Is bacon halal?

Bacon and eggs for breakfast? 1 in 5 Americans eats this dish for breakfast on a daily basis, but is it halal? Foods that Muslims consider to be legal under Islamic law—which is founded on the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah—are generally referred to as halal.

What Halal Food Means & Why it's Important 

Muslims are expected to adhere to rigorous moral principles. To put it simply, halal is an Arabic word which signifies something that is “lawful or permissible”, whereas haram means "unlawful or banned."

Although you commonly hear these phrases used in relation to food, they can also be used to describe behaviour. The majority of Muslims believe that everything that is not haram must be halal.

What therefore is prohibited? The list is brief:

• Pork or pork by-products
• Meat from any animal that has not been killed in accordance with the Prophetic laws and Hadith prohibitions 
• Alcohol 
• Blood

Except in exceptional circumstances, eating any of these things is viewed as a grave sin and a breach of Islamic law. For instance, if a Muslim had to eat haram food because it was the only option and was necessary to do so to prevent famine, it would not be regarded as sinful.

Pork is the main ingredient in most varieties of bacon, therefore the short answer is no. What exactly is in halal bacon?

Is Bacon Halal?

Anything marked "halal" indicates that Muslims are permitted to eat it, including vegan food, shellfish, and even slain halal animals. All of the ingredients needed to make halal bacon are assumed to be halal and approved by Islam.

Meat is the first component. Pork is not an option because all pig meat is haram, or forbidden to Muslims. We are able to use halal meat like beef, duck, or even turkey. The animals should be butchered in accordance with Islamic law.

Ingredients are then required to cure the meat. Sugar, kosher salt, and curing salt are some of those ingredients, and Muslims consider all three of them to be halal. The bacon itself will be halal for Muslims and completely safe to eat if you adhere to all the halal principles.

That’s why it's important to always check with your local restaurants, like Chick-Fil-A, Chipotle, or any other, if their food is halal before you order from them.

If you aren’t sure if something is halal or not, you should always use an app like Halal calculator, or ask someone who knows better about what is halal or haram.

Which types of meat are suitable for halal bacon?

Can a Muslim consume bacon? Although bacon is often made from pork, it can also be made from a wide variety of other meats. Any sliced, salted, chilled, and allowed-to-cure piece of halal pork qualifies as bacon. The meat is typically smoked as well.

In essence, bacon can be made with just about any salty meat. Here are a few well-known examples:

Turkey

The most well-liked substitute is typically considered to be turkey bacon. It's lean meat that is ideal for people who prefer meat with less fat. It tastes fantastic on breakfast sandwiches and BLTs!

You already know that turkey bacon has a different texture from the majority of bacon variants used in the food sector. Due to its extreme leanness, it lacks the bacon's pronounced fatty part found in pig belly. Even if you're not Muslim, turkey bacon is a fantastic alternative if you'd prefer to avoid the rubbery feel that some varieties of hog bacon have!

Duck 

A luxurious substitute for pork bacon is duck bacon. If you typically favour medium-rare steak, it's worth a try that it can also be served that way.

People may claim that duck meat in general or duck bacon in particular is fattening. When you contrast duck with lean meats like chicken or turkey, it is typically accurate. However, a duck has around 50% less fat than a pig, making it a fantastic choice if you want a rich flavour with a lower fat level.

Duck prosciutto is a very tasty meat that is definitely worth trying if you're seeking a good and halal prosciutto replacement.

Beef

Of the bacon substitutes, beef bacon has one of the meatiest textures. Although beef has a substantial amount of fat, it also has a lot of iron and offers a few other health advantages.

It could be strange to eat cattle bacon if you're used to eating pork bacon. 

But, because of its distinctive texture, it's a fantastic option for stews and other heartier dishes. In contrast to thin, crispy bacon variants, beef bacon has enough flavour to stand out in a mixed meal like a soup or stew.

Lamb 

Lamb bacon isn't one of the most widely available halal foods. Lamb bacon, however, would be a better option if you prefer meat with a distinct gaminess to it. Jewish delis frequently carry it because it is kosher and halal.

If you've never had lamb bacon, it's difficult to describe. Lamb bacon, however, is a more potent rendition of that if you can envision the flavour of lamb. Its flavour pairs well with Moroccan or Indian spices like black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon.