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Interestingly, medieval bacon differed significantly from the modern product. Commonly salt-cured, it would be compressed and hung to dry. Unlike today's crispy strips, medieval bacon was likely hard and grayish. No evidence of nitrates being used in preservation has been found in English cooking until the 17th century.

Industrial Revolution and Mass Production

The evolution of bacon production took a notable turn in the 18th century with John Harris, who established the world’s first commercial bacon processing plant in Wiltshire, England. The "Wilshire cure" method became renowned for producing a sweet, low-salt bacon, setting a precedent in commercial bacon production.