Is Aldi Budget Bacon Any Good?

[@Pwecko]

I used to own a cafe and had to cook thirty or forty breakfasts a day plus loads of bacon butties. In order to be able to cook the bacon quickly, I spent the first hour or so of every day slapping bacon on the griddle for a few seconds, turning it over for a few seconds, then putting it in a container to drain. Then, scrape down the griddle and put the next lot of bacon on. Those few seconds on the heat bring out the water and scum. Then, when I wanted to cook the bacon properly, it would brown nicely with no offputting white residue. You can do this at home too. Put the bacon in a hot non-stick or very lightly oiled pan. Turn it after five seconds. Take out after another five seconds, then wipe the pan with a piece of kitchen paper (the gunk doesn't have time to burn). Stick the bacon back in the pan and cook to perfection.

[@StephenButlerOne]

At home just chuck it in the air fryer, boil the kettle make some toast, and it's done. Minimal clean up to do.

[@Pwecko]

@StephenButlerOne Ah, but what if you're one of the two dozen people in the country who don't yet own an airfryer?

[@lat1419]

Even now, my relatives in Denmark feel it would be beneath them to shop at Aldi.

[@OwDoGaming-kx9jo]

nice tip 👍

[@markleeming1786]

Same here, I used to pay £6.50 for a 2.27kg pack, think it was 48 slices, I used to do the bacon slowly in one of the ovens, letting fat drip off, until guests started appearing then pop some on the griddle with the mushrooms

[@GerryLewis-qb4pv]

I lived in Germany from the late 70's to the late 90's. Our stores was either the NAAFI or Aldi/Lidl. They were the equivalent to our ASDA/Morrisons. Back then they didn't have fridges or fresh meats. They just brought out pallets of goods and cut the tops off of the boxes. The products moved so fast that they didn't bother with shelving. When I moved back to the UK? I have carried on shopping with them. I don't understand why people think the quality is poor 🤔. They are always the top supermarkets year in and year out. The quality is great, the prices are great. What's not to love? 🥰🥰🥰

[@SuperLittleTyke]

The air fryer is my preferred method now. I do back bacon in 8 minutes and streaky bacon in 7. The bacon I've been eating recently is Aldi or Lidl dry cured streaky. Very tasty and not too salty.

[@AdrianDark-jm8ko]

Your espression when you said I'm on a diet was totally PRICELESS 🤣

[@loupaul8780]

We have recently switched to this one after buying the thick cut 10 rashers and much prefer it, great value and nothing essential about it...cooks much better and doesn't shrink... great review as always!

[@v.rudeboy9829]

been watching a fair few old videos & you're looking a lot healthier now than a couple/few yrs ago.. you do make us chuckle.. xx.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thanks

[@ED-209UHD]

@@v.rudeboy9829 He has me stitches mate 😂 not literally that would be hideous 😂

[@robtherelic510]

Picked a packet of this up yesterday. Had some for breakfast this morning. Very nice, thanks for the tip and the review!

[@belchnasty]

I really appreciate all the hardship and stress you put yourself through for all this research Gaz.

[@markomarten]

I went to my local Aldi and got me a pack of this, I put the rashers in a sandwich bag 2 at a time and put them in the freezer! I had a few rashers that I ate and they were lovely. In the wintry climate it’s nice to have a bacon roll and a cup of tea! Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@paulcockburn9358]

Was a Butcher for 42 years absolutely quality can't fault it 👌

[@adamfavsvidc]

😂😂😂

[@johnh1927]

Pigs have been injected with mRNA since 2018.

[@rolandbellamy-d2z]

i was a butcher as well ,we used to buy sides of danish bacon in then bone & roll them , & cook the hams & make lincolnshire chines !

[@56ty78ui]

They say with added water is like it's a bonus!

[@tonyspike5928]

That does look nice bacon. I usually get Stamford Street bacon from Sainsbury's it's £1.45 for 300g and its good , not overly salty. They do it smoked or non smoked for the same price.

[@mrdangiles90]

When I was a kid in the 90s it was seen as embarrassing to be seen shopping in Aldi or Netto (don't ask me why). I used to go to Aldi with my Grandad, he loved the place-he would buy random stuff from the middle aisle haha...stuff he would never need. 20 odd years on it's probably the best supermarket in Britain? I myself really enjoy the food I have eaten from there. Top review Gareth!

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thank you 👌

[@slimofbonar1978]

Same for me, I think as we grow we're more savvy with our money and don't care what people think 👍🏻

[@MegGriffin.0]

Mhmm

[@sabrinamarriott-b3k]

I remember in the 90's my father in law saying he would not buy Aldi food as it would be rubbish but he had never tried it. So I invited him round for tea and he said he enjoyed it and I said fancy you saying that as it all came from Aldi. That shut him up ha ha.

[@TheRattyBiker]

Nah... For us, Aldi was non-existent but dare mention Netto or Kwik-Save and you were instantly deemed as poor scum! 😂😂 I got a decent enough feeding off both though to always have a full belly as a kid whilst I knew others who's mums only went to Tesco were always hungry!... Thats before we mention the "weigh out" shops... If you don't know, that was a shop full of bins full of things like breakfast cerials, rice, beans, flour etc... Scoop what you need into a bag, they weigh it and you pay for the weight!.... Personally I think those "weigh out" shops need a revival!

[@TraceeLawrence-k1v]

My husband and I buy this bacon as we are on a budget and it isn’t too bad especially with the price 💕🇬🇧

[@susandavis4821]

Hi Gareth Love Smoked bacon, love it. You got a lot of bacon there. Just watching you cook it makes me think I will go and cook some can even smell it through my laptop! Glad you are really enjoying it. Thank you for the vlog cheered me up no end. Sue

[@petersmithson4644]

I had some cheap bacon from Sainsburys the other day. It didn’t turn out too bad after i drained off the fluid half way through. I’m sure they add water to make the weight up same as they do with chicken and other pork products. Professional butchers call it ‘Pissy Pork’.

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

Hi Gareth, Can't go wrong with a bacon buttie, but what is missing is a couple of sausages 2 eggs and black pudding all on the same buttie. All I can say is enjoy it, take care

[@MickJ666]

Gaz, I've been recently buying cooking bacon from morrisons £1 for 500g. It can be a mix of smoked & non smoked, thin, or thick pieces. The last one i got had 4 or 5 thick pieces thicker than gammon, but leaner 😎 i just trim it into strips👌 top value 😎

[@jugglerjim01]

Cooking bacon rocks 😎

[@stevetaylor2004]

Get it from Lidl , 1.79 a kilo

[@DaveF.]

@@jugglerjim01 Some of it - Lidl's is good, Sainsbury's is often mush.

[@ronmatthews1738]

Cooking bacon is excellent value. I normally get a few decent rashers and I use smaller bits to make pies or pasta sauces. Give it a go, BFG.

[@stevedavies7722]

Can be very salty

[@leesharpe5610]

brought this quite a few times , i love it to be honest .Great value i think ,Nice to see you so excited over bacon lol .Keep well mate

[@timredford6608]

Gareth I luv smoked bacon thick cut from ALDI Glad to see you enjoying that 🥓 sandwich, I would buy ALDI essential smoked bacon but I would certainly cook it in the oven. All the very best Tim 😮

[@samhenwood5746]

What a bargain & looks yummy 😋🍞🥓Thanks for sharing Gareth 😊👍

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

My pleasure 😊

[@garethparry6673]

That for cheap bacon looks very nice, made me hungry. Have you tried Lidl’s thick unsmoked back? For it’s the best bacon going!

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Not yet!

[@garethparry6673]

@@BaldFoodieGuytry them and do a review, Richwood unsmoked thick bacon. It’s 99 out of 10 👌

[@flyhalf2]

If you like onion and spuds as well Gareth try bacon hotpot. This was, and still is a favourite of mine from being a kid, it's not healthy but very tasty. Best made with streaky bacon but any bacon will do. Slice potato 1-2mm, dice an onion and cut the bacon into smallish pieces. Place a layer of sliced potato into an oven proof disk, followed by a layer of chopped onion then a layer of bacon. Keep layering until the dish is full and finish off with a layer of spuds, a sprinkling of onion and layer of bacon and cover the dish. Cook for around 12/2 hours at 180C. Check if the spuds are soft then remove the cover and cook for a further 30 minutes just to crisp the top. Sumptuous on it's own or with pickled red cabbage

[@Steve3851]

I love dark winter days in the kitchen especially with bacon. Great review. Thanks.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thanks for watching!

[@Akira42]

Just had some of this bacon today, if I hadn't seen this video I never would have looked at it because of the packaging, but I got some from Aldi yesterday. It's great everyday bacon. Cheers Gareth

[@Silverdale15]

Weather truly horrid outside in miserable Kent so I watched you on my mega screen! Have to say that was the best video you have ever done you actually looked happy 😊 But all that extra water is a no no I no longer buy bacon but am partial to nice sausages but one has to live !!!! Brown sauce for me HP or its vile vinegar! Anyway it looked OK once it was rescued for a v short burst in the trusty AF...I have thar AF it's fantastic! Great vlog 😊

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thanks yes be worse tomorrow

[@mariohughes2289]

Cracking video Gareth thanks for sharing 👍

[@wilderbeestmcc6539]

Your culinary advice about the sauce options is much appreciated 😂👍

[@catherine5090]

I will try them for sure.Thanks again Gareth,I love salt so thats a 10/10 for me.😀

[@britishbabesmum]

I always put a dash of oil in the pan when I'm cooking bacon. It crisps up beautifully......

[@FerDoug]

I haven't had bacon for about a week now, maybe a record for me, this video made me drool 🤤🤤

[@Mr.M1STER]

I do love a rasher sandwich. Just butter on white bread and as many rashers as I can fit in. I love rashers cooked just to the point where the fat turns crisp but not burned. There is a very fine line between crisp fat and burnt but that is where I like it. No sauce for me on a rasher sandwich, no need for it.

[@kevinhughes7565]

At that price it's a bargain and i love a bacon sandwich, great review Gareth

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Cheers Kevin

[@magicaardvark1]

Got a very severe craving for a bacon butty now, so thanks for that, Gaz 😁. Will treat myself at the weekend I reckon. Thanks for the video as always!

[@francisraffle2948]

Hi gareth im so glad you like that bacon ive had it loads of times i cook them in the airfryer adter ive took the wey off the bacon with a paper toel

[@chibbledorf]

Hey, I recommended this to you a while back. I haven't watched the vid yet, but I think it's great value, you get 18-20 rashers and it doesn't shrink much.

[@PAP-o7l]

I cook this in the air fryer until it's crisp & then keep in a sealed tub in the fridge. It's way cheaper than the packs of crispy bacon you can buy & makes a really tasty snack, especially with a 🍺

[@ExRedWineDrinker]

Prefer it done in the oven but good Vid as usual matey, I'm going to load up on it at the weekend

[@johnnisbet]

I always grill our bacon but that looks heavenly. Cheers for your reviews mate.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

No problem 👍

[@downstairslg]

Not bad for £4.50, looks quite thickly sliced as well. I airfry mine, 8min at 180, lovely. Gonna put this on the shopping list tomorrow. I remember from decades ago my Mum would pan fry our bacon then cook baked beans in the same pan with the fat from the bacon, yummy.😋 Another great video.

[@tucoramirez3333]

Lidl sell a pack of 1kg bacon for £1.99 it’s sometimes rashers or just big chunks great for soup this time of year

[@MarkPearce-u7m]

Hi Gareth, that looks excellent value, and NOT wafer thin like most supermarket rashers. Gonna have to get to aldis!

[@rikmoran3963]

Oil isn't just to stop it sticking to the pan, it is to ensure that the bacon is cooked uniformly. The pan heats the oil, and the oil cooks the bacon. The oil is in contact with every part of the underside of the bacon, so cooks all of it, not just the parts that make contact with the bottom of the pan.

[@victorymansions]

Thank you for explaining rudimentary cooking knowledge...

[@DaveF.]

@@victorymansions It's only rudimentary if you already know it and I think a lot of people don't know the reason to use oil for frying.

[@RegiyThornton]

I’m sure the fat on the bacon would do this anyway ?

[@DaveF.]

@@RegiyThornton It takes a while to render fat. If you re-use the pan and fry a few batches, you'll get plenty of oil, but if you're frying in a clean pan a bit oil really helps cook the bacon properly.

[@Jimatkins3271]

Cheers Gordon 😂

[@leegarner6013]

The mmmm of approval. Yeah not great the water coming out but all supermarkets are like that. Cant beat a proper butchers. Try red n brown sauce on the same butty. I’m with you I like bread, butter and bacon. Simply delicious. Great video mate.

[@taf-d2i8j]

I've just fed the family grilled bacon "off cuts" that were actually 4 thick steaks. You have to be lucky to find a pack like that, but what joy when you do!

[@ItsMeJoshLee]

Home Bargains £1:50. 😉

[@taf-d2i8j]

@@ItsMeJoshLee Morrisons yesterday. 4 500g packs at £1 each.

[@shanemckinnon5586]

Finishing it off in your air fryer made it look really good. My mouth was watering looking at that bacon. Nice one.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Cheers pal 👍

[@racheldicker5611]

I'm always spot on when I watch you , and it makes me laugh . the lights are fine

[@justadadpostingstuff2746]

Bacon is in the top 3 achievements of humanity. Food of the gods!

[@621pw]

Great review. - looks like good value/quality. A good tip to clean the pan afterwards if you've run out of dishsoap would be to deglaze it while it's empty but still hot or on a lowish heat. You can gently tip an eggcup full of water into it and as it flashes off use your spatula to squeegee off the baked on gunk; (obviously taking care to make sure you don't end up with a steaming, spitting mess all over yourself)

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Great tip!

[@jeantootell2670]

I buy the naked bacon, yes no nitrates, you were right, that is very tasty too, good review thanks Gareth, give the naked bacon a go, they do smoked, all the best 👍

[@GeorgeWafer]

Thanks Gareth will be giving that a try !

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Hope you enjoy

[@DaleBaker-e3u]

Very good stuff, at a decent price, and lots of it. Whats not to like. That's breakfast for a few days Gaz. Wonderful video.

[@micky1981]

Thanks Gareth, will have to pick a pack up, never seen that size pack in Aldi and the same size pack in Iceland is £7. A classic comment while eating bacon, and it's very meaty🐖🐖🐖

[@TurtleInTheSnow]

My nan keeps telling me to buy this bacon as she's so impressed with it, i will next time.

[@cheryljunkin3531]

I wish we had that in the US…if we do, I’ve never seen it. Looks divine!

[@MKINDYR107]

Gareth, I've been buying this for a couple of years and love it. Normally 20 slices in the pack and the slices are nice and thick. Home Bargains also sell a 1kg pack and is very similar in quality and price. I think I know what I'm having for my tea tonight. Wyn from Slyne.

[@PhatTony-km3fl]

Hiya Gareth, great review, can I suggest a product? like you I am a bacon nut, have you used the cheap "cooking bacon packs" These packs are available in all major supermarkets? I have used this cooking bacon on full English breakfasts, the only negative feedback I have had is that its a tad salty on occasion? It tends to be thicker cut and a mix of smoked and unsmoked. Can you give it a go? Cheers.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Cheers I've reviewed it from home bargains

[@jmd9541]

I will definitely go and buy that. The way you cooked the Bacon looked exactly like how I would cook it so it’s still got a meaty texture but so the fat goes crispy so it’s not too chewy as I hate chewy fat. However I will disagree with putting butter/margarine on the bread as not buttering the bread was always normal for me growing up. Don’t know if this is normal could have just been my family. 😂. Please let me know if this is normal or strange or if both preferences are acceptable.

[@edthorne4806]

Feeling hungry A trip to Aldi tomorrow.

[@benskinner3607]

When I was a kid before paper round a plate of bacon and bread with big fat white bits was the ultimate treat!

[@raphaelandrews3617]

Well done on this one Gary mate I will do like looking for it.I find American bacon awfull and fatty but the stuff in europe is very good, the Danes and Germans make Gammon bacon Thank you for this accurate review Raf

[@alanbenson1505]

That bacon looks damn good for the price. The extra fat in butter helps me when I'm cutting the fat in my body down. I know that sounds weird and contradictory. Butter takes longer to digest, that means I don't get hungry as often. In the long-run, I don't eat as much food in a day. If you're dieting, Gaz, kick the bread into touch for a while. It basically turns into sugar once you digest it.

[@roythomson555]

Loved the face you made when you said you were on a diet😂😂 How's the diet coming along?

[@JayWakes101]

I use these & the ones from Lidl all the time. Before now I've used it with beef to make burgers, extra to make lattices & saved the fats to add to the bread machine's bread packet mix, then if there's left over I'd fry the chips in it.

[@Almond001]

I remember when our local kwik save shut down, Aldi built a brand new store in its place and for months hardly anyone shopped there, it took a couple of years to notice the high end cars in the car park. Its called shopping snobbery.

[@JK-wn3cc]

@Almond001 I work for supermarket suppliers and there was a known change after the 2008 recession, where it went from it being fashionable to say how much (in terms of a lot of money) that you spend on shopping and instead, became the trend to brag about how much you save.

[@JohnSwindells-zm4sq]

Hey that bacon looks tasty so I will be trying some of that in between a couple of toast so thanks for a fantastic video

[@howardmann5634]

Been buying the bacon for ages love it in a carbonara well done carry on

[@jtothew4201]

Have to get some, noticed it the other day but only had u smoked, good to see they are doing the smoked too.

[@johnembery7801]

Wow great value there Gaz, good one. 👍😋

Iv tried this bacon many times and found it to be fine.👍

[@dubsy4835]

Not a bad bit of pig there Gaz... as you might say😂 will go and get some? And you're spot on with your sauce theory too.. it's red for me I think great vid mate👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thanks 👍

[@chrismcdonagh688]

I tried this bacon a couple of years ago out of curiosity to see what it was like and I found it to be better than the rest, so I've stuck with it ever since. Great value.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thanks for sharing!

[@yutehube4468]

I bought this today simply from watching this video! They sold out of smoked but I got the same one. It's decent enough for the price. The rashers are quite large and thick, compared to others I've had from elsewhere that cost more. 20 rashers in total, so they work out to 50g each. I froze 18 of them in 9 sandwich bags... on a diet lol. 12 mins at 200°C in the Air Fryer (not including preheating, it was 14 mins with that) and they were done to absolute perfection.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@michaelfeeney8437]

Another good recommendation. Hard to settle on a decent brand that you want to buy regularly.

[@01Shelagh]

Try the bacon at Lidl its called cooking bacon, its only about 2quid fifty for a big pack. You get what you pay for sometimes it can be proper slices plain and smoked some are just cut off ends and another time it could be thick like gammon steaks, it does taste really nice though try it. John.

[@wolfymaceastern6072]

Hi Gareth could you please do a video about brewing home brew in people’s bedrooms I did it myself and fell asleep for two days mate it turned out the carbon dioxide off making home brew in my small bedroom had put me to sleep I never thought it was dangerous especially with a lot of people keeping bedrooms warm in the winter and keeping the brew warm cheers

[@Hans-k9j]

Quite easy, if it’s 85% pork, the rest is water and salt. As long as it’s delicious, no mistakes made. Here in the Netherlands bacon is far more expensive and a 1kg pack I’ve never seen. Enjoy 😉

[@teresaali6658]

I started buying this bacon back in October and I will never change it coz it ticks all the boxes Oven baked, thick, crisp and tasty 😋 perfect in a sandwich with brown sauce 🎉

[@kizzyfarrell6156]

Very tasty Very good price Best wishes gareth 👍

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

All the best Kizzy 👍

[@markleeming1786]

Hi ya Gareth, have you tried the off cut/cooking bacon from Lidl or asda, think it is about half the price of that from Aldi. It is hit and miss, you can get lovely slices or odd chunks, once we got 3 pieces about an inch think, we cooked that like gammon. Cheap stuff, but is it cheap bacon? but you can put 5 -6 rashers in a sarnie.

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Yes mate I've tried it from home bargains. Review in my pork playlist. Thanks kindly ☺️

[@777daf]

A good honest review Gareth looking well mate 🤝

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thanks 👍

[@MultiLisaParker]

I always buy this bacon and freeze what I’m not using 👍❤️

[@paulcallister1613]

I love bacon 🥓 too Thanks Gareth

[@robertradford6351]

Looks spot on that Gareth, do they do unsmoked too?

[@ljm9379]

Can’t beat a bacon sandwich with a dollop of brown sauce on.well done❤

[@8888Stewie]

Oh looks good , what bread you using looks well nice

[@PaulEvason]

I think I'll try that bacon this weekend, cheers😊

[@Georgie-G58]

Soak the bacon in cold water rinse a couple of times, dry on papas towel, this brings out the salt and a lot of the nitrites in it

[@xFatBoyDavex]

A bacon sandwich is one of the wonders of the world

[@menopausalbarbie7467]

I too love bacon Gareth, I'll look out for this. Thanks for another honest review 💜💜💜

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Cheers Barbie 👍

[@keegan773]

I buy the ALDI three cheese pizza. I have half topped with bacon while the boss tops hers with tomatoes. Great value.

[@ross8884]

Funnily enough I've just started buying this myself! (smaller pack for one person). It's nearly half the price of their standard bacon and I can't tell any difference! Fairly thick cut too which is nice.

[@johndavidlittleton9721]

without doubt best value bacon iv'e ever bought

[@darrenbyrne4657]

Alright blue,that bacon does look good definitely gonna give that a go. Spot on video, bye for now dude.🤗😃✋✌️👍

[@anthonyfieldhouse9691]

Have to look for that next shop, love smoked bacon

[@TimK2646]

Top marks again Aldi. Thanks Gareth. In the good old cheaper energy days, I always used my Oven Grill for the Bacons. Leaves a lovely whiff compared to Sardines.

[@TimelordUK]

Try Morrisons Savers bacon. Very cheap. I buy the smoked version. Doesn't shrink as much as other cheap bacon I've bought

[@crissnelo]

Hi Gareth, I recommend you try those Doritos Chicken Fries from Burger King, My son absolutely loves them, all the best Gareth and keep up the great videos buddy, take care 😊👍🏻

[@peterclarke3300]

Great review Gaz I had something before you for a change at Christmas and I totally agree with you 👍👍

[@davidbowen60]

I’ve always found it ok if you don’t mind a few bits after all is bacon great vid G as always mate

[@BaldFoodieGuy]

Thanks 👍

[@robertsmelt6638]

Wash the gunk out by boiling and changing water. The gunk is actually the curing solution which is injected. Not all wet cured bacon is gunky but it seems to vary a lot.

[@gordonmcmillan4709]

They use it to make up the weight too.