Imagine this scenario: It’s a grey Sunday morning in Manchester, you’re hungover, anxious, and sick, but worse than that, you’re hungry. It is undeniable that many in this situation have opted for a bacon sandwich/barm/bap (whatever you may call it), an affordable and reliable cure-all. While the whole UK may love a bacon sandwich, the heated debate on how to prepare it still remains piping-hot. Fresh new data from British meat brand The Jolly Hog based on 3000 UK adults reveals just how we Brits make our perfect bacon sarnie.
First off: the cooking. The top method of cooking chosen by nearly half of all Brits (48%) is grilling. This may come as a shock to you, and Gen Z primarily reach for the frying pan with 53% frying their bacon. The way of cooking isn’t the only thing that’s changed over the years, however, as those over 65 still enjoy traditional unsmoked back bacon, whereas the younger generations opt for smoked back bacon. 50% of the nation prefer this twist, however 31% of Gen Z favour streaky bacon, reviving an even older classic.
The theme of indulgence in Gen Z continues, with 49% saying that three rashers is ideal, compared to a nationwide preference for two slices. Furthermore, while ‘slightly crispy’ rashers is still the nation’s go to texture, 18-24 year olds skew to the crunchy side with quarter enjoying ‘extra crispy’ bacon as part of their dream sandwich.
The bread-toast debate is not as controversial however, with bread dominating 73% of all bacon sandwiches in the UK, and soft-white as the preferred variety (39%). Despite this, up North 40% opt for the bap like our Scottish neighbours. On the other hand, a University of Manchester student may instead be persuaded by the luxury of sourdough toast with 15% of 18-24 year olds choosing this artisanal treat.
But we can all agree that a bacon sandwich is not a bacon sandwich without the sauce. Mayonnaise surprisingly (and sickeningly) makes up 11% of the votes beat by HP sauce which receives a total of 32%, a number which goes up to 38% amongst those 55 and older and 45% in Northern Irish respondents. Unsurprisingly though, ketchup secures the nations’ favour with half (50%) of the nation opting for red sauce on their bacon baps; this is even more true of the 25-34 year old with 72% favouring this sauce. Amongst the younger demographic there is an wider range of sauce preferences, with hot-sauce being the second choice of 30% of 18-24 year olds.
All that being said, the stats show that the average Manchester student will be tucking into something that looks a bit like this: 3 slices of smoked back bacon, cooked in a frying pan until crispy, smothered in a dollop of tomato sauce and then sandwiched in an untoasted white bread roll.
Personally, I’d go for 4 bits of extremely crispy streaky bacon (I know, a bit excessive), covered in mustard between two bits of toasted brown bread. Despite this, there’s not one sandwich combination mentioned that I wouldn’t eat, giving me a bit more appreciation for the beauty of what is (probably) the nation’s favourite sandwich.
