Bacon is one of the most beloved breakfast foods. The savory, salty, smoky flavor of crispy bacon pairs perfectly with eggs, pancakes, waffles, and more. While most people enjoy bacon at home, there’s something special about the bacon served at diners and restaurants. Restaurant bacon has a distinct style that home cooks try to emulate. So what exactly is restaurant style bacon?
What Makes Restaurant Bacon Special?
There are a few key differences that give restaurant bacon its signature taste and texture:
Thicker Slices
Restaurant bacon is cut into thicker slices than typical grocery store bacon. A thicker cut means more meaty bacon flavor in every bite. The thicker cut also allows the bacon to crisp up on the edges while the inside remains chewy. Most restaurant bacon slices are around 1/4 inch thick.
Higher Quality Pork
Restaurants use pork belly from the highest quality heritage breed pigs. This pork has plenty of fat marbling that keeps the bacon tender when cooked. The breed and diet of the pigs impacts the depth of pork flavor.
Curing Process
Bacon needs to be cured before it’s smoked and cooked. Restaurants use specialty dry cure blends layered on the pork belly for 7-10 days. This long curing time allows the seasoning and salt to fully penetrate the meat. The result is bacon that is seasoned throughout.
Wood Smoking
One signature trait of restaurant bacon is the deep wood smoked flavor. Quality restaurants smoke their pork bellies low and slow over applewood, hickory, maple, or mesquite wood. This smoking can last up to 12 hours, infusing the bacon with smoky nuances.
Cooked on a Griddle
Restaurants don’t bake their bacon like most people do at home. Professional kitchens cook the bacon on a hot flat top griddle. The flat surface allows the bacon to get evenly crispy. The bacon also picks up tasty brown crispy bits for extra texture.
How to Cook Restaurant Worthy Bacon at Home
It’s possible to mimic that gourmet restaurant bacon taste in your own kitchen. Follow these tips for the best crispy, meaty bacon:
Buy Thick Cut Bacon
Look for bacon sliced at least 1/4 inch thick to match the heft of restaurant bacon. This includes slabs of pork belly that you slice yourself into 1/4 inch strips. Brands like Nueske’s, Neuske’s, and Wright Brand Bacon carry quality thick sliced bacon.
Seek Out Heritage Breed Pork
Heritage breed pigs like Berkshire, Duroc, and Mangalitsa produce pork bellies with bold pork flavor and marbling. This gives the bacon a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Local butcher shops are a good source for heritage pork.
Make Your Own Dry Cure
Mix up a dry rub cure with salt, brown sugar, spices, and herbs. Coat the pork belly all over and let cure in the fridge for at least 7 days. The longer cure time results in seasoned, flavorful bacon.
Cold Smoke the Bacon
Use a stovetop smoker or outdoor smoker to cold smoke the cured pork belly for 8-12 hours with apple, maple, or hickory wood. Stop when the bacon has a nice color and the smoke flavor has fully penetrated the meat.
Cook Slowly on a Griddle or Skillet
Cook the bacon strips low and slow in a heavy bottom skillet or on a flat griddle. The gentle heat renders the fat evenly for crisp bacon perfection. Pour off grease as needed as the bacon cooks.
Buying Pre-Made Restaurant Quality Bacon
For those who want the taste of restaurant bacon without the work, you can buy artisanal pre-packaged bacon. Here are some top gourmet bacon brands:
Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon
Nueske’s bacon is smoked for 24 hours over applewood, hand-trimmed and sliced to 1/4 inch thick. It’s a favorite of diners and burger joints.
Burger’s Smokehouse Maple Glazed Bacon
These meaty slices are cured for 10 days in brown sugar, spices, and maple syrup. The bacon has a candied maple flavor.
Blue Smoke Savory Dry Rub Bacon
Made with heritage Berkshire pork and a savory dry spice rub, Blue Smoke’s bacon has intense porky flavor.
Wright Brand Applewood Smoked Bacon
Wright bacon contains no added nitrites or nitrates. It’s smoked over applewood for rich flavor.
Hormel Black Label Thick Cut Bacon
For readily available supermarket bacon, Hormel Black Label packs the most robust flavor and tender texture.
Popular Dishes Featuring Restaurant Bacon
Crispy, thick cut restaurant bacon takes breakfast, burgers, sandwiches and salads to the next level. Here are some classic restaurant menu items that typically include their signature bacon:
BLT Sandwich
A crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich just isn’t complete withoutlaid on thick, smoky bacon slices. The bacon factor is what makes this classic sandwich so craveable.
Bacon Cheeseburger
A juicy beef patty gets stacked with melty cheese and plenty of bacon. The combination of beef and bacon is what makes this burger a go-to menu item.
Wedge Salad
This steakhouse salad is topped with crumbled blue cheese, tomatoes, buttermilk ranch dressing and a heap of chopped bacon. The bacon provides a smoky, salty crunch.
Pancakes or Waffles with Bacon
Breakfast just isn’t complete without a side of crispy bacon to go with pancakes, waffles or French toast. The sweet and salty balance is irresistible.
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Buttery scallops get wrapped in bacon and seared to perfection. The bacon provides great texture and flavor contrast to the delicate scallops.
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Jumbo shrimp also get the bacon treatment for an appetizer that combines sweet shrimp with savory bacon.
Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
Tenderized beefsteak gets breaded and fried, then smothered in a rich cream gravy. Bacon adds an extra meaty flavor boost to this Southern favorite.
Bacon Cheese Fries
Crispy fries loaded with cheese, bacon, and toppings like ranch, scallions and bacon bits. Bacon delivers salty crunch to the indulgent bar snack.
Clams or Mussels with Bacon
Bacon is often cooked right into seafood dishes like clams or mussels. The smoky pork flavor perfectly seasons the briny shellfish.
Nutrition Facts for Restaurant Bacon
While delicious, restaurant style bacon does come with a higher fat and calorie content due to its thicker cut and high quality pork. Here’s how the nutrition numbers compare:
| Nutrient | Restaurant Bacon (for 3 slices) | Regular Grocery Store Bacon (for 3 slices) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 210 | 90 |
| Total Fat | 16g | 7g |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 2.5g |
| Protein | 15g | 6g |
| Sodium | 570mg | 330mg |
As you can see, a serving of restaurant bacon contains over twice as many calories, fat, and sodium compared to regular bacon. The calorie count clocks in at 210 calories for 3 slices, versus just 90 calories for regular bacon. Fat and sodium levels are also nearly doubled with the thicker restaurant cut style.
Health Impact of Restaurant Bacon
With its high sodium and saturated fat contents, restaurant bacon is considered less healthy than regular sliced bacon. Higher intakes of sodium can increase blood pressure, while saturated fat raises LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. For those with heart disease, high blood pressure, or cholesterol concerns, restaurant bacon should be enjoyed in moderation.
However, when consumed occasionally as part of an overall healthy diet, restaurant bacon can still fit into a balanced eating plan. Moderating portion sizes to just 1-2 slices can help keep calories, fat, and sodium in check. Restaurant bacon makes for a great special occasion breakfast treat.
How Restaurants Cook and Serve Bacon
To churn out perfectly cooked bacon for hundreds of hungry customers, restaurants have professional techniques for preparing bacon:
Cooking Bacon in Advance
Restaurants often cook bacon in large batches early in the day when the kitchen is less busy. The cooked bacon is held in a warmer until needed for menu orders.
Parsley for Draining
After griddling the bacon, many restaurants place the strips on a bed of fresh parsley to drain excess grease before serving.
Microwaving for Service
Pre-cooked bacon is quickly reheated in the microwave right before serving. This brings the bacon back up to a hot, crispy temperature.
Soup Spoons for Plating
Shallow soup spoons are a popular plating touch, allowing the bacon to be fanned out attractively on the plate.
Baking Sheets for Transport
Cooked bacon can be transported from the kitchen to dining tables on rimmed baking sheets. This keeps the bacon flat and prevents curling.
Seasoning Shakers at Tables
Some breakfast spots let customers season their own bacon to taste. Shakers of smoked salt, cinnamon sugar, chili powder and maple syrup sit on the tables.
Pairing Drinks with Bacon
Coffee is the classic beverage people pair with bacon. But chefs and bartenders have come up with creative bacon-themed cocktails to match this porky breakfast staple:
Bacon Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary cocktail gets garnished with crispy bacon strips or bacon salt for the perfect brunch beverage.
Maple Bacon Old Fashioned
Bourbon is flavored with maple syrup and bacon fat in a breakfast twist on an Old Fashioned whiskey cocktail.
Candied Bacon Martini
Vodka gets infused with candied bacon, along with maple syrup, spice and orange bitters for a smoky and sweet martini.
Beer and Bacon Pairings
Malty beers like porters and stouts complement the rich, meaty character of bacon. Smoked beers add another layer of flavors. IPAs also cut through the bacon fat nicely.
Mimosa with Bacon Grease Washed Flutes
For special occasion brunches, flutes can be “greased” by wiping the rim with bacon fat before pouring in juice and champagne.
Tips for Cooking Bacon at Home
While you may not be able to replicate the exact restaurant bacon experience, you can come close with the right cooking techniques:
Use Thick Cut Bacon
Buy the thickest sliced bacon you can find, around 1/4 inch thick. This will mimic the heft of restaurant bacon.
Cook Low and Slow
Cook the bacon strips over medium-low heat so the fat renders slowly, leaving the bacon evenly crisp without burning.
Use a Bacon Press
A bacon press flattens the bacon while it cooks, ensuring even crisping. Brick wrapped in foil also works.
Bake on a Sheet Pan
For oven cooking, use a rimmed baking sheet. The flat surface helps the bacon cook evenly.
Drain and Blot with Paper Towels
Drain bacon on a paper towel lined plate. Blot gently to soak up excess grease for crispier results.
Reheat Quickly in the Microwave
Pre-cooked bacon can be briefly reheated in the microwave right before eating to restore its hot crispness.
Common Questions about Restaurant Bacon
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the signature taste and preparation of diner style bacon:
Why does restaurant bacon taste different?
The exceptional flavor of restaurant bacon comes from using higher quality thick cut pork belly, dry curing it for days, and cold smoking over hardwoods like hickory.
Is restaurant bacon uncured?
Most restaurants use cured bacon, however some spots do offer uncured pork belly seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Always check on preparation methods for uncured options.
Is restaurant bacon nitrate-free?
Not usually. Many restaurants still use standard cured bacon containing sodium nitrite or nitrate. Read labels carefully if looking for nitrate-free bacon when dining out.
Why is restaurant bacon so expensive?
The thicker heritage breed pork bellies, artisanal dry curing, and prolonged wood smoking used in restaurants drives up the costs compared to mass produced bacon.
Can restaurants buy bacon pre-cooked?
Yes, many restaurants purchase par-cooked bacon from commercial suppliers that has already been smoked and partially cooked for ease of preparation.
How long can a restaurant hold bacon?
Restaurants can hold properly cooled and stored pre-cooked bacon for up to 1 week before quality deteriorates. The bacon is usually reheated to order.
Conclusion
With its thick cut slices, robust smoky pork flavor, audible crispiness, and melt-in-your-mouth fat, restaurant bacon is one of life’s simple pleasures. While indulging in restaurant bacon may be worth the splurge on special occasions, you can also get close to the gourmet bacon experience right at home. Look for quality thick sliced bacon, cook it slowly in a skillet or bake it evenly on a sheet, drain well, and blot excess grease for irresistible crispy bacon. Just go easy on your portions and enjoy restaurant worthy bacon in moderation as the perfect weekend breakfast treat.