The Best Bacon Brands for the Ultimate Breakfast Experience

Hey there, bacon lovers! If you‘re anything like me, you know that bacon isn‘t just a food – it‘s a way of life. That salty, smoky, crispy, delectable treat is the star of the most important meal of the day. And as a certified bacon fanatic, I‘ve made it my mission to track down the absolute best bacon brands out there.

When it comes to bacon, quality is everything. The right bacon can elevate even the simplest meals to gourmet status. But with dozens of brands and varieties lining supermarket shelves, finding those top-tier strips can be a real challenge. That‘s why I‘m so excited to share my ultimate guide to the best bacon brands with you!

I‘ve spent years conducting hands-on research (meaning eating A LOT of bacon), interviewing bacon experts, and scouring the internet to compile this definitive ranking. Whether you‘re a thick-cut fan or a smoked meat maven, I‘ve got you covered. Get ready to have your bacon-loving mind blown!

Bacon by the Numbers

Before we dive mouth-first into the top bacon brands, let‘s take a quick look at the state of bacon in America. Bacon is big business these days, and the numbers speak for themselves:

• Bacon is a $6 billion industry in the US (Source)
• Americans consume an average of 18 pounds of bacon per person annually (Source)
• 80% of North American households have bacon on hand at all times (Source)
• More than 744 million pounds of bacon were sold in US grocery stores in 2020 (Source)

So which brands are leading the pack in terms of sales? According to IRI market data, the top 10 bacon brands by US retail sales are:

1. Private label (store brand) – $871 million
2. Oscar Mayer – $546 million
3. Wright Brand – $236 million
4. Tyson – $195 million
5. Hormel Black Label – $171 million
6. Farmland – $125 million
7. Smithfield – $106 million
8. Hormel – $95 million
9. Gwaltney – $77 million
10. Bar-S – $63 million

Looking to get a taste of what makes these bacon brands so popular – and discover a few hidden gems that outshine them in flavor? Just keep reading!

The Illustrious History of Bacon

Before we get into the nitty gritty of the best bacon brands, let‘s take a moment to appreciate the storied history of this magical meat. Bacon has been a staple in the human diet for thousands of years, with the earliest records dating back to 1500 BCE in China. The Greeks and Romans were also big bacon fans, curing pork belly with salt as a way to preserve meat.

Bacon really hit its stride in the Middle Ages, becoming a go-to for peasants and nobility alike throughout Europe. The Catholic church actually played a big role in spreading the gospel of bacon. Bacon was seen as a symbol of prosperity, and could be eaten by all classes.

Fast forward to the 16th century, when Christopher Columbus introduced pigs (and by extension, bacon) to the Americas. In the colonies, pigs were low-maintenance and could be set loose to forage for food, so most households kept a hog or two. Bacon was a favorite food of the early settlers and was even used as currency at times!

The real bacon boom happened in the 1920s, thanks to two inventions: the refrigerated railroad car and the first packaged sliced bacon. Suddenly, bacon was readily available year-round across the country. And we‘ve been living high on the hog ever since!

What Makes a Great Bacon?

All right bacon buffs, let‘s get down to business. Not all bacon is created equal, and there are a few key factors that separate the porky pretenders from the sultan of sizzle. Here‘s what I look for in a top-notch bacon:

Meat Quality: The best bacon comes from well-marbled pork bellies with a good ratio of meat to fat (I prefer leaner bacon around 60/40). Heritage breed pigs that are humanely raised tend to produce more flavorful bacon.

Ingredients: Bacon doesn‘t require much more than pork, salt, some sugar, and maybe a few natural spices. I steer clear of brands with long ingredients lists full of preservatives and additives.

Flavor Balance: Great bacon should be a harmony of smoky, salty, sweet, and savory. Overly salty bacon is a common pitfall. Look for brands that use a dry cure with quality spices for more nuanced flavor.

Texture: Thickness is a matter of personal preference, but I believe the best bacon should have a meaty chew and crisp up nicely without being crumbly or brittle. Avoid bacon that‘s pumped with water – it leads to limp, rubbery strips.

Smoke: The vast majority of bacon is smoked to impart extra flavor. Applewood is my go-to for a slightly sweet, mild smoke. Hickory gives a more assertive smoke, while mesquite is the big leagues of intense smoky flavor!

The Best Bacon Brands Showdown

It‘s the moment you‘ve all been waiting for – let‘s count down the top 10 bacon brands based on my extensive, extremely scientific research (bacon eating). Drumroll please!

Brand	Style	Thickness	Curing	Smoke	Standout Quality
Nueske‘s	Applewood Smoked	Thick Cut	Cured (Brown Sugar + Spices)	Applewood	Rich, complex flavor
Nodine‘s Smokehouse	Applewood Smoked	Thick Cut	Dry Cured (Spice Blend)	Applewood	Handmade, balanced flavor
Wright Brand	Hickory Smoked	Thick Cut	Naturally Dry Cured	Hickory	Hearty, meaty texture
Trader Joe‘s	Uncured, Applewood Smoked	Standard	Uncured	Applewood	Great value, pure pork taste
Wellshire Farms	Dry Rubbed	Thick Cut	Uncured, Dry Rubbed	Applewood	Spicy, full flavor
Dakin Farm	Maple	Thick Cut	Dry Cured (Maple Sugar)	Maple/Corn Cob	Sweet, unique flavor
Broadbent	Maplewood Smoked	Thick Cut	Dry Cured (Brown Sugar)	Hickory/Maple	Smoky, rich flavor
Benton‘s	Hickory Smoked	Thick Cut	Dry Cured (Salt + Brown Sugar)	Hickory	Extremely smoky/salty
Vande Rose Farms	Applewood Smoked	Thick Cut	Dry Cured (Spice Rub)	Applewood	Premium Duroc pork
North Country	Fruitwood Smoked	Standard	Uncured	Apple/Cherry/Hickory	Certified humane pork

You really can‘t go wrong with any of these high-quality bacon brands. I always keep a few varieties stocked in the fridge and love to mix it up! Over the years I‘ve learned a few insider tips for getting the best results no matter what bacon you buy:

• Always start bacon in a cold skillet or oven to render the fat slowly and avoid flare-ups
• For perfectly flat bacon, lay a heavy baking sheet on top as it cooks to prevent curling
• Pat bacon dry with paper towels before cooking for maximum crispness
• Save rendered bacon fat for epic flavor in everything from eggs to popcorn to roasted veggies
• Amp up basic bacon by glazing it with maple syrup, brown sugar, sriracha, or black pepper

The Rise of Artisanal Bacon

You may have noticed that bacon has gotten a serious gourmet upgrade in recent years. Much like craft beer, coffee, and chocolate before it, bacon is having an artisanal renaissance. More and more producers are focusing on heritage-breed pork, hand-crafted curing techniques, and unique flavor profiles.

One great example of this trend is Tenderbelly, a Denver-based company that uses pasture-raised heirloom breeds, a signature dry rub, and cherrywood smoking to create bacon with a big, bold flavor. Their Signature Maple Bacon was a sofi Awards Finalist in 2020.

Hobbs‘ Smoked Meats in New Hampshire is another craft bacon standout, known for their applewood and cherrywood-smoked bacons featuring locally-raised heritage pork. And Zoe‘s Meats out of Santa Rosa, California uses sustainably-raised pork and artisanal methods to produce incredible bacons in flavors like Cracked Black Pepper and 3 Peppercorn.

Trying these small-batch, carefully-crafted bacons is a true revelation. It‘s amazing to experience how much variety and nuance great bacon can deliver when passionate producers pour their hearts into it. Artisanal bacons do tend to be pricier, but they‘re SO worth the splurge in my bacon-loving opinion!

Creative Bacon Recipes to Try

Great bacon is a joy to eat all on its own, but it also has an almost magical ability to make any dish better. The salty, savory, smoky flavor is an incredible accent to both sweet and savory foods. Over the years I‘ve amassed quite the collection of crave-worthy bacon recipes. Here are a few of my all-time faves:

• Maple Bourbon Bacon Jam: Spreadable bacon? Oh yes! This slow-simmered spread is a game-changer on burgers, grilled cheese, roasted veggies, and more.

• Bacon Fat Gingersnaps: Cookies enriched with the smoky goodness of bacon fat may sound crazy, but one bite will make you a believer. An incredible sweet & savory treat!

• Bacon Cheddar Scones: Is there anything better than a warm, fluffy, cheesy scone studded with bits of bacon? Maybe a second scone. Serve these for an epic weekend brunch!

• Jalapeño Bacon Mac & Cheese: Two of the most comforting foods on Earth come together in one decadent skillet. The crispy bacon breadcrumbs put it over the top!

• Bacon Wrapped Dates: A classic tapas dish that never fails to impress. Sweet, salty, savory, and just plain irresistible. Perfect for parties!

No matter how you slice it, everything is better with bacon. I‘m always on the hunt for the next bacon-based breakthrough. A few of the craziest creations I‘ve come across lately include bacon-infused vodka, bacon ice cream, chocolate-covered bacon, and bacon-flavored lip balm. What a time to be alive!

Bringing Home the Bacon

Phew, that was a bacon-packed adventure! I hope I‘ve given you a new appreciation for the wide and delicious world of bacon. Finding your favorite bacon is the ultimate personal taste journey – embrace the experience of sizzling up different top-quality brands to discover what speaks to your bacon-loving soul.

As you‘ve probably gathered by now, I‘m pretty much obsessed with all things bacon. I‘ve been called the "sultan of sizzle," the "empress of oink" – even "Bacon Babe" (which I wear as a badge of honor). For me, spreading the bacon gospel is just as satisfying as sinking my teeth into a perfectly-cooked strip.

So let‘s raise our forks in honor of the almighty bacon! May your bacon be ever bold, your mornings forever bright, and your skillets always sizzling. Until next time, bacon buffs – stay crispy, stay curious, and never settle for sub-par strips.