# Canadians: What do you call Canadian bacon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 5, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483 "2017-03-05T17:02:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/1 "2017-03-05T17:02:26Z")
Do you just call it ‘[bacon](http://www.simplysated.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2-Cheese-Straws-collage-1-PicMonkey-Collage.jpg)’, but call the long fatty strip-like bacon ‘[American bacon](http://www.seriouseats.com/images/2016/10/20161018-best-way-to-bake-bacon-18.jpg)’? And what about you Brits? What do you call the various types of bacon? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/2 "2017-03-05T17:10:02Z")
We call iCanadian bacon “peameal bacon” or “back bacon” and we call normal bacon “bacon”. ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/3 "2017-03-05T17:10:29Z")
We call it back bacon. The regular kind of strip bacon we call “bacon.” Then there’s peameal bacon, which is back bacon that’s been rolled in cornmeal, but previously peameal, hence the name. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/4 "2017-03-05T17:12:49Z")
We call it back bacon. Peameal has to have been rolled in cornmeal. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/5 "2017-03-05T17:20:36Z")
> [@K364](#): > > We call it back bacon. Peameal has to have been rolled in cornmeal. But AFAIK, that’s what Americans usually are calling “Canadian bacon”, back bacon rolled in cornmeal. Eta: though the OP"s picture is not. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/6 "2017-03-05T17:38:01Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > But AFAIK, that’s what Americans usually are calling “Canadian bacon”, back bacon rolled in cornmeal. Eta: though the OP"s picture is not. Whenever I’ve seen “Canadian bacon” in the US, it’s always been like the OP’s picture, not rolled in cornmeal. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/7 "2017-03-05T18:01:39Z")
They call it beh?con. I’ve never seen peameal in the US ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/8 "2017-03-05T18:07:09Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > Do you just call it ‘[bacon](http://www.simplysated.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2-Cheese-Straws-collage-1-PicMonkey-Collage.jpg)’, but call the long fatty strip-like bacon ‘[American bacon](http://www.seriouseats.com/images/2016/10/20161018-best-way-to-bake-bacon-18.jpg)’? > > And what about you Brits? What do you call the various types of bacon? Brit: American bacon is streaky bacon, the better bacon is back bacon. As often as not, smoked. The OP’s picture of Canadian Bacon looks more like Gammon. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/9 "2017-03-05T18:18:02Z")
This American has never heard of peameal, nor have I ever seen bacon rolled in cornmeal. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/10 "2017-03-05T18:23:09Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > Whenever I’ve seen “Canadian bacon” in the US, it’s always been like the OP’s picture, not rolled in cornmeal. Huh. Well I’ve definitely seen it though not in the grocery store, usually as part of a burger or sandwich at a restaurant. FWIW, the wiki page on peameal bacon gives “Canadian bacon” as an alternative name. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/11 "2017-03-05T18:26:08Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > But AFAIK, that’s what Americans usually are calling “Canadian bacon”, back bacon rolled in cornmeal. Eta: though the OP"s picture is not. I’ve never heard of peameal bacon, and the name is pretty unappetizing. Canadian bacon is the stuff that’s in an Egg McMuffin. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/12 "2017-03-05T18:27:38Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > Brit: American bacon is streaky bacon, the better bacon is back bacon. As often as not, smoked. > > The OP’s picture of Canadian Bacon looks more like Gammon. I’m getting an education here. I’ve never heard of peameal or Gammon before today. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/13 "2017-03-05T19:09:36Z")
And since we’re speaking of Canada and bacon…I went to Newfoundland last year and holy god the amount of bacon you get in restaurants is heavenly. I’ve never been giving so much bacon before and I’m FAIRLY certain they deep fry it. I miss it ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/14 "2017-03-05T19:11:31Z")
On a similar note, I had a conversation with a Brit who had no idea what an English muffin was. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/15 "2017-03-05T19:15:08Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Huh. Well I’ve definitely seen it though not in the grocery store, usually as part of a burger or sandwich at a restaurant. FWIW, the wiki page on peameal bacon gives “Canadian bacon” as an alternative name. And oddly, the wiki for “back bacon” distinguishes between the American usage of “Canadian bacon” (roughly cylindrical fully cooked back bacon, usually smoked, trimmed into medallions, and thickly sliced) and “peameal bacon” (unsmoked wet cured pork loin trimmed like “canadian bacon” and traditionally rolled in ground dried yellow peas to extend its shelf life.) ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/16 "2017-03-05T19:21:29Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > On a similar note, I had a conversation with a Brit who had no idea what an English muffin was. Don’t they call it a crumpet? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/17 "2017-03-05T19:24:08Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > On a similar note, I had a conversation with a Brit who had no idea what an English muffin was. What do the French call french fries? Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/18 "2017-03-05T19:31:24Z")
The French call them “pomme frites”, as do the Germans funnily enough. \*"pomme de terre is French for potato. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/19 "2017-03-05T20:13:07Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > And since we’re speaking of Canada and bacon…I went to Newfoundland last year and holy god the amount of bacon you get in restaurants is heavenly. I’ve never been giving so much bacon before and I’m FAIRLY certain they deep fry it. I miss it ☹ Well, I didn’t have any reason to visit Newfoundland BEFORE, but now … ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483/20 "2017-03-05T20:20:12Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > Don’t they call it a crumpet? No. A crumpet is like a thick pancake. The thing you call an English muffin, we call a muffin. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-what-do-you-call-canadian-bacon/781483.md?page=2)