The History Of Bacon Dates Back Thousands Of Years

Whether fried in a skillet and served with sunny-side-up eggs, turned into a rich jam, or enjoyed on its own as a crispy snack, bacon is undeniably tasty. There's actually a scientific reason bacon tastes good with everything: Its salt and fat content create a deep umami flavor that instantly triggers dopamine, the feel-good hormone linked to pleasure. But have you ever thought about who invented it? It turns out the fatty pork product is much older than most people realize.

Bacon is, by definition, pork that's been cured and smoked, typically with salt and nitrites to preserve it. But even uncured bacon isn't really uncured. Records suggest the earliest known form of bacon may have emerged about 1,500 B.C. in ancient China. Old texts show the Cantonese had a strong tradition of preparing lap yuk, also known as Chinese cured pork belly. Marinated with sugar, various spices and soy sauce, lap yuk was left hanging in the cool air to dry, providing a steady source of protein throughout harsh winters. Conquests and trade routes in the Middle East later helped bacon reach the Romans, who called it petaso.

Differing from the Chinese, ancient Romans developed their own curing methods. Petaso eventually became so popular it turned into a staple in Roman markets, where farmers traded it for labor and other valuable goods. During the Middle Ages, the Anglo-Saxons refined the curing process and introduced their own smoking techniques, which eventually inspired the bacon we have today.

It wasn't until the 16th century that bacon finally made its way to the United States. This happened after Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto, commonly referred to as the father of the American pork industry, brought domesticated pigs to the Tampa Bay region. In just three years, his modest herd of 13 pigs had multiplied to a thriving population of about 700. And this rapid growth didn't go unnoticed by the surrounding communities. In fact, pork became popular among indigenous people. It ultimately prompted settlers to start bringing in pigs from England, Spain, Portugal, and many other places as well. 

Bacon ultimately secured its place as an iconic American breakfast item during the 1920s, when public relations and propaganda pioneer Edward Bernays launched a campaign for the Beech-Nut Company, which encouraged people to start their mornings with bacon. Ever since, it has remained a staple in many Americans' daily lives, who, data suggests, consume about 18 pounds of bacon per year on average. 

Fun fact: There was a brief moment in history when bacon served a rather different purpose than being the secret to the best pork chops of your life. During WWII, the American Fat Salvage Committee prompted butchers to collect leftover bacon fat from families. They would then hand it over to factories to process it into glycerin, which was then used to make explosives. A single pound of fat could produce enough glycerin for a pound of explosives!