Back

Although back bacon may be sold as joints to be used for boiling, braising or baking, it is more commonly cut into rashers. The various back cuts include:

1. Top Back

Taken from the widest part of the back, nearest to the shoulder, these lean bacon rashers have a sweet distinctive taste. They are best cooked by grilling.

2. Middle Back

The middle (or through) cut bacon is a combination of back and flank bacon. The joint is ideal for roasting, or it may cut into rashers with a good eye of pink meat at the top end with long tails of streaky attached. Alternatively, they may be divided into streaky and meaty rashers - the streaky ones can be used for larding and bacon rolls, whilst the meaty rashers can be grilled.

3. Short Back

This is considered to be one of the prime bacon cuts; it has an edge of fat and plenty of lean meat. Although usually sold as rashers, it is also available as thick chops for grilling.

4. Long Back

The most expensive bacon cut, long back may be cut into thick steaks or thinly sliced rashers, both of which may be grilled or fried.

5. Oyster Cut

This cut comes from the hind end of the back. It is sometimes sold as a small joint with the bone, suitable for boiling, or alternatively as small rashers. Both are moist and succulent.