Can You Eat Bacon Rind? Everything You Need To Know

Bacon rind, also known as bacon skin, refers to the fatty outer layer surrounding a slice of bacon. While most modern supermarket bacon has the rind removed, you can sometimes find it left on thicker sliced or artisanal bacon products. But is bacon rind actually edible? And does it taste any good?

This crispy exterior has a reputation for being tough and chewy However, bacon rind is definitely edible. With the right preparation and cooking methods, it can provide a tasty, crunchy addition to various recipes. Read on to learn all about enjoying this often underrated part of the pig.

What Exactly Is Bacon Rind?

Bacon rind comes from the part of the pig’s belly where the skin and meat meet. It consists primarily of fat with some collagen and elastin protein fibers. This gives it a tougher, more rubbery texture than the bacon meat itself.

You’ll notice the rind looks different from the meat side too. It has a flat, smooth appearance rather than the familiar streaks of lean and fat running through cured bacon.

As pigs grow up rooting around outside, they get this rind layer as a protective covering. It shields the belly meat from scrapes and abrasions. Most commercial bacon has this cut out by slaughterhouses so that they can make the uniform slices that customers want.

However, artisanal bacon makers often leave the rind on. It helps the bacon retain moisture during curing and smoking. The rind also protects the meat during slicing and packaging.

Does Bacon Rind Taste Good?

Bacon rind has a high concentration of pork fatflavor. When cooked properly, it can provide a delicious, crispy texture contrast to the meaty bacon slices.

However, opinions differ on how tasty the rind is. Some bacon aficionados consider it a special treat. The rind adds crispy crunch and rich, fatty pork essence you don’t get from the meat. Frying renders any chewy texture out, leaving just delicious crackling.

But others find it unappealingly tough and avoid eating it. They say the rubbery feel and concentrated porkiness overpower the bacon flavor. It comes down to personal taste preferences.

Assuming it’s not overcooked to rock hardness, bacon rind can offer enjoyable texture and big bacon flavor. Cooked separately from the meat, it makes an excellent crunchy garnish or snack.

Is Eating Bacon Rind Unhealthy?

Since it’s pure fat, many assume bacon rind must be bad for your health. But is that really true?

While no food is healthy in excess enjoying bacon rind occasionally as part of an overall balanced diet is unlikely to cause problems. Here are some points on the health impacts

• It’s high in fat, but so is the bacon itself. The meaty portion is around 50% fat.

• The types of fats are the same as in the bacon meat. This includes saturated fat, but also heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

• It provides calories, but proper portion control limits excessive intake. Moderation is key.

• The rind contains no carbs, sugars, or cholesterol.

• Any nitrites used to cure the bacon are present in the meat as well.

Certainly cooking methods impact health too. Frying adds more calories than oven baking. But again, proper moderation matters most.

Talk to your doctor if you have specific conditions where fat intake is a major concern. But for most people, occasional bacon rind poses no significant health risks.

How To Cook Bacon Rind

Cooking brings out bacon rind’s best qualities. Try these preparation and cooking methods:

• Cut The Rind Off – Trimming it from the bacon slices helps both parts cook evenly. The meat crisps up nicely while the rind fries up crispy.

• Fry In A Pan – Sautéing the rind over medium heat renders fat and makes it palatable. Turn frequently until browned and crispy.

• Oven Bake – Lay rind sections on a baking sheet and cook at 375°F for 12-20 minutes until browned and bubbly.

• Air Fry – Air frying crisps up the rind beautifully. Cook at 380°F for 6-10 minutes, flipping once. Monitor closely to avoid burning.

• Microwave – Microwaving can work in a pinch. Cook rind pieces for 2-3 minutes on high, checking often. But pan frying tastes miles better.

• Season It – Flavor the rind with spices and herbs before cooking. Salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and chili powder all taste great.

• Make Cracklings – Frying rind submerged in oil makes delicious cracklings. Let cool, then season with salt.

What To Do With Leftover Bacon Rind

Besides eating it, bacon rind has several other helpful uses:

• Render fat to cook other foods
• Add rich pork flavor to soups, beans, greens, etc.
• Use small pieces as pet treats
• Compost the rind for garden nutrients
• Make candles from the leftover fat
• Craft it into homemade soap bars

So don’t throw those bacon rind scraps away! Take advantage of this zero-waste opportunity.

Should You Remove Bacon Rind Before Cooking?

This depends on your personal preference:

• Leaving it on protects the bacon slices and keeps moisture in during cooking.

• On thick bacon, the meat and rind cook at different rates. The meat risks overcooking while the rind crisps.

• The tough rind can be annoying to bite through on sandwiches or burgers.

• Removing it allows the bacon to cook evenly from all sides and makes eating easier.

• Pre-cutting or scoring the rind helps alleviate chewing issues.

For most uses, trimming off the rind pre-cooking delivers the best results. But it’s not essential. Cook the bacon however you prefer.

Should You Eat Bacon Rind On Sandwiches?

Again, personal taste rules here. Some people love the textural contrast of crispy rind in a BLT or club sandwich. For others, chewing through a leathery strip ruins the experience.

If you’re anti-rind for sandwiches, simply remove it before assembling your creation. But bacon rind evangelists argue frying makes it perfectly edible in any bacon-topped sandwich.

The choice is yours on this bacon controversy. Just be sure to cook it crispy enough to enjoy if leaving it on sandwiches. Undercooked rind is rubbery and tough.

Where To Buy Bacon With Rind

Finding bacon with the rind intact requires looking beyond the mainstream grocery store offerings. Check these sources:

• Specialty or artisanal butcher shops
• Farmers markets with pork vendors
• Online mail order bacon providers
• Large wholesale club stores that sell slab bacon
• Asian markets that stock Chinese-style bacon

For the highest quality thick-cut bacon with rind, seeking out local producers is your best bet. Butchers can also custom slice bacon to your desired thickness with rind on.

The rind is sometimes harder to spot if the bacon is very thinly sliced. Examine carefully before purchasing to ensure the rind hasn’t been removed.

Can You Eat Smoked Pork Belly Rind?

Smoked pork belly is basically just a big slab of bacon before it’s been sliced up. So if you purchase or cure a whole pork belly yourself, it will come with the rind intact.

This rind is completely edible after smoking or curing. Fry it up to render any toughness out, and enjoy its salty, smoky, and ultra-porky flavor. It’s especially nice as a crackling topping on salads or baked potatoes.

Any raw pork still requires cooking to at least 145°F internally for food safety. Don’t eat smoked pork belly rind straight out of the package.

What About Eating Ham Rind?

Ham comes from a different cut of meat than bacon, so it may seem strange to eat its rind. However, ham rind is absolutely edible too.

As with bacon rind, frying is the easiest path to edibility. The rind on prosciutto hams and Serrano hams also softens from the dry curing process.

For whole bone-in hams, many cooks love to bake the ham with rind on. The hot oven renders any toughness and infuses the meat with smoky, crispy, salty porkiness.

So feel free to eat ham rind prepared properly. It provides the same textural and flavor qualities as bacon rind.

Can You Eat Uncooked Pork Rind?

Eating totally uncooked pork carries health risks from bacteria and parasites. This applies equally to raw bacon or belly meat rind.

Curing, smoking, cooking, or other processing is mandatory to make pork rind safe to eat. So resist snacking on any raw rind trimmed off the pork belly prior to cooking it.

Frying, baking, or otherwise heating the rind sufficiently is required to avoid potential food poisoning. Don’t consume raw pork rind.

Is Rind Left On All Bacon?

Not necessarily. As mentioned earlier, most major commercial bacon producers remove the rind during processing to produce the thin, uniform slices most shoppers expect.

You’re more likely to find rind on thicker sliced artisanal bacon or bacon sold in slabs rather than presliced. Certain specialty bacon varieties also may have rind on when sliced to a thinner width.

If having the rind intact matters for your recipe, carefully inspect packaging when bacon shopping. Or seek out a butcher who can custom cut bacon to your desires.

Share Your Favorite Uses For Bacon Rind

While some home cooks discard bacon rind out of habit, many others have discovered how delightfully tasty it can be. Share your own favorite ideas for preparing and enjoying crispy, porky, zero-waste bacon rind!

For most bacon lovers, the rind offers too much delicious, crispy possibility to ignore. With the right prep and cooking, it can provide outstanding flavor and texture.

While personal preferences vary, there’s a case to be made that bacon rind should never be automatically discarded. Cooked properly and in moderation, it can be a bonafide bacon treat.