Method of making bacon products

Abstract

A method of making a bacon product from a frozen bacon belly is disclosed. The method includes the steps of cutting the frozen bacon belly into slices of a predetermined shape, and coating the bacon slices with an aqueous brine solution to result in a brine solution uptake in each of the bacon slices of about 8 wt. % to about 15 wt. %. The bacon slices have a sodium nitrite content of about 18 ppm up to about 80 ppm. The method also includes the step of heating the brine-soaked bacon slices to form the bacon product. An aqueous brine solution includes a salt (e.g., sodium chloride), a low amount of sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate, and a phosphate. Optionally, the brine solution can include one or more materials selected from the group consisting of sugar, sodium ascorbate, and an agent for imparting a smoke flavor to the bacon product.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.