Is there anyone out there that doesn’t love bacon? Beating the taste of bacon is almost impossible, that is for sure.
Bacon is high in protein, but due to the high fat, nitrates, and sodium content, it is not the top choice for a protein source.
No need to worry, bacon lovers – as there are healthier options out there that can still allow you to enjoy the taste of bacon such as low sodium bacon.
Trust me; it still tastes like the real thing.
What Is Low Sodium Bacon?
Low sodium bacon is just as the name says; it has a low sodium content, but you still need to be wary of consuming it in large amounts. Bacon comes from the side, back, or belly of the pig. During the stage of curing the bacon, large amounts of salt are added, which in turn ends up raising the sodium content in the bacon. The problem here is that sodium, especially in large amounts, is a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart problems, kidney problems, fluid retention, osteoporosis, and stroke.
Does Low Sodium Bacon Taste Different From Normal?
Danepak is just one of many companies that have now launched a new low sodium content bacon range.
People just like you are thinking the same thing, does it cut down on the popular flavor we all love?
Danepak says their low sodium bacon is made by a new curing process that allows for the bacon to have around 30% less salt compared to normal bacon.
Now talking flavor, does reducing the salt mean taking away most of the taste? A blind test was carried out by testing against both unsmoked and smoked bacon from the Devon-based producer Denhay along with Meat Porter’s supplier Artisan.
The participants were not told of the brands that were involved in the test or the flavor variables that were being investigated.
So, What Were The Results?
Good question! Well, for the smoked version, the Danepak’s newly cured bacon came in third, with most tasters saying that the bacon was not smoky enough. The overall taste was still rated 6.4/10, which isn’t too bad at all.
Meat Porter came in second, which has a thicker cut of bacon that many people said had a strong smoked flavor. This bacon was rated at 7/10.
Denhay ranked in first place with the best smoky flavor and bacon cut to the right thickness. This bacon was scored at 7.2/10
So all these bacon were rated very well overall and prove the point. Low sodium bacon just tastes like the real deal.
For The Unsmoked Versions
Danepal came in second, but most said that the lack of salt was obvious. There was positive feedback for the porkier flavor, which many enjoyed. The score was 6.7/10.
Denhay was first in this category once again, with comments saying it was meatier and had a better texture. It gained a score of 7.1/10 in total.
You can check the scores out for yourself Bacon taste test: low salt vs. normal.
Can You Remove The Salt From Bacon Yourself?
You can remove a fair amount of salt yourself by using hot water to soak the bacon. This process can be done with either rashers or bits.
Instructions
Step one- You will need a heat-proof bowl to add the bacon too. Boil some fresh water and pour it over the bacon until it is covering it. Move it around with a fork and let it sit for a few minutes.
Step two- Now, you need to drain all the water off.
Step three– Here is where you repeat the above steps but only leave the bacon in the water for one minute.
This will help to remove salt but still allows the taste to remain. When the minute is up rinse the bacon and drain well. Pat dry and cook as you normally would.
Annother Alternative Way To Remove Salt Is By Boiling The Bacon
Start off by boiling the bacon for around 15 minutes before you fry it. If you have 1lb of bacon, then you need to separate each slice and boil all together for 20 mins in about 8 cups of water.
Once you have finished boiling, you simply need to drain the bacon and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the remaining water to steam away.
Now go ahead and fry your bacon how you like it.
For a healthier eating option, you can eat the bacon after boiling it as it is fully cooked now, but people tend to prefer the taste of bacon fried, especially when you have taken out some of the salt content.
I Heard About Low Sodium Bacon From Pork Belly. Is This True?
It certainly is. You can create low sodium bacon using pork belly and cooking it twice. First of all, you need to bake the pork belly slices at a low temperature on a tray in the oven to rid the bacon of the fat and dry them out.
Once you have done that, you can fry the slices just like you would normal bacon. For a little more flavor, you can sprinkle some herbs and a bit of maple syrup to complete the taste.
The good thing here is you control the flavor so you can add more or less of what you like—trial and error to find your unique taste.
How Much Salt Does Bacon Actually Have
A good question to ask! If you are not choosing low sodium bacon, then you can easily use up your daily intake of salt with just a few slices of bacon.
Our intake limit is around 1,500 milligrams stated by the American Heart Association. Just two ounces of bacon contains a huge 1,900 milligrams of salt.
This not only raises your risk of a heart attack but also the risk for kidney stones.
Conclusion
If you want to aim for a low sodium diet, bacon is one of the first things you need to look into.
Luckily for you, you don’t need to give up bacon altogether; instead, you just need to buy the low sodium version or try the process of removing most of the salt yourself.
You can even try different herbs or serving with different foods to create more flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Low Sodium Bacon
Is There Any Bacon That Doesn’t Contain Salt?
Bacon is preserved by either using smoke or salt, so buying cured bacon will always contain some level of salt.
Why Is Bacon Cured In Salt?
Bacon is soaked in nitrates, sugar, and salt, which is part of the curing process. Nitrates and salt stop the growth of bacteria by creating an unfriendly environment for them to grow.