Back bacon is the rasher for a proper butty: more eye of meat, less belly streak than streaky. Smoked Back Bacon 454g and Unsmoked Back Bacon 454g cover the weekly fridge pack; 5lb Smoked Back Bacon fills the freezer. Shop them in back bacon and the wider bacon range.
Pan and grill
Start with a cold pan on medium heat and no oil — the fat will render. Lay the rashers flat, turn every minute or so for 4 to 6 minutes until the fat turns clear and the edges colour. High heat from a cold start toughens the lean eye before the fat catches up. Under the grill: medium, racked, 4 to 5 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper if you want a drier butty; keep a spoon of fat for eggs.
Oven and air fryer
Oven: 200°C on a wire rack over a tray for 10 to 14 minutes — easy for a crowd. Air fryer: 180°C for 6 to 9 minutes in a single layer; check at six. Smoked and unsmoked use the same clock; smoke is flavour, not a different timer. For batch breakfasts and butty nights, Butty Back Bacon 2kg and the 5lb packs sit with sausages in breakfast meats.
What to serve
Soft white bread and brown sauce, a full English, or chopped through pasta. Keep streaky for wrapping and crumbling; back for the sandwich. Browse bacon when you want both styles in one shop.
Times above are a guide for home ovens and fryers — always trust a probe over the clock, and rest meat before you carve so the juices stay in the slice, not on the board. British packs vary a little in thickness, so start checking a few minutes early the first time you cook a new size, then write your own note on the fridge.