACON,
20 cwt. superior HAMS, for sale by
M. P. HAYES,
King-street, opposite the Market, Toronto.
May 6th, 1847
1885
I happened to be in Treaty No. 7 When the bacon was being delivered, and am able to say, positively, that it was of as fine a quality of clear side bacon as it was possible to furnish--in fact it was of the very best quality.
1902
[ADVERTISEMENT]
Groceries
Polished Patna Rice; 5 pounds for .25
Smoked Back and Side Bacon (in the piece) ; per pound......... .131/2
Finest Canned Pumpkins; 3-pound tins ; per tin ...... ............ .7
1917
The superiority of bacon in this respect is shown by comparison of the average percentage of bone in the different meats: Wiltshire side bacon, 7 per cent. bone: dressed beef, 20 per cent. bone; mutton, 20 per cent. bone; veal, 25 per cent. bone. As a result of the present shortage of available ocean tonnage this point is of no small consideration
1937
Georgia's first lady differs from the first lady of Virginia, Mrs. George C. Peery, on the use of grease from side bacon for frying chicken. Mrs. Peery believes the bacon grease gives a better flavor, but Mrs. Rivers prefers cooking oil.
1957
Good vegetables to select for the lamb would be buttered spinach and light-whipped turnip or squash (the latter you would perhaps buy frozen or canned).
Yield--three to six servings.
6-inch piece loin of lamb
Cut clove barlic
Salt and pepper
Monosodium glutamate, optional
Sliced side bacon
Have butcher bone the lamb. Wipe meat with a damp cloth and spread out flat, fat side down.
1979
1 pound salt cod 1 can (19-oz.) ackee - or about 1 1/2 cups frozen 2 or 3 tablespoons oil 1/4 pound side bacon 1 large onion, chopped 1 small sweet red pepper, cut in rings Pepper Soak cod for several hours or overnight in cold water to cover. Drain, cover with fresh cold water and bring to boiling point. Lower heat and simmer until the fish may be easily flaked with a fork. Drain, rinse and break into flakes with a fork.
1980
All the bacons on both sides of the border come from a hog's midsection. The usual procedure is to split the section into two parts. They are the belly and the underpart, which is cured, smoked and frozen and sold as "bacon" in the United States and "side bacon" in Canada, and the loin or back, which is sold as fresh as pork chops or loin roasts in both countries.
1988
The choucroute, which to my mind is only fully appreciated in winter, was a well-garnished dish with a plump, juicy schublig sausage (pork and beef), an equally good Viennese sausage, a thick slice of smoked side bacon and a smoked pork cutlet, all atop a huge mound of sauerkraut which, unfortunately, was not very good. By the time you worked your way down to it, it didn't really matter that much.
2007
The staple bacon we and many other Canadians use is side bacon, which, logically, is cut from the side (belly) of the pig and is cured and smoked. This bacon is also referred to as "streaky" bacon, because streaks of fat and meat can be seen running through slices of it.
2011
A COUPLE of years ago, Gary Vaynerchuk devoted an entire episode of Wine Library TV to wine and bacon (http://tinyurl.com/gvbacon). Inspired, I cooked up some bacon (your average side bacon, some back bacon and some pancetta) and decided to taste them with wines I thought would work...
2014
Side bacon, often simply called bacon, is the most commonly used type in Canada. It is called side bacon because it is cut from the side (belly) of the pig. Side bacon is cured and smoked. It is sold in that form and is also sometimes flavoured. When this bacon is sliced, streaks of fat and meat can be seen, why side bacon is also known as "streaky" bacon. Side bacon is a raw product that needs to be cooked. Beyond being served as a breakfast side dish, side bacon can also be used to flavour a range of other dishes.
2014
Bacon Facts:
Peameal bacon, also known as cured pork loin rolled in cornmeal, is different from side bacon, which is what the vast majority of consumers are familiar with. Side bacon comes from the belly, is cured (seasoned), smoked, sliced and typically sold raw.
Back bacon/peameal and Canadian bacon come from the loin (i.e. boneless loin roast), which makes them much leaner than side bacon and require very little cooking. Peameal bacon, as the name implies, is rolled in peameal or cornmeal and it is typically sold raw. It is not smoked or cooked. It is a product found in Ontario.
References
- COD-2
- DARE
- DAE
- DA
Images
Image 1: Strips of side bacon Source: Wikimedia Commons. Photo: Ubern00b
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 1 Aug. 2014
Chart 2: Internet Domain Search, 1 Aug. 2014
