Abstract: Bacon products having very low fat contents are provided from high fat sources which can include pork trimmings. The bacon products are made from a composite of two low-fat meat components. In an illustrated arrangement, one of the low-fat meat components is processed from high-fat content meat trimmings which are comminuted, heated and centrifuged, preferably in conjunction with being phosphated, under specific processing conditions. The second low-fat component in the illustrated arrangement is desinewed to remove substantial amounts of fat associated with the sinew that is mechanically removed from whole muscle tissue. The bacon product has a total fat content of not greater than about 5 percent by weight. It can be of the no-fat or fat-free variety within which fat contents which meet the regulatory definition will vary depending upon the particular type of product being made. Fat contents can be not greater than about 3.

Abstract: Bacon products having very low fat contents are provided from high fat sources which can include pork trimmings. The bacon products are made from a composite of two low-fat meat components. One of the low-fat meat components is processed from high-fat content meat trimmings which are comminuted, heated and centrifuged, preferably in conjunction with being phosphated, under specific processing conditions. The second low-fat component is desinewed to remove substantial amounts of fat associated with the sinew that is mechanically removed from whole muscle tissue. The bacon product has a total fat content of not greater than about 5 percent by weight.

Abstract: A shaped generally rigid, polymeric sealed package having an ordered set of bacon pieces is provided. The ordered pieces can be provided as multiple arrays of bacon strips, whether whole, partial or broken slices. Each array can include a plurality of bacon pieces with a flexible sheeting positioned between vertically adjacent bacon piece arrays. Corresponding slices from respective arrays are in general vertical alignment with each other so as to form multiple stacks of bacon pieces. A generally rigid cover or pedestal is releasably hermetically secured to a rigid tray or bubble. Package walls are substantially transparent so that the consumer can readily inspect, prior to purchase, multiple entire lengths of bacon slice surfaces. The package is especially advantageous when the bacon pieces are in the form of partially-to-fully-cooked slices or slice portions. The bacon pieces are supported in their ordered set configuration by engagement, directly or indirectly, with interior surfaces of the sealed package.

Abstract: Assembled bacon slices which do not overlap are provided by assembling a plurality of bacon belly portions by a process that does not require the use of added binders or the use of spring-loaded forms or other compression-imparting devices. Heating followed by chilling effects belly portion assembly that holds during slicing and subsequent cooking. Pre-cooked generally square assembled bacon slices which do not overlap are thus provided.

Abstract: Assembled bacon slices are provided by assembling a plurality of bacon belly portions by a process that does not require the use of added binders or the use of spring-loaded forms or other compression-imparting devices. Heating followed by chilling effects belly portion assembly that holds during slicing and subsequent cooking. Pre-cooked generally square assembled bacon slices are thus provided.

Abstract: A method for coloring raw meat wherein the raw meat muscle surface or meat skin is coated with a coloring solution. The coloring solution contains liquid smoke and caramel. The colored meat is then packaged and cooked.