English Bacon

On Holland America's new breakfast menu, a full English breakfast is available. Included in the breakfast is English Bacon. What is English Bacon? How does it differ from bacon as we Americans know it?

I don't know...is it like ham? Or, is that Canadian "bacon"??? Are they the same?

In Ireland and the UK they just call it bacon, but since Americans have their own bacon, in the States we call it Irish Bacon. Irish bacon is very similar to what we call Canadian bacon or back bacon. It is cut from the back meat of the pig and it’s cooked until done, not crispy. In contrast, American bacon comes from the pork belly and is usually cooked until crispy. So as you can see there are big differences between American and Irish bacon.

The differences between Canadian bacon and Irish bacon are small. They are so similar that some people substitute Canadian bacon for Irish bacon in recipes. The only major difference between the two is Irish Bacon has a layer of fat around the meat. Canadian bacon usually does not.

Ah! Nice to know!

jeffreys1,

Thanks for the information! I enjoy Canadian Bacon so I am sure that English (Irish) Bacon is something that I will like as well.

As a Brit living in Canada I really miss English Bacon, one of the first things we do when we are in England is buy Bacon and make a nice Bacon Butty!!

We often joke when sifting through the bacon that we've found a 'mistake' bacon over here that is sold in a similar package to in Britain is just the streaky...

Now imagine British 'streaky' bacon .. and reverse it.. In the UK it's mostly meat with streaks of fat ,, over here it's mostly fat.. I make a mess sifting through the bacon in the store trying to find a pack that isn't just Fat with a few very thin streaks of meat..

Having a head fit trying to find a pack that actually had some meat on I once said to the meat department.... "If this was the UK customers wouldn't stand for this this isn't bacon it's fat!! He said they export the best stuff!

The 'Back bacon' here is sold separately and just isn't the same in flavour that good 'ol British Bacon..

English (Irish) Bacon sounds great. I wish other cruise lines would change things up every now and then and offer more and different foods from around the world. Maybe I might be alone but I love trying new things and love just about everything I have ever eaten.:D

English (Irish) Bacon sounds great. I wish other cruise lines would change things up every now and then and offer more and different foods from around the world. Maybe I might be alone but I love trying new things and love just about everything I have ever eaten.:D

You are not alone! And a cruise is the perfect place to try something new. If you don't like it, then don't eat it. The waiters get real nervous if you dont eat something and run over and feed you something that you normally would like, so you havent' lost out on anything.

say hey to Jersey for me, grew up in morris county!

Love English bacon! You can get on Celebrity as well. Of course we had it on the Queen Mary 2.

Not a fan of the beans or the rack cooled toast, however.

Enjoy!

Kel:)

Bacon is bacon, and tastes great in any form!

I wish Carnival would offer up a full English or better yet, an Irish (Ulster fry) breakfast- yummy to say the least....now I'm hungry :p

Pic: Ulster Fry aka heart attack on a plate!

I live in the South. What you are calling Irish bacon or Canadian bacon is called Arkansas bacon. Great taste, and hardly any fat...just enough to taste great!

I want mine crisp, though. I saw VERY undercooked bacon in the UK and Australia and did not partake of it.

If you like crispy, then stay with the American stuff. Taking a good meat and destroying it is a Chef's NIGHTMARE!!! Imho

Chef Dennis

If you like crispy, then stay with the American stuff. Taking a good meat and destroying it is a Chef's NIGHTMARE!!! Imho

Chef Dennis

I agree! Seems like a southern thing to eat crispy bacon. I'm sure it comes from the days of trichinosis. My wife's mother is from Texas and over-cooks everything. :)

Enjoy!

Kel

It's the fat which causes the crispiness- back bacon really can't be crisped, nor should it be cooked too long- after all, it's already been cured, so there's no point in cremating it.

During rationing after WW2, you had to report to the Ministry of Agriculture if you kept a pig, then your meat ration was reduced....I grew up with illicit bacon and hams hanging in our attic....;)

Now, that WAS fatty bacon, as everyone clubbed together to give scraps for the pig- a village concern. No fat free pigs in those days. With food so scarce, until the 50s when rationing ended, you ate what you were given- there were no such things as faddy, fussy kids then.

I wouldn't choose it now, though I've occasionally tried it on an American line.....takes me back to the shortage days.

Jo.

dw is so glad she can get english(irish) bacon on celebrity as unlike me who will eat either dw prefer proper rashers

This is HAL's new breakfast menu:

New Dining Room Breakfast Menu (Also in the Pinnacle for Deluxe Suite Passengers)

Something Simple:

Cold Cereals: Cornflakes - Cherrios - Special K - Raisin Bran - Shredded Wheat - Rice Krispies - Frosted Flakes - Fruit loops - Granola - All Bran - Bran Flakes -- served with your choice of milk -- add sliced banana on request.

Breakfast Parfait - layers of creamy Greek yogurt, fresh berries and granola

Hot Cereals: Old-Fashioned Oatmeal - Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal - Cream of Wheat - Creamy Grits -- served with sliced banana, raisins, brown sugar, maple syrup, milk, or half & half on request

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich - scrambles egg and Cheddar cheese served on a toasted English muffin. Add sausage patty, hickory smoked bacon or ham slice on request.

Bagel and Lox - a freshly toasted bagel served with slices of cold smoked salmon, cream cheese, sliced onion and capers.

Greenhouse Spa Selections:

Cottage Cheese and Fresh Fruit - a small bowl of creamy cottage cheese lightly dusted with cinnamon, served with your choice of sliced banana, strawberries, blueberries or diced melon.

Swiss-Style Muesli - a mixture of low fat yogurt, fresh fruit, milk, toasted hazel-nuts, oatmeal and honey.

Frittata Italiana - healthy without sacrificing flavor, egg whites combined with low-fat cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil, then lightly baked and served with whole grain toast.

International Classics:

All American Breakfast - two jumbo eggs, cooked to order, served with hash browns, hickory smoked bacon or sausage and toast.

Eggs Benedict - toasted English muffins, layered with Canadian bacon, two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.

Eggs Royal - toasted English muffins, smoked salmon and two poached eggs with creamy hollandaise sauce.

Eggs Florentine - toasted English muffins, topped with sauteed spinach and two poached eggs draped with hollandaise sauce.

Corned Beef Hash and Eggs - home-made corned beef hash topped with two eggs cooked to order and served with a side of toast.

Kippered Herring - served with two scrambled eggs and smothered onions.

Dutch Breakfast - the Uitmijter, a classic open-faced sandwich with thick white bread, sliced ham, Gouda, and two eggs sunny side up.

Japanese Breakfast - hot miso soup, steamed white rice, tamagoyaki and boiled salmon served with a cup of hot green tea.

The Full English Breakfast - two jumbo eggs scrambled, English banger sausage, English back bacon, baked beans, hash browns and a grilled half tomato.

Scandinavian Breakfast - smoked salmon and pickled herring, served with hard-boiled egg and slices of dark rye bread.

Three Egg Omelets:

All omelets are served with hash browns and toast. Egg whites or egg substitute available on request.

Denver Omelet - green bell pepper, onion, ham and a mixture of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Swiss cheese.

Garden Vegetable Omelet - tender asparagus, sauteed spinach, diced tomato and sliced button mushrooms with creamy goat cheese.

Southwest Omelet - diced sweet roasted bell peppers, tomato, green onion, and Monterey Jack cheese, topped with avocado, sour cream and fresh salsa.

My Choice Omelet - build your own omelet with any of the following: ham, bacon, sausage, smoked salmon, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, asparagus, Cheddar, Jack, Swiss, goat or Gruyere cheese.

Hot Off the Griddle:

Belgium Waffle - thick, crisp Belgium waffle topped with your choice of warm strawberries, apple-cinnamon or plum compote.

Cinnamon-Sugar French Toast - thick slices of egg bread French toast, dusted with cinnamon-sugar. Served with whipped butter and hot maple syrup.

Stack of Pancakes - three fluffy pancakes stacked high. your choice of buttermilk, banana or blueberry. Served with whipped butter and hot maple syrup.

From the Bakery: toast - English Muffin - Bagel - Roll

Baked Fresh Daily: Butter Croissant - Chocolate Croissant - Raisin Bun - Cheese Danish - Fruit Danish - Danish of the Day - Blueberry Muffin - Muffin of the Day - Coffee Cake. Served with butter, margarine, jam, jelly honey, Nutella or cream cheese on request. Fresh baked sugar-free pastries upon request.

On the Side:

Hickory Smoked Bacon - English Bangers - Pork Sausage Links or Patty - Carved Honey Glazed Ham - Corned Beef Hash - Turkey Bacon - Turkey Sausage links - Morningstar Farms Vegi Links - Hash Browns.

Fruits and Yogurts: Fresh Fruit Plate - Half Grapefruit - Sliced Banana - Stewed Prunes, Apricots or Kadota Figs - Assorted Yogurts

Beverages: Coffee - Tea - Decaffeinated Coffee and Tea - Whole, Low Fat and Skim Milk - Chocolate Milk - Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice - Apple Juice - Cranberry Juice - Grapefruit juice - Grape Juice - Pineapple Juice - Prune Juice - Tomato Juice - V-8

If you like crispy, then stay with the American stuff. Taking a good meat and destroying it is a Chef's NIGHTMARE!!! Imho

Chef Dennis

I no longer order any bacon HAL -- it is only half cooked.

Time and again I would ask them to cook it again and get it extra crispy. Rarely would it ever arrive that way.

When the new menu came out on HAL, DH tried many of the new breakfasts including the Full Englsh Breakfast.

The English Bacon that HAL serves is very thick and it is chewy as it is not completely cooked. There is a lot of fat in it.

It tasty good....

When the new menu came out on HAL, DH tried many of the new breakfasts including the Full Englsh Breakfast.

The English Bacon that HAL serves is very thick and it is chewy as it is not completely cooked. There is a lot of fat in it.

You get English bacon - soft, sweaty and with strips of white fat. You get American bacon - crisp enough to crack your teeth on and deep fried. You get Australian bacon - lean (no fat) on the BBQ. You get Canadian bacon - something sweet (do they add maple syrup)??

Look at the sign on the buffet - to tell you how it was cooked. Caveat emptor.

Probably the closest thing we north americans can get is often refered to a "Peameal Bacon" in the stores. You often find it with a coating of cornmeal over the fat.

Probably the closest thing we north americans can get is often refered to a "Peameal Bacon" in the stores. You often find it with a coating of cornmeal over the fat.

You can order British back bacon online, but it is expensive because of the 2 day shipping:

http://www.britishbacon.com

Enjoy!

Kel:)