The Best Bacons, According to Our Taste Test

When word spread among the Food & Wine staff about a bacon taste test, I was met with a lot of enthusiastic responses, from “Oooh, that’s a good one” to “Sign me up.” People had thoughts about what makes a best-in-class bacon, and it’s no wonder: This cured pork product is a beloved breakfast staple, the “B” in a BLT, and a go-to topping choice for a baked potato. But some bacon is better than others. To help you find the best bacon for your breakfast table and beyond, we set out to determine which brands are actually worth buying. 

How we tested

For our taste test, we selected seven bacon brands from grocery stores and online retailers based on their popularity and availability. 

To keep things as fair as possible, we only tested center-cut bacon. Like regular, aka “American-style” bacon, center-cut bacon comes from the pork belly, but the fatty ends are trimmed off. We found that its lower fat content made it easier to evaluate the overall quality of the meat. 

We also limited our test to smoked bacon. Although we tasted varieties of bacon that were smoked over different types of wood (such as applewood or hickory), we skipped specialty flavors like maple or brown sugar. Finally, the brand names were concealed from our testers to prevent bias and ensure fair results. 

To evaluate the bacon, we started by asking ourselves what makes a subpar piece of bacon (and we had a few in this test). The general consensus was that it would be overly salty; have a flimsy, gummy texture; and render so much fat that it would shrivel into a sorry shell of its former size when cooked.

So, what makes a great bacon? According to our criteria, it should have a rich smokiness, a crisp snap, and balanced seasoning. The brands below hit these marks, and are worthy of your breakfast table or BLT.

How we cooked the bacon

For our bacon, we used the oven-cook method — our staffers swear by it, and it remains our associate editorial director of food’s favorite way to cook bacon, based on her time working as a hotel breakfast line cook. 

We baked the slices at 400°F on a parchment-lined baking sheet set on the middle rack for about 15 minutes. We chose parchment paper over foil because it doesn’t reflect heat, which ultimately helps the bacon cook more evenly. After the bacon was cooked, we placed the slices on paper-towel lined plates to soak up any residual grease. 

Best overall: Smithfield Applewood Smoked Bacon

We can’t imagine a world where someone would be unhappy with a strip of Smithfield’s applewood smoked bacon. Its level of umami, the highly sought-after savory “fifth taste,” was undeniable and stood out amongst the other options. It had a stellar snap and a long-lasting crispness that didn’t dissolve the instant it hit your tongue (a common flaw in ultra-crisp bacon). Possibilities are endless for this one — boost your Brussels sprouts, bake it into a tart, or use the rendered fat to punch up fried rice. An added bonus: The brand is offering a yearly supply of bacon to a lucky winner. 

Best smokiness: North Country Smokehouse Cob Smoked Bacon 

North Country Smokehouse lives up to its name with this delectably nuanced smoked bacon. It utilizes corn cob smoking — a technique taught to early settlers by the Indigenous Abenaki people in which sun-dried corn is slowly burned under cured pork to preserve it. This process imparts the bacon with a smoky flavor that boasts an elegant sweetness and is unlike anything we’ve tasted. The brand also makes an applewood smoked variety. This bacon would beautifully balance out the rich custard of our potato and bacon quiche. 

Best for a BLT: Jimmy Dean Applewood Smoked Bacon 

A BLT sandwich is an exercise in texture — toasted bread that is soft inside, juicy tomato, crunchy lettuce, and of course, crisp bacon. Unlike breakfast bacon, BLT bacon needs to be sturdy enough to hold up to the juiciness of the tomato without getting soggy. Jimmy Dean’s Applewood Smoked Bacon is up to the task: Out of all the bacon we tried, it had the least shrinkage and a robust, porky flavor. 

Crispiest: Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked 

If you’re on the chase for the crispiest bacon, look no further than good old Oscar Mayer. The brand was first established in 1883, but didn’t start selling sliced bacon until 1924. Forty one years later, it still stands the test of time. This bacon cooked up to be shatteringly crisp, making it a clear-cut choice for bacon bits to top a chowder, loaded baked potato, or wedge salad. “My mom only eats crispy bacon, and she would love this,” said one tester.