Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Uncured Bacon

For decades, Americans were told to eat lots of carbs. Breads, cereals, and grains were seen as the cornerstone of a healthy diet, and any kid growing up during the 20th century knew about it. School lunches and home dinners reflected it.

In the 1990s, a combination of factors started to eat away (no pun intended) at the carb-heavy model. Fad diets like Atkins and Paleo emphasized meats, and studies later showed that excess carbs, especially sugars, could actually lead to fat, weight gain, and other health issues. The U.S. was already on a pretty meat-heavy diet, but these developments made it even bigger, including triggering a growing interest in bacon. “Bacon mania” was born.

Now, excessive meat consumption, including bacon in particular, has its own share of health risks. Still, bacon remains a popular food, both for breakfast and served atop other meats like cheeseburgers. Cooking bacon takes a little work to fry up, and it also produces a lot of grease. That’s why, on occasion, some people might be searching for a simpler way to serve the stuff.

Such a bacon exists. It’s called fully cooked bacon, and you can find it at many grocers, including Aldi’s distant cousin, Trader Joe’s.

Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Uncured Bacon can be found in the store’s refrigerated section. It should should be kept refrigerated at all times, as it is not preserved. It comes in a 3.25 -ounce package of 15 slices and costs $6.99. At $2.15 an ounce, it’s considerably more expensive than the $1.54 an ounce Aldi sells its fully cooked bacon for, to say nothing of the 25 cents an ounce for uncooked bacon. Granted, you’re paying for 1) convenience and 2) no added preservatives, but there is a cost trade-off.

The ingredients list, to its credit, is simple: pork belly, water, sodium lactate, salt, turbinado sugar, spice extractives, and celery powder. As is typical of bacon, it is high in fat (7g / 11% of your daily allowance), saturated fat (2.5g / 12% DV), and sodium (470mg / 20% DV).

Nutrition information, ingredients, and instructions. (Click to enlarge.)

The instructions call for either microwave or stovetop cooking, which only involves heating up the bacon as it’s already cooked. To cook on the stovetop, place the bacon on a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, turning frequently until desired crispiness is obtained. To cook in the microwave, place two slices between paper towels in a baking dish and cook for 10-15 seconds or until desired crispiness is obtained.

I opted for a microwave, heating the bacon on a microwave-safe plate between layers of paper towels. For me, 6 pieces of bacon took about 30 seconds; your mileage may vary.

It’s pretty good bacon. It’s not quite as crispy or flaky as traditional uncooked bacon, but it is closer than I would have anticipated. I found Aldi fully cooked bacon to have a subtly different taste, but this TJ’s bacon is much closer to the mark. Our family all liked it, and I think it is versatile enough to be served either on its own or atop an egg sandwich or burger.

The Verdict:

Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Uncured Bacon is a surprisingly good bacon. It tastes good and while the texture isn’t quite as flaky as bacon you cook yourself, it’s close enough to be a worthy substitute. It’s also free of the additives you see in a lot of other bacons, including preservatives. It’s also one of the more expensive bacons I’ve seen, so you’ll pay for these positives. It might be worth it to some shoppers.