Chihoku Kogen Bacon is a popular Hokkaido bacon known for its relatively lean meat, gentle saltiness, and rich smoky aroma. It is made from Danish pork belly, which tends to contain less fat and a higher proportion of lean meat than many domestically produced pork cuts.
The pork is first salt-cured for three days and then carefully aged and dried. It is finally smoked using cherry wood chips, giving the bacon a fragrant, rounded smoky character.
The result is a well-balanced flavor with moderate saltiness and an inviting aroma of smoke. Its relatively low fat content also gives it a lighter character, making it enjoyable in a variety of ways.
One of the distinctive features of Chihoku Kogen Bacon is that it can be enjoyed without cooking. Thinly sliced bacon can be pan-fried until crisp, bringing out an even deeper smoky flavor.
For hearty dishes, larger pieces can be added to stews and other slow-cooked recipes. Thick slices can also be prepared as a bacon steak, allowing you to enjoy a juicy texture and the full flavor of the smoked pork.
From a simple snack to a substantial cooked dish, Chihoku Kogen Bacon is easy to incorporate into many meals. Its combination of lean meat, gentle seasoning, and fragrant cherry-wood smoke makes it a distinctive specialty from the Tokachi, Kushiro, and Nemuro area of eastern Hokkaido.