Bacon is one of the most beloved meats around the world. The crispy, salty, smoky slices of pork belly have been a breakfast staple for centuries. But where did bacon originally come from? Let’s take a look at the history of this iconic meat.
Bacon’s Origins in China
Evidence shows that bacon has its earliest origins in China The Chinese were likely the first to cure pork belly with salt, creating an early form of bacon. They developed pork curing and sausage making methods as early as 1500 BC Salting and curing meat was important as a way to preserve it in the hot climate of China. The salty pork belly was then smoked to add flavor and further preservation. These early bacon-like pork products spread through China and the rest of Asia.
Bacon Arrives in Europe
The Romans learned pork curing methods from the Chinese and these techniques spread throughout Europe. The Gauls and Germans adopted bacon as a beloved meat In the Middle Ages, European peasants commonly cooked with bacon fat and cured pork. The term “bacon” itself comes from the French word “bacun” and the Germanic words “bacho” and “backe” which referred to pork from the back and sides of a pig
Bacon became a popular food for Europeans. In the 12th century, bacon was so prized that a church in the English town of Great Dunmow offered a side of bacon to any married man who could swear before God that he had not fought with his wife for over a year.
Bacon in the Americas
The Spanish brought pigs and bacon to the Americas in the 1500s. Christopher Columbus brought eight pigs to Cuba in 1493 and explorer Hernando de Soto introduced pigs to North America in 1539. Bacon was readily adopted by Native Americans as a tasty new food.
By the 1600s, pigs were running rampant in early American settlements like New Amsterdam (later New York City), where they hampered early construction projects. But bacon remained popular, becoming a standard part of the early American diet.
Bacon Today
Today, bacon is more popular than ever before Americans consume 70% of their bacon during breakfast, but it has expanded far beyond a breakfast side. Creative bacon dishes like chocolate bacon and bacon jam have taken the internet by storm
The modern bacon industry began in the 1770s when John Harris opened the first large scale bacon curing facility in Calne, England. Commercial production allowed bacon to become available to the masses.
Despite health concerns over its high fat and sodium content, bacon remains one of the most widely consumed meats in America today. Over 50% of US households report keeping bacon stocked in the fridge.
Its trademark blend of smoky, salty, umami flavors are hard for meat lovers to resist. While bacon may now be a global phenomenon, its origins can be traced back to humble beginnings in ancient China. Experimentation with pork curing techniques led to the bacon we know and love today.
Bacon in Ancient and Medieval Times
Salted pork belly first appeared on dining tables thousands of years ago in China. Pork curing methods spread throughout the Roman Empire, and Anglo-Saxon peasants cooked with bacon fat. In Middle English, the word bacon or bacoun meant all pork until well into the 16th century. The word bacon comes from a number of Germanic and French dialects, such as the Old French word bacun, the Old High German word bacho, which means “buttock,” and the Old Teutonic word backe, which means “back.” But the cut typically used to make bacon comes from the side, or belly, of the hog. An English side of bacon is called a “gammon,” and a thin slice of bacon is called a “rasher.”
A church in Great Dunmow, England, offered a side of bacon to any married man who could swear in front of the congregation and God that he had not fought with his wife for a year and a day. This was in the 1200s. A husband who could “bring home the bacon” was highly regarded by the community for his forbearance.
Bacon in the New World
Christopher Columbus brought eight pigs to Cuba with Queen Isabella, but the National Pork Board says that Hernando de Soto was the “father of the American pork industry.” In 1539, he brought 13 pigs to the New World. In just three years, his herd had grown to 700. Native Americans are said to have loved the taste and were happy to accept pigs and pork products as peace offerings. By 1653, there were a lot of wild, swine that were making it hard for the Dutch to build a wall on Manhattan Island to keep the British and Native Americans out of New Amsterdam. The site later became known as Wall Street. Pigs continued to run wild in New York City into the 19th century.