The difference between ham and bacon

Pork meat: one of the tastiest meats that exist. Pork is one of those meats that you either love or not. Of course, there are also people who can’t eat pork for various reasons and that’s okay too.

Or maybe you’re someone who loves bacon but doesn’t like sausage or some other cut of pork. There are many cuts of pork that vary greatly from one another. There’s a lot more to it than bacon or sausage. We also know ham, pork chops, pork steaks, and the list could be endless.

How can you differentiate the different cuts of pork? What is the difference between ham and bacon?

Bacon and ham come from different places on the pig. They are also treated differently in packaging and curing, making them quite different in the end. Ham can be cured by smoking it, while bacon is cured with salt.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the similarities and differences between ham and bacon. We’ll detail and explain each one individually and then, to keep things simple, we’ll give you a summary again so you have a quick reference of how they differ.

Read on to discover the differences between ham and lomo and much more.

Understanding the differences between ham and bacon

Ham and bacon are not the same. Both are forms of pork and both come from a pig, but that’s where the similarities end when you think about it.

Ultimately, what you need to know about these two types of meat is that they are different forms of pork.  Pork comes from domestic pigs and can be cooked or preserved in a variety of ways.

Some forms are cured and treated, while others are made into fresh cuts that can be frozen or cooked from as-is.

There are tons of varieties of pork. Here are a few to give you an example. 

• • Ribs
  • pork chops
  • Bacon
  • pork loin
  • pork belly
  • pig’s ass
  • pork loin
  • Ham

• roast rib
• pork steak
• Hot dog
• minced pork

As you can see, there are many ways to enjoy pork. This does not cover all of them, but it does cover the most common and best known.

In this guide, we’ll focus on ham and bacon and talk about how these two cuts of pork can be similar or different.

We’ll walk you through each one, detailing what you need to know about that particular cut, and then retrace and summarize the differences to provide easy reference when you need it.

Let us begin.

Ham

Ham is a cut of pork meat that comes from the pig’s leg. Normally, this cut comes from the upper part of the leg, near what we could call the thigh.

Ham is preserved after being cut through a process known as curing . Curing can be done in several ways. It can be wet or dry.

Curing may also include a smoking process or may omit the smoking process. There are numerous ways, but in essence, the end result is that the ham is cured by some means.

Ham can also come in various sizes and cuts. It is quite possible to buy the complete ham in a whole cut or find other media that have been shaped into something else. There are ham steaks, sliced ham, ham hocks, ham legs, and even sliced ham for lunch.

This is just the surface of the work with the ham. Let’s talk about some of the things you can do with ham.

Uses of ham

There are literally tons of things you can do with ham. You can do several things with the ham once it is cooked. If you make a large ham, you know that there can be plenty of leftovers.

So, what things can you do with ham, apart from eating it whole?

Here are some ideas. 

• ham hash
• Cubed ham (great for salads)
• Add it to soups
• cold cut sandwiches
• Ham and cheese cupcakes
• ham and beans
• diy groceries
• chicken cordon bleu
• sliders
• Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole
• casseroles for breakfast
• Windmills
• pizza toppings
• Add to pasta dishes

There are many different things you can use your ham for, these are just a few ideas for putting that ham to use. With all these options, you surely have no excuse to tire of your ham once you have made a large ham and have plenty of leftovers.

Ham can be cooked in many ways. Whether you buy a ham at the store or from a local butcher, or even if you have your own pig slaughtered and processed, ham is easy to store and work with.

Initially, you can cook a ham by smoking it, baking it, or even making it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot type device. We have already talked about the uses of ham after having cooked it.

There are also multiple ways to store ham. It can be refrigerated or frozen. The processes to preserve your ham are quite simple.

Bacon

Bacon is quite different from ham. Instead of being a large cut that is often sold as one large piece, bacon is made unique before it leaves the processing plant or butcher shop.

Like ham, bacon is cured.  The bacon is cured with salt. The bacon can come from various cuts of pork. It is not necessarily extracted from a specific place. The most popular places that bacon is taken from are pork belly or various cuts of the back.

The bacon is presented cut into strips . The strips can be cut to various thicknesses and can also be prepared in a variety of ways. They can be smoked and cured with different underlying flavors. You can find it in multiple varieties and cuts.

Bacon uses

There are many uses for bacon. It’s great on its own to begin with, and once cooked, you can eat it hot or cold. Bacon tends to produce quite a bit of fat during the cooking process.

Bacon can be cooked in the oven, on the stove, in the microwave, or even in a griddle or air fryer. It is very versatile. 

It’s almost never about having leftover bacon. You can do as much or as little as you want. However, there are a LOT of things you can do with bacon.

Here are some ideas. 

• breakfast burritos
• Bacon bits (great for salads)
• club sandwiches
• BLT’s
• Egg side dish
• add to a burger
• Wrap meats or even meatloaf
• cobb salad
• Add to pasta dishes
• pizza topping

You really can’t get enough of the bacon.

In addition to the many ways you can prepare bacon, there are also many ways to preserve it.

Bacon can be stored and stored in the fridge or freezer, and it is quite easy to prepare and store.

Comparison Summary

When it comes down to it, ham and bacon have very little in common. The only similarities are that they come from varieties of pork and that both are cured . Both taste naturally salty, without being overly salty.

Ham is usually sold in a large cut, but it can break down into other things.  It comes from the leg and is usually baked to cook it.

You can buy ham lunch meat, but that is not one of the natural formations of ham. Ham at its best comes from a large cut from the leg.

Bacon is sold in strips . It can be cut into various thicknesses, but it will never sell as big as a cut of ham. Bacon usually comes from the belly or loin, but can come from any part of the pig.

Bacon tends to be fatty when cooked, but it can also be cooked and used in a variety of ways.

If you’re interested in comparing other cuts of pork, this 20-minute video from Bon Appetit on YouTube is worth a look.

Related questions

We hope you find this guide to understanding the difference between ham and bacon a valuable resource.

We invite you to review the following section of questions and answers. It contains additional information that may be useful for your needs.

Can bacon grease be reused?

Many people use leftover bacon grease to cook eggs, hash browns, and even vegetables that could be part of the dish. You can save the bacon grease and reuse it, or you can use it fresh at the same time you fry the bacon. This is easiest if you fry the bacon on the stove.

Can you eat raw bacon or ham?

You can eat either cold, but you should never eat them raw. Both items must be cooked or smoked in some way before being consumed. It is recommended that pork be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 150 degrees.