That collection of compounds is unique to bacon and is not produced when other types of pork are fried.
So their research amounts to "frying bacon gives off a unique combination of fumes, which carnivores find enticing"... well I never.
SCIENCE explains why you LOVE the smell of BACON
Scientists have explained the reason why humans love the smell of frying bacon. Bacon-boffins from the American Chemical Society and Compound Interest produced a video summarizing a research effort into the compounds that give everyone's favorite cured breakfast meat its distinctive and wonderful aroma. Video: The Smell of …
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Saturday 31st May 2014 01:03 GMT Anonymous Coward
Yank my chain
"Our Yank staff prefer the crisp and fatty American rendition, while the Brits maintain that their leaner, more chewy bacon is tops."
Talk about making a silk purse out of a sow's ear! "Chewy bacon" indeed. And how did it get that way? Does this mean American pigs eat better? What are the Brit pigs eating, kale? Is it just a straight-out calorie thing? Maybe a few shiploads of good old Iowa Corn are in order.
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Saturday 31st May 2014 01:20 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: Yank my chain
The Brits can't even get bacon right? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. They can't drive on the correct side of the road, can't play a proper game of baseball, and have no idea how to pronounce "garage" or "vitamin" or "mobile".
It's a damned good thing my ancestors fought and died for my freedom over 235 years ago. Give me freedom to eat crisp, fat bacon slices or give me death.
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Saturday 31st May 2014 10:47 GMT Richard Taylor 2
Re: Yank my chain
@Andy Prough
"They can't drive on the correct side of the road, can't play a proper game of baseball"
On the other hand we didn't take the 'correct side of the road' from Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys AND our tells play the definitive game of baseball, it's just we call it 'Rounders' here
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Sunday 1st June 2014 06:01 GMT Trevor_Pott
Oh, Canada
The Americans have not won the World Series every year. The Toronto Blue Jays won in both 1992 and 1993. Depending on who you talk to, Toronto is either it's own nation (as well as being the center of the universe) or sort of Canadian. Either way, Torontonians will agree: the aren't American. Well, except for the huge chunk of them that immigrated there from the US, but that's different...
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Monday 2nd June 2014 09:31 GMT Jedit
"Be fair - the Americans win the World Series: every year"
Some confusion there. It's not called the World Series because it's a global competition, but because it was originally sponsored by a newspaper called the World.
On the other foot: back in the 1870s one of those Complete Books For Boys listed rules for baseball that were identical to the rules for rounders in the Complete Book for Girls of the same year.
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Monday 2nd June 2014 12:20 GMT Loyal Commenter
Re: "Be fair - the Americans win the World Series: every year"
Some confusion there. It's not called the World Series because it's a global competition, but because it was originally sponsored by a newspaper called the World.
So many people repeat this that it has acquired some sort of truthiness. However, if you bother to actually research it, you'll find it's utter bollocks:
http://www.snopes.com/business/names/worldseries.asp
It's just yet another example of our transatlantic cousins editing history to suit their arrogant world-view.
edit - and personally, I prefer dry-cured streaky bacon, although don't eat it very often because of the incredibly high fat content, so I wouldn't claim that this is entirely an American preference. Sadly, it seems that people here tend to buy cheap bacon, which tends to be back bacon with added brine injected into it (to bump up the weight), which might account for more of this type of bacon being sold, because it is cheaper. Dry-cured back bacon can be made to go crispy perfectly well, but the briny stuff turns to leather and pumps out loads of white liquid when you fry it, which stops the pan from being hot enough to make it crispy.
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Monday 2nd June 2014 10:52 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: Yank my chain
Hey , I know it was a troll but what the hell...
"They can't drive on the correct side of the road"
Travelling on the left side has been around since roman times since the right arm was used for defense against people coming the other way. It was only Napoleon that switched it and you yanks decided to follow the lead of the - how do you put it , the cheese eating surrender monkey?
"can't play a proper game of baseball,"
Actually its called Rounders , and its a kids game.
"and have no idea how to pronounce "garage" or "vitamin" or "mobile"."
When it comes to pronouncing French words I'll ask someone from France, not Quebec. Similarly for English words I'd ask someone from England (though I may get a dozen different versions but hey...) , not someone from a former colony.
"It's a damned good thing my ancestors fought and died for my freedom over 235 years ago"
Did they? And there was me thinking they simply fought to avoid paying taxes that paid for the english military that was guarding them against the french, spanish and not to forget the native americans your ancestors decided to slaughter.
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Saturday 31st May 2014 05:49 GMT Eddy Ito
Re: Yank my chain
Actually I think pigs here in the US are leaner. The difference in the bacon is due to what part of the pig it's from. Canadian bacon is from the loin only, UK bacon is typically both loin and belly, which is often called back bacon in the US and finally US bacon is belly only. The mostly difference in the cut is what determines whether it's chewy or crispy. Of course then there are also several kinds of Chinese pork products that are from similar cuts.
Between the loin and belly it's a rather versatile hunk-o-hog. Hmmm, all this talk is making me hungry. Now if I only knew of a place to get gua bao at this hour.
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Monday 2nd June 2014 12:15 GMT Tom 7
Re: Yank my chain
"I know quite a few Brits who *love* crispy bacon, aka American bacon."
are you referring to the well cooked back bacon that is crispy or the wafer thin mint bacon that is cut using the same thing that used to make BR ham sandwich ham?
The thin cut allows more of the flavours mentioned in the video to be created in proportion to the meat whereas the UK cut allows flavours in the meat to be tasted too. There's a good reason why its cut thin in the US.
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Sunday 1st June 2014 00:29 GMT Anomalous Cowturd
@stucs201 Re: bacon cuts
I believe that what you describe as middle cut consists of a complete slice from loin right through the belly.
My best ever came from Shrewsbury market, dry cured, fatty belly, rind on, and smoked. 3 slices, pan fried, belly out, in a savagely hot pan for about a minute a side. served in a brace of freshly carved slices of still warm bread.
Oh, and Hammond's Chop sauce, or, at a push, HP...
Nurse, the screens!
Ooh, and some tissues.
Sorry about that.
And now, back to your usual programmes...
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Saturday 31st May 2014 01:09 GMT Johnny Canuck
I like both kinds of bacon. What you folks across the pond call bacon, the Americans refer to as "Canadian bacon". No doubt we inherited our taste for that type of bacon from you British. Its perfect in a bun with a bit of butter (I like to add HP sauce). Strippy bacon is also good when you're in the mood for a BLT or Clubhouse sandwich.
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Saturday 31st May 2014 02:53 GMT Sampler
I miss real bacon..
Whilst the americans and british may quibble over which is the best type of Bacon (though the american's are wrong, as usual) one thing I've truly come to miss since arriving in australia is real bacon =(
Australian Bacon is more like ham, it's already partly cooked and, if like me, you like your Bacon to still be oinking when you slip it between two soft white buns with a little HP sauce then this just won't do.
Fortunately, there is some salvation, as a few supermarkets carry "English Bacon", however it's very overpriced and there's usually only one option.
Yorkshire Puddings, fish and chips, curry (don't even get me started on what passes for curry in Sydney compared to Bradford) are all things I miss (and maybe the family) but Bacon, Bacon is the constant reminder I'm far from home, a day's journey (and a thousand bucks) away from where my heart is..
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Saturday 31st May 2014 08:28 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: I miss real bacon..
Why not make your own? For dry curing all you really need is salt and sugar, if you prefer wet cure you'll need to buy a small quantity of nitrite cure online. Add in any herbs and spices you fancy for your own unique taste. After that it's just a matter of selecting your pork: belly for streaky bacon, loin for back bacon. Within a week you'll have delicious bacon, the way you like it, without all the added water the supermarket version is laden with.
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Monday 2nd June 2014 12:00 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: I miss real bacon..
I too miss real bacon. Used to be in the UK when we bought bacon from the supermarket it had a nice thick bit of rind on the edge, cook it while attached to the bacon, put a few snips in so it didn't curl up too much and crisped better. At the end of cooking, take the rind off completely and put it back under the grill to cremate a little more so you had a nice chewy bacon sarnie and nice crispy bit of rind for afters.
Now going to the supermarket even their best cuts 'with rind' have hardly any rind. And they still seem to halve in size.
Bought bacon from my local butcher once, expensive but worth it, what I forgot however was that it had the rind on is (proper rind, not the half rind they say rind is in supermarkets) left the grill on too high and nearly set off the smoke alarm. Worth it though just to have that crispy crackly rind.
Also made the mistake of cooking four rashers (as the minimum required for a bacon sarnie is 3 supermarket rashers and I love bacon)
Didn't shrink, had to chop the ends off and pile it up, it was like a leaning tower of bacon. Yes it cost twice as much, but you only need half as much for a decent sarnie so it all works out...
Now i want bacon.
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Saturday 31st May 2014 21:42 GMT Farmer Fred
Re: I miss real bacon..
>> Yorkshire Puddings
Flour, eggs, milk & a pinch of salt - into a tin with some hot veggie oil (or fat) and into a hot oven
>> fish
Similar mix to above, coat fish and into boiling veggie oil (or fat)
>> chips
Peel and chop some humble spuds, soak in water for an hour or two then into boiling veggie oil (or fat)
... not rocket science
>> curry from Bradford
ah, you have me there...
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Saturday 31st May 2014 03:54 GMT Mark York 3
The Brits Ex-Pat Guide To Home Comforts In Canada
Here in Cowtown Alberta in Canadaland, I can get Wilshire or Loues bacon that's cut (slightly thicker) almost the same way as UK bacon. Most places sell more of long streaky fat held together by pieces of bacon.
Finally found a UK style sausage in a chain of stores called Save On Foods.
Finding nothing that comes close to Anchor butter I experimented & make my own by cutting along the length, then putting half & half of Sobeys "European Butter" Salted (Way saltier than Anchor - I was able to compare with smuggled contraband) & unsalted (Very creamy taste) into a butter dish then allowing to soften before buttering my toast & Marmite.
Add OJ, a cuppa & baked beans\eggs as required & that's pretty much a full English breakfast sorted then.
Also available (without going into expat stores for things like Lucozade, Walkers Crisps & more obscure UK confectionary) off the top of my head in stores like WalMart, Sobeys Safeways & Canadian Superstores.
Tetley, Typhoo & Brook Bond tea.
McVities Chocolate Digestives, Ginger Nuts, Jacobs Cream Crackers & Hob Nobs (Penguins disappeared off the face of London Drugs & Canadian Superstores, but Tim Tams are almost the same but not individually wrapped).
Heinz Tomato Soup & Baked Beans along with a almost identical packaged Baked Beans British Style. Mushy Peas (Tinned).
HP Sauce UK Import & local version (Heinz ketchup is just the same to my palate).
Ready Brek, Devonshire Double Cream (Crustless clotted cream in baby food sized jars) & Marmite. Ribena.
Ambrosia Rice Pudding & Birds Custard. Heinz Sponge Puddings, Curley Wurleys, Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles & Gums (in cinema sized packets).
Frying chips with a Tefal Actifry & a teaspoon of Almond oil produces a soft mushy chip that goes nicely with a home battered piece of fish or sausage. I know a lot of Canadians that keep trying some of the food stuffs we talk about.
Throw in a VPN back to Blighty for TV & its all the comforts of home.
(Especially in winter when its -36 outside).
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Saturday 31st May 2014 06:53 GMT eurobloke
How does it work for bacon-haters?
As some one who absolutely hates the stuff, how does that work? Having to work in a police station, where our canteen frequently makes bacon baguettes and all-day breakfasts, which I find gagging I try to avoid which it is difficult.
No, I am not a vegetarian I eat a lot of ham and chouriço in my sandwiches, and eat a thick slice for Christmas dinner.
Explosion - because I cause a fire here.
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Biting the hand that feeds IT
