Bacon has always been a staple of the American diet, and for the last three decades at least, has moved into every daypart and added to most entrées across dining. Once a designated breakfast food, bacon is now a savory ingredient in dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner in every segment of foodservice and in home cooking. Thick-cut bacon provides consumers with more of what they love about this iconic cut of pork that continually grows in popularity and applications in menus, often as a stand-alone at the center of a plate.

“Thick-cut bacon offers some ‘body’ to a slice of cooked bacon that others, thinner cuts do not,” said Nick Fantasma, retail sales and marketing, Paradise Locker Meats in Trimble, Mo. “It allows bacon to stand on its own and not just as an accompaniment to other foods. The thicker slice simply has more meat to it than a thinner one, so it carries more flavor in every bite.”

Emma Pierce, senior brand manager for Daily’s Premium Meats in St. Joseph, Mo., a subsidiary of Seaboard Foods based in Merriam, Kan., added, “Thick-cut bacon delivers a richer, bolder flavor, a more substantial bite and better texture compared to traditional cuts. The increased thickness allows it to retain more fat and flavor during cooking, resulting in an intense, smoky profile that bacon lovers appreciate. Whether used in recipes or enjoyed on its own, thick cut bacon offers a more indulgent and satisfying experience.”

Daily's vacuum seals its thick-cut bacon for retail and provides foodservice operators and wholesalers with a variety of packaging options to meet customers' specific needs. (Source: Daily's Premium Meats)

Quality in, thick out

Building a reputation of craftsmanship and tradition since 1893, Daily’s has offered thick-cut bacon for decades. Daily’s responded to demand for its hearty, thick cut bacon by adding extra thick and steak cut bacon to its portfolio to provide a premium experience with a meatier and more substantial bite.

“We offer a variety of thickness options to cater to a range of preferences,” Pierce said. “We go all the way up to ½-inch thick. That’s some pretty thick bacon.”

The thickness of Paradise Locker’s bacon has not changed since the Fantasma’s took ownership of the shop in 1995.

“Our standard bacon is what most retailers consider thick cut, so almost all of the bacon we produce is ‘thick cut,’” said Nick Fantasma. “About an eighth of an inch is our standard thickness and our thick cut is closer to 3/16 of an inch.”

Both Paradise Locker and Daily’s agree that a high-quality, thick-cut bacon begins with the pork belly of a high-quality hog. Paradise uses only, “young, fat hogs” for its bacon. That coupled with a slow smoking process gives the company a more tender product, said Louis Fantasma, chief executive officer at Paradise.

He added, “If the bellies or bacon slabs become tough, thick cut doesn’t work. It is the single best-selling product in our retail store.”

Daily’s Premium Meats finds the basis of excellent thick-cut bacon with the best texture and flavor comes from high-quality pork with an optimal fat to meat ratio. Daily’s also relies on its smoking process for flavor.

“Daily’s exclusively smokes its bacon using all-natural hardwood chips, allowing for a slow, even smoke that enhances its deep, savory character,” Pierce said. “Our signature honey cure provides a perfect balance of sweetness and richness, making each bite truly indulgent.”

Paradise Locker uses locally raised, Berkshire hogs from small family farms. Its in-house pork program makes up the majority of the company’s bacon production.

Daily’s, being a part of Seaboard Foods, uses hogs from its integrated Prairie Fresh food system, ensuring consistency and quality throughout its processes.

“Our approach allows us to oversee the entire process — farming, production and quality control — so we can maintain the highest standards in both our products and our commitment to responsible animal care and business practices,” Pierce said. “Overseeing the entire process gives us the ability to innovate, build strong partnerships and consistently deliver the delicious, high-quality bacon that customers love.”

Daily's Premium Meats sources its bellies through Seaboard's integrated Prairie Fresh food system. (Source: Daily's Premium Meats)

The process

Paradise Locker uses a wet brining method, including spices and water, and then uses a vacuum tumbler that brines the pork bellies for approximately four hours. It is then stacked into the cooler.

“Some companies will let bellies sit for a day or two before smoking, we tend to go a little longer for a more flavorful bacon,” said Louis Fantasma of Paradise Locker. “Our standard bacon is a ‘sugar cured bacon’ using a good blend of salts and sugars so it’s not too sweet or salty. We do offer a variety of bacons, our standard, a black pepper bacon, a jalapeno bacon, a shoulder bacon and a jowl bacon.”

Daily’s uses honey and sugar cures for its bacon with the curing process being standard across all cuts. However, thicker cut bacons do retain more moisture resulting in a juicier bite. The ingredient list, which includes sodium nitrite, is listed on the company’s website.

“We are committed to transparency and strictly adhere to all food safety standards to deliver the best bacon possible,” Pierce said.

Flavors from Daily’s include Hickory, Applewood and Black Pepper.

Pierce added, “We are continually exploring new flavor innovations to bring exciting options to the table.”

Both companies use the same line for their thick cut bacons that they use for regular bacons. The slicer on the line is adjusted for the different thickness. The consistency of the thickness of their cuts is due to state-of-the-art equipment and years of expertise in bacon production.

As a smaller processor, Paradise Locker retails its bacon but also sells to distributors who get the product out to foodservice customers as well as other retailers. Daily’s also serves a wide range of foodservice operators and retailers.

“Thick-cut bacon has seen rising demand across both sectors, as restaurants seek to elevate their dishes with premium bacon and consumers look for high-quality options at retail,” Pierce said.

Paradise Locker’s standard bacon packaging consists of 12 oz or 16 oz for retail, 5 lb vacuum packed for foodservice or as whole slabs for customers who have slicing capabilities.

Louis Fantasma explained, “We can potentially accommodate custom orders in different flavors, special cuts or packaging, as long as a minimum order and longevity of production criteria are met.”

Daily’s Premium vacuum seals its thick-cut bacon for retail customers to preserve freshness and quality. For wholesale and foodservice, it provides a variety of pack types to meet the specific needs of customers while ensuring optimal convenience and product integrity.

“We work closely with our customers to meet their unique needs, whether that means offering custom cuts, flavors or packaging solutions,” Pierce said.

She added, “Over the past three years, we’ve seen significant growth in thick-cut bacon sales, both in dollar value and volume, outpacing standard cuts nationwide. Consumers today are increasingly seeking higher-quality, indulgent products, and thick-cut bacon provides a premium experience with its meatier, more substantial bite. As demand continues to rise, we remain committed to expanding our thick-cut offerings while ensuring consistent quality and flavor.”