Does Bacon Have Gluten?

Last Updated on July 2, 2024

It may seem like an odd question – as surely bacon is always gluten free, it’s just pork belly after all? Well, this is not always the case. Like most foods, gluten can sneak its way into almost any food product, and of course, there’s always the risk of cross-contact. Let’s take a look at the typical ingredients you’ll find in bacon.

Ingredients In Bacon

When looking at the ingredients in the bacon, you’ll usually find the following ingredients:

• pork belly
• water
• sugar
• salt
• sodium phosphates
• sodium ascorbate
• sodium nitrate

Of course, if you’re buying bacon that already has flavoring added (such as maple bacon), the ingredients will differ, so it’s always worth checking the label before making any purchases.

Gluten Free Bacon Brands

In the US, there are many gluten-free brands to enjoy; many of them being incredibly popular and easily accessible. Let’s have a round-up of some of the best brands to buy for gluten-free bacon.

Applegate Farms

Applegate Farms has an extensive gluten-free list of products, which you can find here. Among those products – there’s a whole load of gluten-free bacon! Their gluten-free bacon options include:

• No Sugar Bacon
• Sunday Bacon
• Thick Cut Bacon
• Turkey Bacon
• No Sugar Bacon (Organic)
• Sunday Bacon (Organic)
• Turkey Bacon (Organic)

Applegate Farms also offers products such as gluten-free chicken tenders, gluten-free chicken nuggets, and gluten-free sausage breakfast patties; all of which are ideal if you’re following a gluten-free diet.

Wellshire Farms

Wellshire Farms have an incredible special diets check list, which gives you the option to check any allergies you have and displays any products that you can eat from their range. This tool is super easy to use, and it would be so helpful for other brands to offer this service.

Some of their gluten free bacon products include:

• Applewood smoked dry rubbed center cut bacon
• bacon bits
• Canadian bacon
• classic sliced turkey bacon
• fully cooked bacon strips
• original dry rubbed bacon
• organic sugar-free turkey bacon
• smoked maple uncured bacon

This is just a small selection of the gluten-free products they offer – they have a whopping 83 products!

Boar’s Head

Boar’s Head is a premium deli brand. And good news – all of their meats, condiments, and cheeses are gluten-free! That’s right, every one of their meats is gluten-free, including the bacon. From Extra Thick Cut Naturally Smoked Bacon, to Traditional Canadian Bacon; we’re definitely spoilt for choice with Boar’s Head.

Dietz and Watson

While Dietz and Watson don’t have many choices when it comes to bacon, this producer of deli meats and cheeses is certified gluten-free. When a product is certified gluten-free, this means that each product undergoes rigorous testing and must meet strict guidelines set by the FDA. This particular brand produces the following gluten-free bacon:

• Regular Bacon
• Canadian Style Bacon

Other Brands

There are several more brands that confirm their bacon is gluten-free, rather than “no gluten ingredients”. These brands include:

• Beeler’s
• Dakin Farm
• Jones Dairy Farm

Do you know of any other brands? Please feel free to let me know so I can add them to the list.

Ways To Add Bacon To Your Dishes

The crispy and salty taste of bacon is an incredible addition to any dish. But if you’re struggling with how to add it to your dishes, why not try one of these ideas?

• bacon onion rings
• maple bacon salmon
• maple bacon carrots
• bacon wrapped parmesan potatoes
• bacon asparagus bites
• pancakes with bacon & maple
• candied bacon Brussel sprouts
• bacon fried apples
• loaded mashed potato bake with bacon
• bacon weave apple pie

Whether you’re looking for breakfast, lunch, or dinner – bacon can work in any meal. It really is that versatile – and that delicious. It adds the perfect salty crunch to a meal if you’re using plain bacon, or adds the ideal sweet crisp to a dessert or breakfast, with candied bacon.

Conclusion

I hope this post has helped to answer the question: does bacon have gluten? And also helped to identify all the gluten-free brands that are available to us. Some gluten intolerants are happy to buy bacon that doesn’t contain any gluten ingredients, while others prefer to opt for “gluten-free” bacon only. As long as you’re choosing whatever you feel most comfortable with, that’s the most important thing.

 

FAQs