Who Invented Turkey Bacon? The History of This Popular Pork Alternative

Turkey bacon has become a popular alternative to traditional pork bacon over the past few decades But who exactly invented this now-ubiquitous breakfast meat substitute? The origins of turkey bacon reveal an interesting history of changing attitudes around diet, health, and cultural/religious customs

The Rise of Turkey as an Alternative Meat in America

While turkey meat has been consumed in North America since pre-Colonial times, it began gaining popularity as an alternative to beef and pork in the mid-20th century. By the 1970s, concerns over red meat consumption started growing, with emerging evidence linking it to heart disease, cancer, and other health conditions.

As a leaner white meat turkey was marketed as a healthier alternative. The famous TV chef Julia Child helped boost turkey’s popularity in American households by featuring turkey recipes on her PBS show in the 1960s and 70s. Around the same time vegetarian and vegan diets were gaining adherents, further propelling the demand for alternative meat products.

Early Attempts at Imitation Bacon

Long before turkey bacon hit the scene, there were attempts to create bacon-like products from non-pork sources. In the 1930s, beef frye was invented as a kosher bacon substitute for Jewish consumers who followed religious dietary laws forbidding pork.

Then in the 1970s, as vegetarianism rose, imitation bacon bits made from soy protein became popular. These early imitation bacons were targeting specific groups like Jews who kept kosher or vegetarians Turkey bacon would soon emerge as a mainstream alternative to pork bacon.

The Invention of Turkey Bacon

Most accounts credit Oscar Mayer as the inventor of modern-day turkey bacon, introducing it commercially to American consumers in the 1980s. However, it seems that earlier turkey-based bacon prototypes were attempted before Oscar Mayer’s successful commercial launch.

For example, a 1978 article in the Idaho Free Press references “turkey style bacon” being test marketed by an unnamed company in Oklahoma. And a 1980 article in the trade publication Meat Processing mentions “a turkey bacon that resembles lean pork bacon” being developed by General Foods Corporation.

So while Oscar Mayer may not have been quite the original inventor, they deserve credit for widely popularizing turkey bacon and bringing it into mainstream American supermarkets in the 1980s. Their patented process for making turkey bacon became the gold standard that other brands sought to emulate.

Why Turkey Bacon Caught On

By the 1990s, the low-fat craze was kicking into high gear. Oscar Mayer promoted their turkey bacon as having “70% less fat” than pork bacon. Lower calories and fat content made turkey bacon appeal to health-conscious consumers.

But it wasn’t just about dieting and nutrition – cultural attitudes and religious customs also played a role. As Islamic and Jewish communities grew in America, turkey bacon emerged as an accepted substitute in contexts prohibiting pork for religious reasons. It allowed diners to enjoy the familiar flavors and textures of bacon without violating religious dietary laws.

Vegetarians also embraced turkey bacon, along with other meat analogues like tofu dogs and soy burgers. Its versatility made it a convenient plant-based option for everything from breakfast sandwiches to BLTs.

Turkey Bacon Goes Mainstream

By the 1990s, turkey bacon had carved out a niche as a dietary, cultural, and religious pork alternative. But it soon outgrew those niches to become an mainstream American breakfast staple. Even pork-eating consumers embraced turkey bacon, mixing up their morning routines by alternating between pork and turkey.

To keep up with demand major brands like Oscar Mayer, Butterball, and Jennie-O entered the market, stocking grocery stores across America with turkey bacon options. Specialty “facon” bacon made from turkey or other meats also emerged for consumers seeking premium alternatives.

While some bacon purists still scoff at turkey imitations, they’re clearly not going anywhere anytime soon. The versatility and broad appeal of turkey bacon has made it a ubiquitous part of the American breakfast landscape.

The Future of Turkey Bacon

Turkey bacon has already shifted from novel innovation to dietary and cultural staple over just a few decades. Where might it go next? One possibility is diversification in flavors, formats, and quality tiers. With pork bacon, we’ve seen an explosion of flavored varieties, thick-cut artisanal versions, and premium indie producers. Turkey bacon may follow a similar trajectory.

Meatless turkey bacons could also gain traction among vegetarians, vegans, and flexitarians seeking to further reduce meat consumption. Companies like Sweet Earth and MorningStar Farms already offer plant-based turkey bacon products, which seem likely to improve in taste and texture over time.

And as the quest for healthy, sustainable meat alternatives marches on, further turkey bacon innovations and disruptions likely await in the coming decades. Just as turkey replaced pork, something may eventually disrupt turkey as well. But for now, the once-novel turkey bacon remains firmly cemented in America’s culinary consciousness.

who invented turkey bacon

Abstract The present invention relates to a method for making turkey bacon, and more particularly, a method for making precooked, pre-crisped, turkey bacon. In a preferred embodiment method of making ready-to-eat, fried turkey bacon, sliced turkey bacon is obtained. The turkey bacon is fried in oil, and the fried turkey bacon is crisp and has rippled edges. A flavoring solution is then applied to the fried turkey bacon. The fried and flavored turkey bacon has a flavor, an appearance, and a texture similar to pork bacon.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is about a way to make turkey bacon, and more specifically, it’s about a way to make turkey bacon that has already been cooked and fried.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To make turkey bacon, two types of emulsions containing turkey meat are usually forced through a machine. One kind of emulsion is darker than the other kind. Because of this, a light and dark product is made that looks like pork bacon. However, historically, this product differs substantially from pork bacon. For instance, turkey bacon and other products that look like bacon have been a bit dry and don’t taste, look, or feel like pork bacon. These products tend to be more rubbery than pork bacon. Therefore, there has been reluctance to use such bacon alternatives.
Precooked pork bacon is more expensive now, and it comes in a lot of different sizes and looks. Not everyone can eat pork, either because of health or religious reasons, so these people need an alternative to pork bacon. Because of this, it would be good to have an alternative that tastes, looks, and feels more like pork bacon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one preferred way to make fried turkey bacon that is ready to eat, sliced turkey bacon is obtained. Fry the turkey bacon in oil. The fried turkey bacon is crispy and has edges that are wavy. A flavoring solution is applied to the fried turkey bacon. When turkey bacon is fried and flavored, it looks, tastes, and feels like pork bacon.
In a different preferred embodiment method for making precooked turkey bacon, turkey meat and fat are mixed to make a dark and a white part. If you choose the right ratio, the dark and white parts are extruded together, making a mixture that looks like pork bacon. The mixture is cooked, which makes a product. The product is then cut into slices and fried in oil. A flavoring is then applied to the fried product.
In a different preferred embodiment method for making precooked turkey bacon, the dark and white parts are sized so that they look like pork bacon. The pieces are cooked, which makes a product. The product is then cut up and fried in oil. The fried product is crisp and has rippled edges. A flavoring is applied to the fried product. The product that has been fried and flavored tastes, looks, and feels like pork bacon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, which shows a flow chart of a preferred way to make turkey bacon based on the ideas behind this invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in the flow chart in FIG. 1, one preferred form of the present invention 1, is a way to make turkey bacon that is already cooked and crispy, so it’s pretty much ready to eat.
White turkey meat, dark turkey meat that has been mechanically deboned, and fat are the best meats for making precooked, pre-crisped turkey bacon. It is best to use turkey fat, but fat or fat substitutes from any other source that is known to be safe and effective can also be used. The word “fat” is used here to refer to any of these right kinds of fat or fat substitutes. Usually, the parts are ground up and then mixed together in choppers and/or blenders. The mixed meat is then pushed out of two different stuffing machines until the right amount of dark and white parts are formed.
During the grinding step, step 1 in FIG. 1. The white turkey meat is put through a grinder or a similar system for recovering meat that is well known in the business. The meat needs to be ground up enough to make an emulsion. The grinder or a similar meat recovery system can do this. For the mechanically de-boned turkey meat, the turkey carcass is pumped into a mechanical de-boning device such as a Beehive Model #588 bone separator or a Yieldmaster bone separator. After being chilled, the meat is put through a metal detector. Then, the fat content is checked. The meat should be less than 40° F when it is cooked.
During the blending step, step 2 in FIG. 1, the dark portion and the white portion are emulsified. For the dark part, white turkey meat and turkey meat that has been mechanically deboned are put into a bowl, which chops them up. After adding the fat, ice, and salt, the ingredients are chopped for about one minute. The rest of the dry ingredients are added, and they are chopped for about 45 seconds. The mixture is kept at a temperature of about 40º° F by adding enough carbon dioxide snow. or less. The mixture is chopped for approximately 15 seconds. The emulsion is emptied into a stainless steel tank. Table 1 shows the percentages of ingredients that were best for the dark part. A regular formulation and a low fat formulation are shown. Table 1 shows the preferred dark portion recipe and how much of each ingredient it contains: Regular low-fat white turkey meat 19 00-21. 00 19. 00-21. 00 Mechanically De-boned 58. 30-64. 40 67. 80-74. 90 Turkey Meat, 20% Fat Fat â9. 50-10. 50 0. 00 Ice/Water 2. 20-2. 40 2. 20-2. 40 Salt 2. 20-2. 40 2. 20-2. 40 Sodium Erythorbate 0. 05 0. 05 Sugar 2. 50 2. 50 Cure (Salt and 6. 25 Sodium Nitrite) 0. 18 0. 18 Bacon Flavoring 1. 00 1. 00 Liquid Smoke 0. 25 0. 25 .
The white turkey meat is put into a bowl chopper for the white part. After adding the fat, ice, and salt, the ingredients are chopped for about one minute. The rest of the dry ingredients are added, and they are chopped for about two minutes. The mixture is kept at a temperature of about 40º° F by adding enough carbon dioxide snow. or less. The mixture is chopped for no more than 30 seconds, ideally just long enough to mix the carbon dioxide snow in. Table 2 shows the percentages of ingredients that should be used for the white part. A regular formulation and a low fat formulation are shown. The pieces that are made are kept overnight in a raw cooler that is less than 40º° F. It’s best to let the product cure for 24 hours before cooking it. Table 2 shows a preferred white portion recipe with an estimated percentage of each ingredient: Regular Low Fat White Turkey Meat 60% 61-67. 00 77. 02-86. 29 Fat 26. 41-71. 19 â9. 50-10. 50 Ice/Water 2. 20-2. 40 2. 20-2. 40 Salt 2. 20-2. 40 2. 20-2. 40 Sodium Erythorbate 0. 05 0. 05 Sugar 2. 37-2. 62 2. 37-2. 62 Cure (Salt and 6. 25 Sodium Nitrite) 0. 18 0. 18 Bacon Flavoring 1. 00 1. 00 .
In the regular formulations, the dark portion includes approximately 58. 30 to 64. 40% turkey meat that has been mechanically deboned and contains more than 20% fat and about 00 to 21. 00% white turkey meat, and the white portion has about 60 61 to 67. 00% white turkey meat. When made with low-fat ingredients, the dark part has about 67 80 to 74. 90% turkey meat that has been mechanically deboned and contains more than 20% fat and about 00 to 21. 00% white turkey meat, and the white part has about 77 02 to 86. 29% white turkey meat.
One stuffer is filled with the dark part, and another is filled with the white part after the dark and white parts have been mixed. This is step 3 in FIG. 1. The approximately 2050–2060 percent dark portion and the 2050–2060 percent white portion are extruded at the same time onto a cutting board lined with silicone paper. Because these parts are mostly emulsified, they easily come together to make a slab that is mostly the same thickness. The silicone sheet is moved from the cutting board to a rack for cooking bacon. The racks can be kept in a cooler that is cooler than 40° F. or placed directly in an oven.
After being pushed out, the meat is cooked and smoked on racks (step 4 in FIG. 1. A preferred cooking cycle is listed in Table 3. Ideally, the bacon should be cooked for about 5 hours, and step 7 should be kept going until the meat inside is more than 160° F. Even though it’s best when the meat is fully cooked, it only needs to be cooked long enough to get firm enough to cut. After the meat is cooked, it is cooled to less than 40° F. , step 5 in FIG. 1. TABLE 3 Preferred Cooking Cycle Time Dry Bulb Temp. Wet Bulb Temp. rH Step (hours) (Â° F. ) (Â° F. )%20%20%Humidity%20Damper%20%20%20%201%201:00%20120%2050%200%20%20steam%20%20auto%20%20%202%200:30%20140%2050%200%20%20steam%20%20auto%20%20%203%200:30%20140%20105%2031%20%20steam%20%20auto%20%20%204%200:30%20150%20120%2041%20%20steam%20%20auto%20%20%205%201:00%20160%20135%2051%20%20steam%20%20auto%20%20%206%200:30%20170%20150%2060%20%20steam%20%20auto%20%20%207%until%20done%20180%20170%2079%steam%20auto%20%20%20
After cooling to less than 40Â° F. , the turkey bacon slabs are transferred onto a conveyor. The slabs are then sliced, step 6 in FIG. 1. It is best to set the slicer for 18 to 23 slices per inch, and the slabs are fed through it. The slice length is preferably approximately 5. 75 to 6. 50 inches. Any shape is fine, but the slices should be rectangular to look like pork bacon slices. No matter what shape or configuration it is, the turkey bacon should be thick enough to crisp up and have edges that are curled or rippled like pork bacon after being fried. The turkey bacon slices are then moved through a system that fries them in hot oil (step 7 in FIG. 1. Frying oil at a temperature of 335Â° F. is used, and the slices are fried in oil for about 45 to 55 seconds. It should be reddish instead of brownish in the dark part. The step of frying takes the water out of the sliced bacon, making it crisp. It also gives the slices a curled or rippled edge like pork bacon. Before frying, the water activity level should be close to 0. 98, and the water activity level should be 0 after frying. 65 to 0. 80. Some of the flavor may be lost when it’s fried. Instead of making slices of turkey bacon, you can make bits of turkey bacon by grinding the slices into small pieces after the frying step. The slices or bits are then moved to the flavoring applicator, step 8 in FIG., where a flavoring solution is sprayed on each slice or group of bits. 1. For one flavoring solution, Table 4 shows the percentages of the ingredients that may be used. For another flavoring solution, Table 5 shows the percentages of the ingredients that may be used. Table 4: Flavoring Solution Ingredients: Water (37%–47%), Sugar (20–30%), Salt (8–18%), and Liquid Smoke (15–25%) per cent.
Table 5 shows the ingredients in another flavoring solution. Water makes up 84% of the solution. 67 Bacon Flavoring 15. 00 Natural Flavoring 0. 33 .
In the art world, liquid smoke is common. Some types of liquid smoke that can be used are CHARSOL® LFBN, CHAROIL® B, RA 70, or CharSol Supreme Polyâ¢ by Red Arrow Products Company LLC in Manitowoc, Wis. or Natural Smoke Flavor WONF 018-0920, 018-0610, or 018-4066 made in Oak Brook, Illinois, by Innova, a Griffith Laboratories Company. An example of a bacon flavoring that may be used is Flavor #613409 by Givaudan Flavors Corp. the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, and HERBALOX® Seasonings Product Type HT-H by Kalsec, Inc. is an example of a natural flavoring that could be used. of Kalamazoo, Mich. People agree that the flavoring solution can be made in different ways as long as the end product tastes good. It is best to add the flavoring solution to make the final product taste more like bacon. There are many flavors that taste like bacon that could be used.
The amount of flavoring solution added to the fried bacon is about 2% to 3% of the total weight. This step of flavoring is important for making a tasty, satisfying product because the frying step takes away most of the flavor. The finished regular product should have about 2022 to 2031 percent protein, 2035 to 2050 percent total fat, and 2015 to 2019 percent moisture. It is best for the finished product to have a water activity level of 0. 65 to 0. 80. Next, step 9 in FIG. shows that the bacon slices are cooled. 1, and packaged, step 10 in FIG. 1.
It is best if the product can stay fresh for a long time. It can be kept at room temperature or in the fridge, and customers can heat it up in a microwave, on a grill, in a frying pan, or any other way that works. For instance, if a microwave is used, it is best to put four slices on a single layer of paper towel and heat them for 20 seconds on high. If you use an oven, put the rack in the middle of the oven and heat it up to 350° F before you start cooking. It is best to put sixteen slices on a cookie sheet and bake them in a regular oven for about three minutes. 5 minutes. In a convection oven, sixteen slices should be put on a cookie sheet and baked for about one minute. 5 minutes. If you use a flat grill, let it heat up to 350° F first. Afterward, the bacon is cooked for about one minute, with a flip every 30 seconds. If you use a stove, heat a frying pan over medium heat (without oil) and lay the bacon out in a single layer in it. The bacon is cooked for 30 to 45 seconds, and then it is turned over and cooked for another 30 to 45 seconds. It is understood that these examples are not all that can be used, and that other good ways of heating can also be used. The item should be kept in the fridge after the package has been opened.
To sum up, the turkey bacon is made with a certain amount of fat, flavor, and white to dark ratio. Changing the amounts of fat to lean parts of the recipe may also have nutritional benefits, as shown in Tables 1 and 2. The mixtures are pushed out onto a cooking surface and heated up. After the turkey bacon has been cooked and cooled, it is cut into slices of a certain thickness and put into an oil fryer to finish cooking. The frying takes away a certain amount of water from the slices. At this point, the turkey bacon slices start to curl up like fried pork bacon, which makes them look more like pork. This part of the process also makes the turkey bacon crispier than pan-frying it. After coming out of the oil fryer, a solution is sprayed on the slices to make them taste better. This solution is a certain mix of ingredients that gives it a smell and taste like pork bacon. The individual slices are then cooled and packaged. Instead of making slices of turkey bacon, you can make bits of turkey bacon by grinding the slices into small pieces after the frying step.

EXAMPLE 1

White turkey meat obtained from turkey wings was ground through a grinder enough to make an emulsion, and a turkey carcass was pumped into a Beehive Model #588 bone separator to obtain dark turkey meat. After being cooled, the meat was brought down to a temperature of about 38° F. The meat was put through a metal detector and its fat content was checked to make sure it had the right amount of fat.
After all the ingredients for each part were added, they were blended in a bowl chopper for about two minutes to make the dark and white parts. Table 6 shows the preferred formulation for the dark part, and Table 7 shows the preferred formulation for the white part. About 20% of each portion was extruded at the same time onto a cutting board lined with silicone paper, then moved to a bacon cook rack and cooked using the preferred cooking cycle shown in Table 3. Table 6: Dark Portion Recipe: Ingredients in Pounds and Percentages Sodium Nitrite Cure 25%) 0. 90 0. 18 Vegetarian Smoke Bacon 5. 00 1. 00 CHARSOLâÂ® LFBN 1. 25 0. 25 Aro-Smoke 8056 1. 25 0. 25 High Grade Salt 11. 75 2. 35 Sodium Erythorbate 0. 25 0. 05 Sugar 12. 50 2. 50 Mechanically De-boned Turkey Meat, over 20% Fat 306. 80 61. 36 White Turkey Meat 100. 00 20. 00 Water 10. 50 2. 10 Rendered Turkey Fat 50. 00 10. 00 .
Table 7: White Portion Recipe: Ingredients in Pounds and Percentages Sodium Nitrite Cure 6 25% 0. 90 0. 18 Vegetarian Smoke Bacon 5. 00 1. 00 High Grade Salt 11. 75 2. 35 Sodium Erythorbate 0. 25 0. 05 Sugar 12. 50 2. 50 Water 11. 60 2. 32 Rendered Turkey Fat 139. 00 27. 80 White Turkey Meat 319. 05 63. 81 .
After cooking, the meat was cooled to approximately 36Â° F. and then transferred onto a conveyor for slicing. A slicer set to 23 slices per inch was used to cut the slabs. The slices were then put through a system for frying them in hot oil. The temperature of the frying oil was about 335° F. , and the slices were fried for approximately 50 seconds. Before cooking, the level of moisture was 2058 percent, and after cooking, the level of water activity was 200 percent. 65 to 0. 75. The slices were then put through the flavoring applicator, which sprayed about 3% of the preferred flavoring solution listed in Table 208 on each slice. TABLE 8 Flavoring Solution Ingredient Percentage Water 84. 67 Bacon Flavoring 15. 00 Natural Flavoring 0. 33 .
The bacon flavoring used was Flavor #613409 by Givaudan Flavors Corp. It was made in Cincinnati, Ohio, and used HERBALOX® Seasonings Product Type HT-H by Kalsec, Inc. of Kalamazoo, Mich. The finished product included approximately 18. 8% protein, 40% total fat, and 17% moisture. The water activity level of the finished product was 0. 65 to 0. 75. The flavored slices were then cooled to 40Â° F. and packaged.
With the above specifications, examples, and data, you can fully understand how to make and use the invention’s composition. Since the invention can be made in many different ways without changing its spirit or scope, the invention is contained in the claims that follow.

Application Number	Priority Date	Filing Date	Title
US10/774,304 US20050175749A1 (en)	2004-02-06	2004-02-06	Method for making turkey bacon