Bacon

Slab bacon is really just regular bacon before it's been sliced. It's cured and usually smoked, and comes to us in a large, rectangular “slab” with the rind still attached. This allows us a lot more flexibility with how we cut it and use it.

This is made from the pork shoulder (aka butt), which is the same cut that is traditionally used for pulled pork. Shoulder is a tougher cut, but is also known for having a richer pork flavor than some of the lighter cuts like loin.

Pancetta is a cured pork product, from the belly, presented in slices that include lean parts and fatty parts. The most common pancetta is the “rolled” kind, which is stretched out, trimmed, salted and allowed to cure for 20 days before going on the market.

Szalonna is a traditional Hungarian variety of bacon made by smoking pork fat and pork rind, which remains intact in the process. Most commonly, szalonna is placed on a skewer and roasted over an open fire. The dripping fat is typically collected on a piece of bread until it soaks up all of the grease.

Uncured bacon is bacon that hasn't been cured with sodium nitrites. Usually, it's cured with a form of celery, which contains natural nitrites, along with plain old sea salt and other flavorings like parsley and beet extracts.