Having done over 1000 posts (Blogger tells me 1285 at this point), it is difficult at times to remember what I have and have not said so I try to double-check my past posts to see if I've already mentioned a particular topic. When it comes to this particular topic, I cannot believe I had not wrote about it before.
For the duration of our stay in Japan, my husband was disappointed in the bacon. He's not an enormous bacon eater, but he does like to have a bit now and then. Compared to most American appetites for bacon, frankly, he's a super lightweight. When he does eat it, it's never more than 2 strips and he only has it once every week or two. Nonetheless, when he wanted some in Tokyo, it always tasted like disappointment.
The main issue with bacon in Japan, in our experience, was that it generally was not cured well. It tasted more like plain old pork - what my father used to refer to as "fresh side" - rather than bacon. There's a sweet and salty quality to bacon that generally was missing in Japan and we (especially my husband) do not miss it.
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And what's with it not getting crispy properly? That's my biggest "beef" with Japanese bacon. It is so hard to get it to crisp nicely!
ReplyDeleteYou're right about that! I had forgotten that it didn't crisp up because we so rarely bought it! Thanks for making that point!
DeleteThis is one of the first posts that I disagree with you. I LOVE Japanese bacon, it is very similar to Canadian bacon or 'back bacon' and is much less greasy than American or 'belly bacon'. Unlike 'back bacon' in America, the Japanese bacon can be fried until it gets crispy. The Japanese bacon also, in my opinion, provides some flavor/protein, yet isn't so fatty/greasy like America bacon. Actually, one of the first things I miss when I get back on American shores. However, to be fair, one of the first things I miss about America when I arrive in Japan is cheddar cheese and taco bell!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesing because Helen just said that the bacon in Japan doesn't get crispy (which is my memory as well).
DeleteAmerican bacon, which I should note that I never eat as I don't actually love bacon (don't hate it either - but it's not healthy so what's the point of eating it if you don't love it), isn't so greasy and is very crispy if you cook it properly. When I cook it for my husband, I always cook it low and long with a lot of fat draining. In the end, it's dry and crisp and a lot of the fat is saved in a jar for cooking spinach in. ;-)
However, tastes do vary, and I can see that a lot of people have different tastes than me/my husband! I've been to Taco Bell once since coming back home and I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. Food is probably one of the most subjective experiences in life!
The main reason that Japanese bacon doesn't easily get crispy when fried (broiled...) is that it is packaged pre-cooked, unlike most bacon in the US that is sold raw.
ReplyDeleteYou can find raw bacon in Japan if you look for it, both from Japanese sources (like Doi Ham) and imported (like Pancetta, or even US bacon at import grocery stores). You have to make sure it says "nama bacon", or 生ベーコン in Japanese.