What is Applewood Bacon?
Applewood bacon is a food associated with western cuisines, specifically British and American, however, bacon originated in China. This cut of meat ranges from cheap to pricier depending on the quality of meat and the care put into making it. Bacon comes from the belly, back or sides of the pig and is cured for several months with salt and then slowly smoked over applewood chips or dust to impart a sweet and smoky taste to this salty and umami meat. Bacon is very fatty and crisps easily, giving it a crackle and brown color.
Ingredients
The popular bacon streaked with fat that is used in American cuisine, comes from the belly of the hog. Bacon is cut in long, thin strips, salt cured and sometimes smoked or flavored with maple. Other cuts come from the back and loin. Raw bacon is pink in color with strips of fat, has a meaty and salty smell that can be smoky. Bacon must stay refrigerated.
Water is a substance and chemical compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen. It is clear, fluid, flavorless and odorless. Water is a necessity in nearly every aspect of life, including cooking, baking and hydrating the human body. Water can be served as a cold beverage, or at any temperature comfortable to the mouth and skin.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
Sugar comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar is extracted from the juice of both plants and refined into the granulated substance known as sugar. Sucrose, the sweet substance of sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is composed of tiny white, dry granules. The flavor is sweet and neutral. Brown sugar is brown and has more moisture, with a richer flavor that hints at molasses. Sugar is used in both sweet and savory foods.
There are a number of smoke flavorings, also known as liquid smoke. Some have a general smoky taste, while others are specific such as hickory wood. The liquid smoke is used to impart a quick and convenient smoky taste to savory foods and works well to enhance a meaty flavor to vegetarian dishes. The smoke is in liquid form and is a red-brown color with a strong umami flavor.
Sodium phosphate is a term used to describe salts made of sodium and phosphate. The salt is white and granulated. Sodium phosphate is used as a preservative and has many used; including to thicken and stabilize textures.
Sodium erythorbate is an additive made from sugar and closely resembles vitamin C. It is white and granulated. This additive is used to accelerate the curing process of meats and is also used to fix the pink/red color in cured meats.
Sodium nitrite is an inorganic salt compound that is used as an additive in food production to help preserve and work as an antimicrobial. It is commonly used in preserved meats. Sodium nitrite is a white granulated substance that is used in small amounts.
