Is Smoked Bacon Cooked or Raw? (Read This First!)

Is Smoked Bacon Cooked or Raw

Do you always have trouble opening your packets of smoked bacon because you just can’t resist the urge to take a bite?

Well, you’re not alone.

There are a lot of us who want to take a bite of that smoked bacon since it looks and smells so good!

However, this begs the question of whether or not smoked bacon is cooked or raw.

After all, smoked salmon can be eaten straight from the package without needing to cook the meat.

So can smoked bacon be eaten without cooking it?

Generally, smoked bacon is raw and needs to be cooked in order to eat it. Smoked bacon is cured through a smoking process with low heat. The bacon does not fully cook during the curing process and becomes more shelf stable and flavorful.

Although curing bacon does make it a bit safer to consume compared to uncured bacon, all bacon should be cooked thoroughly before eating it.

Cooking bacon thoroughly will get rid of any bacteria and reduce your chances of food poisoning.

Now let’s cover what happens if you eat raw smoked bacon as well as the best methods for cooking smoked bacon.

Likely Side Effects of Eating Raw Smoked Bacon

Even though smoking bacon kills a good number of bacteria, the risk of eating it that way is almost the same as that of eating raw bacon.

The main reason smoked bacon remains undercooked or raw is that smoked bacon is not smoked long enough with high enough heat to render it cooked.

Smoked bacon is subjected to just enough heat and smoke to cure the bacon which prolongs the shelf life of the bacon. Not to mention the smoking process adds a pleasant smoky flavor to the bacon.

So eating raw smoked bacon significantly increases your chances of food poisoning.

One of the dangers that you are typically exposed to when you eat raw smoked bacon straight out of the packaging is a parasite known as toxoplasmosis. While this parasite may not be lethal, it can be quite dangerous for individuals with a weakened immune system.

Moreover, consuming raw smoked bacon can result in tapeworm or roundworm infestations that may cause severe stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and weight loss when left untreated.

That’s why the packaging that smoked bacon comes in contains cooking instructions and reinforces the need to cook it first.

As such, unless the smoked bacon packaging states that the meat can be eaten straight from the packaging, it’s best to cook the smoked bacon first before eating it.

Is There Smoked Bacon That Can Be Eaten Raw?

There is no smoked bacon or bacon that can be eaten raw. All bacon must be cooked thoroughly to be safe for consumption.

Smoking bacon is simply a curing process that adds flavor and extends the shelf life of bacon.

However, if bacon is hot smoked then the finished bacon will be cooked and not raw and this smoked bacon will be safe to consume. However, hot smoked bacon will never be found in a grocery store.

Hot smoked bacon can be found at restaurants that have a smoker in order to cook the bacon with smoke and heat.

How is Bacon Smoked?

There are a few different smoking methods that companies and chefs can use to create smoked bacon. There is cold smoking, hot smoking, and liquid smoking.

The majority of companies simply inject smokey brine into the bacon to save on production time and cost. So most smoked bacon purchased from the store is liquid smoked.

However, there are some manufacturers that use the traditional smoking method of cold smoking bacon using wood smoke over a long period of time.

Even though smoking bacon with wood smoke takes a significantly longer time, it results in a better-tasting bacon that has an authentic smoky flavor.

Cold Smoking vs Hot Smoking vs Liquid Smoking Bacon

The type of bacon that you choose could either be hot smoked, cold smoked, or liquid smoked.

Similar to how the smoking method determines whether or not smoked sausage can be eaten straight from the package, the smoking method will determine how much the bacon has been cooked and whether or not the smoked bacon can be eaten straight from the package.

Here are the main differences between hot smoking, cold smoking, and liquid smoking.

1. Hot Smoking

Hot smoking, also known as barbecuing, is where meat is exposed to both smoke and heat ranging from 180ºF to 300ºF to cook the meat.

Texas BBQ Pit

Hot smoking adds flavor to the meat in three ways:

  1. Slowly cooking the meat making it tender
  2. Adding a smoky flavor
  3. Creating a crunchy exterior bark

Hot smoking is generally what folks think of when it comes to smoking since hot smoking can refer to:

  1. BBQ Pits (as seen in photo)
  2. Charcoal, Wood, and Propane Smokers
  3. Pellet Grills

Hot smoking is how most meats are smoked to create the fall-off-the-bone ribs or juicy brisket.

Generally, when people think of BBQ from a restaurant, they think of hot smoking.

Most smoked bacon purchased from a store is not hot smoked since the smoked bacon would be immediately ready to eat. Hot smoked bacon can be found at some restaurants.

2. Cold Smoking

Cold smoking is mainly used for preservation and adding flavor. The food is exposed to low-temperature smoke ranging from 60ºF to 120ºF with the heat being far away from the food.

Cold Smoking Fish

Sinc Since cold smoking does not cook meat, the meat is cured before or throughout the cold smoking process.

Cold smoking is done over a long period (12 to 24 hours).

Therefore, the meat has to be cured, salted, or fermented to prevent microbial growth.

Cold smoking is also used for cheeses in order to create a smoky flavor on the cheese such as smoked gouda.

Once again the theme with cold smoking is using just the smoke to create flavor and not the heat to cook the food.

Most smoked bacon purchased at the store is either cold smoked or liquid smoked since this smoking method adds flavor and helps preserve the bacon. However, the smoked bacon is still considered raw and should be cooked before being eaten.

3. Liquid Smoking

Liquid smoke is a common smoking technique used to add a smoky flavor quickly and cheaply.

Generally, liquid smoke is a flavor additive that comes in a bottle that can be added as the food cooks or in the marinade. Similar to adding BBQ sauce to ribs, liquid smoke can be added to meat before or while being cooked.

Although liquid smoke does create a smoky flavor, the smoke flavor can sometimes be described as artificial.

Not to mention liquid smoke does not create the distinct texture that can be created from slow-smoking meat.

Some smoked bacon will be brined in a liquid smoke marinade in order to create a smoky flavor on the bacon. Bacon that is marinaded in liquid smoke is still raw since the meat has not been exposed to any smoke or heat.

How to Cook Bacon Safely

Since you now know that eating raw smoked bacon is not a good idea, it’s important to learn how to cook bacon safely. The best way to do that is by following the cooking instructions on the packaging or by using a food thermometer to check if the bacon has reached a safe internal temperature.

Cooking bacon at home is not as difficult as it may seem.

You can cook bacon using a stovetop and pan/skillet, microwave, or oven. The pan should be large enough to fit the bacon in a single layer without overcrowding it. Your bacon should be cooked enough once it reaches an internal temperature of 62.8°C (145°F).

However, since it’s often challenging to determine the internal temperature of bacon owing to its thinness, the surefire way to determine that bacon is cooked is to wait until it changes the color adopts a golden-brown shade. This should take an average of 1-2 minutes.

If, on the other hand, you prefer well-done, crispy bacon, you might want to let your bacon fry longer with the average waiting time being anywhere from 2 to 3 minutes. The total cooking time, however, depends a lot on the thickness of your bacon, the cooking method, and how well you like it cooked.

Personally, I recommend following the bacon method which can be done using a conventional oven or air fryer. The bacon always comes out crispy and juicy which is the way I like it.

Can You Undercook Bacon?

It is possible to undercook bacon, but this is less likely due to the fact that bacon cooks quite fast. Taking into consideration that bacon is significantly thin, it should take a maximum of a few minutes to cook fully if you’re using a frying pan.

Keep in mind, however, that if you are cooking thicker cuts, you are more likely to end up with a raw center. In this case, adding a few minutes to your total cooking time may be necessary.

I recommend following the bacon method since you can use an oven or air fryer and set the temperature and time. This way you know exactly when the bacon will be ready and reach the perfect crispiness that you prefer.

Does Smoking Bacon Make it Healthier?

Smoking bacon does not make the bacon healthier. Generally, smoking bacon will just add a smoky flavor and extend the shelf life of the bacon. So smoked bacon will not be any healthier than regular bacon.

Bacon, whether smoked or unsmoked is basically raw, with the main difference being that the pathogen content of smoked bacon may be slightly lower.

One Last Word

Now you know that smoked bacon is, in almost all cases, not cooked which makes it unfit for direct consumption. The smoking process is mainly used to enrich the flavor and partially preserve the bacon – that’s why smoked bacon can last longer in the fridge.

So before you take a nibble of that smoked bacon directly from the package, make sure to read the instructions of the packaging and, likely, cook the smoked bacon before eating it.

If you feel like you can’t resist the urge to eat your bacon straight out of the packaging, you might want to look for pre-cooked bacon. Keep in mind, however, that most smoked bacon found in stores is liquid or cold smoked meaning the bacon still needs to be cooked before eating it.

Steven

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