10 Best Bacons in the Philippines 2024 | Buying Guide Reviewed by Nutritionist-Dietitian
There is one pork product that we usually eat any time of the day and in whatever season — and that is bacon! From crispy sisig to the party-staple Lechon, we Filipinos love pork, so much so that it’s one of the most consumed meats in the Philippines. From its skin up to its legs and even blood, we consume it with complete devotion.
Its crispiness and salty goodness have made it a guilty pleasure that we can’t get enough of, whether it be for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Your meals will become even more delicious as we walk you through our buying guide, fact-checked and reviewed by registered nutritionist-dietitian Samantha Morales, and top 10 products from various price ranges to complete your next grocery run!
Quick List - Top Bacons
Samantha began her career in clinical nutrition and weight management at a tertiary hospital in Manila, Philippines. Her practice allowed her to give nutrition counseling and plan modified diets for patients with medical conditions. Presently, she does private practice to focus on true holistic wellness - an approach that believes in aligning one's mind, body, and spiritual well-being.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
What Is Bacon?
Bacon is a processed pork product sourced from the pork belly or in parts where the layers of fat are significantly thinner. It undergoes a curing process that imparts the iconic salty flavor that everybody identifies with this particular cut.
Moreover, it has a distinct aroma from the smoking process, which provides depth and flavor to the bacon and gives it a distinctive savory taste. Although most kinds of bacon come from pork, some are also made from other meat.
In countries where the belief system doesn't allow pork consumption, their bacon comes from poultry, lamb, goat, and beef, which are produced similarly with regular bacon. For those who follow a vegetarian diet, there are also healthier options made from tofu or coconut meat.
How to Choose Bacon - Buying Guide
Here are some key points to consider:
- Pick your preferred cut.
- Inspect the bacon’s curing method.
- Choose from the different flavors.
- Decide on the net weight of the pack of bacon.
- Opt for bacon with fewer ingredients and free from harmful chemicals.
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
Pick Your Preferred Cut
While it should be easy to pick any bacon in your grocery’s meat aisle, it's good to note that different recipes call for different cuts of bacon. The type of cut gives you more control in terms of the taste and texture. Do take it as a simple detail that would either make or break your entire dish.
Regular Cuts for a Classic Savory Taste
Suppose you happen to trot around the meat section aisle in a supermarket; in that case, the regular-cut regular-cut bacon is one that you most likely have encountered. It is one of the most common cuts available, at least here in the Philippines. The most noticeable presentation of this cut is that each strip is longer and has more fat on its top-most section, which gives a hefty amount of bacon fat if cooked for a longer time.
This cut is perfect for people who like their bacon to have a chewier texture, which is achievable through a shorter cooking time. On the other hand, the fat volume in this particular cut gives more flavor than the leaner ones. It works best for sandwich and burger recipes and can be a great addition to most recipes, whether as a topping for salads, ulam, snacks, and more.
Center Cuts for a Crispier Bite
For most people, bacon is known as fatty processed meat because of the cut’s proximity to the pig’s fat-laden belly. However, if you want to have a lesser guilt-inducing bacon experience, aim for center-cut bacon. This cut is leaner than the regular ones with greater fat mass, albeit being shorter in length.
Also, this type of cut will yield a more excellent result if you prefer crispier bacon. Its taste is similar to regular-cut bacon, except it has lesser fat and is more malutong. Although it’s more expensive than other cuts of bacon, you’ll be rewarded with a meatier taste in every bite.
Slab Bacon for a Versatile Ingredient
Since we often associate bacon with pre-cut and pre-processed meat, slab bacon isn’t typical in the Philippines. But the uncut version of bacon exists! It is a big chunk of bacon in its natural form before being mechanically cut so that you can slice it according to your desired thickness. Although it can be a bit harder to find, it's usually available in specialty meat shops.
Some recipes require you to prepare a bacon thickness that neither regular-cut nor center-cut can give, so it’s best to have this type of bacon in your kitchen. It allows great freedom and versatility as an ingredient that tastes as good as packed bacon. Moreover, having the right consistency can significantly enhance your dishes, whether it be soup, salad, or pasta, or even bacon jam!
You can also turn this humble classic as a substitute for pepperoni on your pizzas. With its serving portion, you can say that the sky's the limit! It is an equally flexible ingredient that goes well with a wide range of recipes without the limitations of pre-packed bacon.
Inspect the Bacon’s Curing Method
Bacon is made from various curing and brining methods, which we will discuss below. For wet brining, a solution containing added flavorings and sodium nitrites is injected into the pork belly. This ensures that the color of the meat is preserved while capturing the flavor of bacon and preventing bacteria from entering the meat fibers.
On the other hand, some manufacturers make use of dry brining, which is when the dried form of flavorings such as salt, spices, sugar, and sodium nitrite is used in the curing process. In this method, the meat gets cured in the freezer. If you compare dry brined bacon to typical bacon, it is pricier due to its extensive production process.
There is also an uncured variant of bacon available, which gives you a healthier option due to the omission of a synthetically made sodium nitrite. Instead, natural flavorings are used during its production. The needed nitrite comes from celery as a preservative for the pork belly. Some manufacturers let their pork bellies cure longer than the chemically-made bacon to mimic its taste.
Choose From the Different Flavors
As we all know, bacon has a distinct salty and smoky taste, which comes from the curing and smoking process that brings out the goodness of the pork belly. Nowadays, manufacturers have started adding flavorings to enhance the overall taste of bacon. Hence, there are different flavors available, depending on the country of origin.
Aside from iconic smoky flavor, other popular flavors include honey-cured, Canadian blend, spicy barbecue, New York classic, and hickory-smoked. Whether you're cooking for personal consumption or your guests, the classic bacon is still a go-to ingredient for any dish.
Decide on the Net Weight of the Pack of Bacon
As with any meat product available in your local grocery, meat shop, and nearby market, your bacon is sold by weight no matter how many slices are in the pack. To accommodate the number of people you will serve for mealtime, look closely at the bacon's net weight.
A 200g pack is enough for two people. Moreover, 250g and a 500g pack can serve three to five persons at a time. Most of the time, the maximum serving you can get in a single pack is 1kg, ideal if you’re cooking for a lot of people.
Besides that, it's also important to look into the amount of bacon your recipes require. This allows you to have fresh bacon for every serving and maximize the quality of the meat itself.
Opt for Bacon With Fewer Ingredients and Free From Harmful Chemicals
When it comes to bacon, less is more. You can rest assured that the bacon is of premium quality when it doesn’t have any additional ingredients apart from the usual salt, water, and sugar listed in the tab. If you are not keen on nitrates, nitrites, and other chemical preservatives, check if your bacon is also labeled as nitrate and nitrite-free.
If you want to have flavored bacon, the flavoring should be seen listed in the ingredients. Plus, checking the ingredient list ensures that the product you'll get is free of any harmful chemicals that might pose a health risk in the long run.
10 Best Bacons to Buy Online
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Robina Farms Honey-Cured Bacon | | High Quality and Antibiotic-Free Bacon | |
2 | Pilmico Farms The Good Meat Smoked Bacon | | Farm-Fresh Goodness in Every Bite | |
3 | Swift Delicious Bacon | | A Great Addition to Any Breakfast | |
4 | Purefoods Maple-Flavored Bacon | | Sweet and Smoky Blend That’s Best Paired With Pancakes | |
5 | Pampanga's Best Bacon Strips | | Superb Classic Taste From a Go-To Filipino Brand | |
6 | Aguila Gourmet Meats Country-Style Bacon | | Gourmet Strips of Meaty Goodness to Enjoy | |
7 | Wildflour Bacon Steak | | Restaurant-Quality, Extra Thick Cut Bacon | |
8 | Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon | | A Tasty, Guilt-Free Treat | |
9 | Adobo Connection Bacon Bagnet | | A Classic Pinoy-Style Bacon to Try | |
10 | The Good Choices Vegan Bacon | | Jumpstart Your Day With Vegan Bacon |
High Quality and Antibiotic-Free Bacon
Robina Farms has been providing high-quality food items since 1963. Best of all, their products are NMIS and GAHP-certified, which means that you're getting meat that's fresh and safe to eat. Thus, you can rest assured that each bacon strip gives you only the best taste.
In this 200g pack, what you'll get is irresistibly tender, premium bacon that came from young pork. It is also free of antibiotics and hormones, which makes it guaranteed safe for consumption. Also, Robina Farms has made the bacon's classic smoky goodness better with the sweetness that came from honey-curing.
Each bite is perfect for people who like their bacon a bit sweeter and for those who like farm-raised, home-grown food. Sure enough, when you fry this bacon, what's left is an affordable and tasty treat that anyone will love.
Pilmico FarmsThe Good Meat Smoked Bacon
Farm-Fresh Goodness in Every Bite
Since there is an increasing demand for healthier food in the market, established farms such as Pilmico offers this product for those who are conscious about what they eat. With this 500g pack, you get bacon that is lightly salted and made delicious with the smoked blend.
Each strip of bacon has the right portion of fat and is also well-seasoned, with the freshness locked in a vacuum-sealed pouch. Plus, it doesn't shrink and stays crispy when fried. With nothing else to worry about, your breakfast will become even more enjoyable!
SwiftDelicious Bacon
A Great Addition to Any Breakfast
Swift, a local brand that specializes in processed meat products, offers this affordable yet delicious 200g bacon. Each bacon strip has a classic smoky flavor that you can freely indulge in any time of the day. It'll be an excellent addition to your sandwiches or your breakfast of sinangag and sunny-side-up egg.
With each bacon strip, you'd get a perfect ratio of fat and meat that ensures a crispy strip after each fry. If your kids have been begging for bacon, this is the best merchant to order from! Most customers have noted that the items were delivered fresh, frozen, and fast.
Sweet and Smoky Blend That’s Best Paired With Pancakes
While honey-cured bacon is the most common option for sweet bacon, this unique, Maple-flavored 400g pack of bacon from Purefoods can elevate your dining experience. If you are looking for a food item that goes well with pancakes and coffee, this is it!
Each bite gives you a nutty, woody, roasted, and vanilla flavor that is characteristic of maple syrup. This taste is complemented by the full-smoked and salty flavor from the curing process. You can never go wrong by purchasing a product from one of the best canned and cold-cut meat providers in the market!
Superb Classic Taste From a Go-To Filipino Brand
Pampanga's Best is known for creating meat products that cater to the Filipino taste, especially their tocinos, which make every mealtime satisfying. Not only that, but they also have their own signature blend of cured and smoked bacon that'll make you reach out for another slice every time. It's truly one of the greatest!
This 250g pack of bacon gives you meaty goodness that is best served alongside a bowl of steaming hot rice. Each strip of bacon has a nice layer of pork belly fat that you can render to become bacon fat and use for salads, dressings, and ginisa meals. Talk about additional flavor and aroma for your recipes from a single pack of bacon!
Gourmet Strips of Meaty Goodness to Enjoy
Aguila has been serving Filipino tables, hotels, and restaurants for 46 years with their gourmet canned products and fresh meats. A testament to their tireless dedication to quality is this 250g bacon that is traditionally cured with their special mix of spices. This process ensures a rich blend of natural flavors with each serving.
For that extra smoky taste and aroma, they add hardwood chips to the smoker. With the balanced blend of sugar and spices, you'd be tempted to get "just one more strip" of bacon! The best part? You get to support a local brand that's committed to serving only the freshest products to its customers!
Restaurant-Quality, Extra Thick Cut Bacon
The government restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19 have made us miss going to our favorite restaurants to eat our go-to food. But worry not, as Wildflour Café has opened its doors for us to taste their top-notch bacon steak in the comfort of our homes.
With their 450g restaurant-quality offering, you can serve a scrumptious meal in a jiffy. Each chunk of bacon steak has its special in-house spice blend with a buttery aftertaste that goes well with corn and carrots, mashed potatoes, or even a cup of plain rice.
Whether it be for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this food item is guaranteed to keep you and your family full and satisfied! To get the best results, pan fry the bacon steaks on low to medium heat to retain their juiciness. Also, it's best to consume them immediately to keep them fresh.
Niman RanchApplewood Smoked Uncured Bacon
A Tasty, Guilt-Free Treat
Farm fresh meat is all but hard to find these days, where conventional meat processing is the most convenient. However, Niman Ranch has stepped up to provide a no-guilt and healthier experience to satisfy your cravings with their 340g all-natural bacon.
The best part is that they don't use artificial flavors, artificial ingredients, nitrates, or nitrites in their bacon. Each lean center cut of this applewood smoked bacon is also free of any antibiotics and hormones. Moreover, Niman Ranch takes pride in its certified humane seal as its testament to raising farm animals right.
Adobo ConnectionBacon Bagnet
A Classic Pinoy-Style Bacon to Try
Bagnet is one of the most iconic delicacies from Ilocos that has conquered our dinner tables and our hearts. This 400g pack of goodness from Adobo Connection combines two of our favorite ulam into one superb creation that will leave us coming back for more.
Boiling hot oil for deep-frying is all you need to see the magic happen. After submerging the bacon strips in oil, you get a tasty viand that you can pair with a steaming cup of garlic rice and suka. It is a food item that you can eat any time of the day.
With an affordable price to pay, your two cravings can be satisfied in a single purchase — one that you don't often see in other food items in the market. Indeed, nothing beats the classic, savory taste of bagnet!
The Good ChoicesVegan Bacon
Jumpstart Your Day With Vegan Bacon
If you're a vegan looking for a filling breakfast option, you're in for a treat! With this 300g pack of smoked bacon made from soy protein, you'll be looking forward to eating almusal every day. The delicious blend that The Good Choices made for each bacon pack is something you can't miss!
When fried, each bacon strip stays juicy and crispy, just like bacon that's made from meat. The flavorful, smoky blend also coats your palette after every bite. Their best-selling selection of ready-to-cook ulam, such as this vegan bacon pack, is ready to serve a household that does not consume meat products.
Prepare for Your Next Breakfast With These Food Items
Planning and thinking about what to eat the next day could be time-consuming and hard, especially if you have kids around. But worry not, as we have other product recommendations that you can stock up in your freezer. These food items would help you prepare delicious meals in no time!
How We Chose and Ranked Our Product Recommendations
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
Top 5 Bacons
No. 1: Robina Farms｜Honey-Cured Bacon
No. 2: Pilmico Farms｜The Good Meat Smoked Bacon
No. 3: Swift｜Delicious Bacon
No. 4: Purefoods｜Maple-Flavored Bacon
No. 5: Pampanga's Best｜Bacon Strips
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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