Is Bacon Gluten-free?

Love bacon? Following a gluten-free diet? Find out if bacon is safe to eat on a gluten-free diet, plus which brands to look for at the store.

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I don’t know about you, but I love bacon. It’s smoky, fatty in all the right ways, and it provides some delicious protein at breakfast time. 

It might not be the world’s greatest health food, but does it pose any issue if you’re gluten-free? In this post, we’re going to do a deep dive into bacon and find out what to look for when shopping for this tasty breakfast meat.

We’ll discuss what bacon is made of, if it’s gluten-free, then we’ll wrap the post up with a list of bacon brands that are gluten-free or contain no gluten-containing ingredients.

Turn on the griddle, it’s bacon time!

What is bacon made of?

Bacon is generally made of pork belly, salt, pepper, spices, smoke flavor, and nitrates. It’s generally made using pork, but some brands offer turkey, beef, or chicken bacon.

Bacon is generally not considered a very healthy food due to how processed it is, its high saturated fat content, and the nitrates in the that have been linked to high blood pressure and issues with heart health.

I believe that all foods, even “unhealthy” ones, are safe to enjoy as long as they don’t make me sick and are eaten in moderation. Do what you feel is right for your body and unique diet.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.

You can find gluten in whole grains, but also in many processed foods as well. If you purchase wheat bread, there will be gluten in it, because wheat by nature has gluten.

Many processed foods have hidden gluten in them in the form or gluten or wheat derivatives. These are also in the form of flavorings, binders to keep ingredients together, or other additives.

Is bacon gluten-free?

It might seem obvious that bacon is gluten-free as the ingredients included are generally gluten-free, but it’s not always so simple. 

Many brands confirm that their bacon contains no gluten-containing ingredients, but they don’t always come right out and say they are gluten-free. Why?

This is because most bacon manufacturers also manufacture meats that contain gluten, making the probability of cross contamination real. 

Does this mean that all bacon has had cross contamination? Nope.

Does it mean you should check labels before buying? Yep.

There’s also another factor of the smoke flavoring used. Some bacon manufacturers use smoke flavoring that comes from barley malt powder. Since malt is derived from gluten, it can be a hidden source of gluten in the product.

Review the list of gluten-free bacon brands below, but always read ingredients lists and look for gluten-free labels before purchasing.

Read on: Is malt gluten-free?

What does gluten-free bacon mean?

When we’re talking about bacon, you might be wondering what “gluten-free bacon” really means. There are two ways to think about this.

1. Bacon that has no ingredients with gluten on the package

This would (in theory) make the bacon safe for a gluten-free diet. Using this definition, if you have gluten intolerance but can handle trace amounts of gluten due to cross contamination, then this is a fine way to choose a bacon product for you.

Read ingredient lists and only buy those that don’t have hidden sources of gluten.

Read on: The Names of Gluten and Where they Hide Most

2. Bacon that has a gluten-free label on its package

If you can’t tolerate any form of cross contamination from gluten, for example if you have Celiac disease, then you’ll want to be sure that you look for a gluten-free label. Putting on a gluten-free label ensures that the product contains less than 20ppm of gluten, as required by the FDA.

If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can choose how detailed you get when looking for a bacon option that works for you based on these two definitions.

Gluten-free Bacon Brands

If you strictly follow a gluten-free diet, look for a gluten-free label on the packaging.

Most bacon brands (even the ones I’ve listed below) don’t offer this label, as they don’t test for gluten and may have some form of cross contamination potential in their processing.

While many of these bacon products don’t have a gluten-free label, that doesn’t mean they aren’t safe for your gluten-free diet.

All of those I’ve listed below, I’ve carefully researched to find that they contain no gluten-containing ingredients.

If you need that assurance that there is no potential for cross contamination, look for the gluten-free label. Otherwise, look for any of these brands and flavors at the grocery store to get your bacon fix.

Applegate Farms

Applegate Farms offers a gluten-free label (all are dairy-free as well) on their bacon for the following flavors and options:

• Organic No Sugar Bacon
• Organic Sunday Bacon
• Organic Turkey Bacon
• Natural No Sugar Bacon
• Natural Sunday Bacon

Beeler’s

The Beeler’s website states that their products are all gluten-free, as they don’t use any additives or fillers in their products. These are the bacon flavors that Beeler’s offers:

• Applewood Smoked Bacon
• British Back Bacon
• Garlic Pepper Bacon
• Hardwood Smoked Bacon Ends
• Hickory Smoked Bacon
• Jalapeno Bacon
• Non-GMO Hickory Smoked Bacon
• Non-GMO Half Pork Belly
• Sugar free Bacon

Boar’s Head

Boar’s Head brand offers a number of gluten-free meat options, including their bacon. These are the gluten-free options available:

• Uncured Turkey Bacon
• Butcher Craft Extra Thick Cut Naturally Smoked Bacon (product of Canada)
• Canadian Style Uncured Bacon
• Naturally Smoked Bacon
• Naturally Smoked Traditional Bacon (product of Canada)
• Butcher Craft Thick Cut Naturally Smoked Bacon (product of Canada)
• Canadian Style Uncured Bacon
• Maple & Brown Sugar Bacon (product of Canada)
• Simplicity All Natural Smoked Uncured Bacon

Bob Evans

Bob Evans website doesn’t have any indication on their website that they offer gluten-free products, however I was able to confirm these flavors of bacon don’t contain gluten-containing ingredients using Allergen Inside’s website.

• Thick Sliced Hickory Smoked Bacon
• Thick Sliced Maple Cured Bacon
• Thick Sliced Hickory Smoked Bacon
• Thick Sliced Country Pepper Bacon
• Thick Sliced Hardwood Smoked Bacon

Butterball

Butterball produces turkey bacon. These are the flavors that you can buy that are gluten-free:

• Original Turkey Bacon
• Lower Sodium Turkey Bacon

Dakin Farm

According to the Dakin Farm blog, they have too many products to make note of which of their products contain gluten and those that don’t.

Note this post was published in 2013 and I was unable to find any current information on their products being gluten-free.

As per this post from 2013, these are the varieties of bacon that are considered gluten-free by the company. 

• Cob-Smoked Bacon
• Cob-Smoked Maple Glazed Bacon
• Cob-Smoked Turkey Bacon
• Canadian Bacon
• Irish-Style Back Bacon

Dietz and Watson

The Dietz and Watson website says all but two of their products are gluten-free, including their bacon. Their gluten-free bacon options are:

• Fully Cooked Gourmet Bacon
• Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Canadian bacon Slices

Farmland Foods

Farmland is owned by Smithfield Farms. According to their website, here are the gluten-free bacon options they offer:

• 30% Less Fat Bacon
• Center Cut Bacon
• Gluten-free 33% less fat bacon
• 35% less sodium bacon
• Gluten-free Applewood Smoked Classic Cut Bacon
• Gluten-free Classic Cut Bacon
• Gluten-free Thick Cut Bacon
• Gluten-free Double Smoked Bacon
• Gluten-free Farmland Extra Thick Cut (Butcher’s Cut) Bacon
• Gluten-free Lower Sodium Classic Cut Bacon
• Gluten-free Sliced Thick Cut Bacon

Godshall’s

According to a flyer I was able to find online, these are the gluten-free flavors and bacon options from Godshalls:

• Turkey Bacon
• Maple Turkey Bacon
• Uncured Turkey Bacon
• Fully Cooked Uncured Turkey Bacon
• Candian Turkey Bacon
• Turkey Bacon Slab

Hatfield

As per their website, Hatfield labels its products according to USDA regulations. These are the bacon flavors that they list as gluten-free:

• Cherrywood Smoked Extra Thick Cut Triple Smoked Bacon
• Maple Brown Sugar Extra Thick Cut Triple Smoked Bacon
• Hickory Extra Thick Cut Triple Smoked Bacon

Jones Dairy Farm

Jones Dairy Farm offers gluten-free bacon in all types. Try one of these gluten-free flavors:

• Antibiotic Free Canadian Bacon
• Uncured Candian Bacon Slices
• Canadian Bacon Slices
• Cherrywood Smoked Bacon Slices
• Hickory Smoked Bacon Slices
• No Sugar Hickory Smoked Bacon Slices
• Cherrywood Smoked Turkey Bacon Slices

Neese’s Country Sausage

Neese’s Country Sausage produces bacon that contains no gluten-containing ingredients, however it is made on the same equipment as other products that do. Cross contamination is possible with this brand.

• Hickory Smoked Bacon

Nodine’s Smokehouse

According to their website, they only note two of their products that specifically contain gluten. However, none of their bacon products are considered to be gluten-free and they likely share the same equipment as those that do contain gluten. Avoid this brand if cross contamination of gluten can trigger a reaction for you.

These are the flavors from Nodine’s Smokehouse that don’t contain gluten-containing ingredients, however may or may not be gluten-free.

• Apple Smoked Bacon
• Apple Bacon
• Maple Bacon
• Sliced Canadian Bacon
• Sliced Irish Back Bacon
• Uncured Natural Bacon
• Double Smoked Bacon
• Non-Nitrite Bacon
• Peppered Bacon
• Juniper Bacon
• Garlic Bacon
• Bayou Bacon

Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats

According to their website, all Nueske’s smoked products are gluten-free, including these bacon flavors:

• Wild Cherrywood Smoked Bacon
• Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Pepper Coated Smoked Bacon
• Smoked Slab Bacon
• Applewood Smoked Canadain Bacon

Oscar Mayer

Oscar Mayer brand is owned by Kraft, and this company is well known for labeling their products when there is gluten in the ingredients. None of these flavors of Oscar Mayer bacon contain gluten:

• Fully Cooked Original Bacon
• Fully Cooked Thick Cut Bacon
• Fully Cooked Thick Cut Maple Bacon
• Fully Cooked Thick Cut Cracked Black Pepper Bacon
• Naturally Hardwood Smoked Bacon
• Naturally Hardwood Thick Cut Smoked Bacon
• Naturally Hardwood Smoked Lower Sodium Bacon
• Butcher Thick Cut Hickory Smoked Bacon
• Center Cut Bacon
• Center Cut Thick Cut Bacon
• Maple Bourbon Bacon
• Maple Bacon
• Applewood Smoked Butcher Thick Cut Bacon
• Cracked Black Pepper Bacon
• Natural Thick Cut Smoked Uncured Bacon
• Natural Smoked Uncured Bacon

Smithfield

While Smithfield owns a few other brands that make bacon, including Armour and Farmland, according to their website, there are no Smithfield brand bacon options that are gluten-free. 

I was only able to see Farmland brand of bacon listed as gluten-free. If you’re looking for gluten-free bacon, look for Farmland by Smithfield brand and know that they are produced under the same parent company.

Wellshire Farms

Wellshire Farms does an excellent job noting which of their products contain gluten on their website. These are the flavors you can look for that are gluten-free:

• Irish Loin Back Bacon
• Sugar Free Paleo Dry Rubbed Bacon
• Maple Bourbon Flavored Dry Rubbed Uncured Bacon
• Sugar Free Dry Rubbed Bacon Ends & Pieces
• Fully Cooked Chicken Bacon
• Fully Cooked Turkey Bacon
• Organic Sugar Free Turkey Bacon
• Sugar Free Dry Rubbed Fully Cooked Uncured Bacon
• Organic Dry Rubbed Bacon
• Fully Cooked Bacon Strips
• Applewood Smoked Dry Rubbed Center Cut Bacon
• Smoked Maple Uncured Bacon
• Turkey Peppered Uncured Bacon
• Classic Sliced Turkey Bacon
• Organic Turkey Bacon
• Thick Sliced Dry Rubbed Bacon
• Smoked Sliced Uncured Beef Bacon

Is turkey bacon gluten-free?

Depending on the brand and manufacturer, turkey bacon may or may not be gluten-free. As I was researching for this post, I found that most turkey bacon contained “autolyzed yeast extract,” which is a hidden name for gluten.

If you come across this ingredient in turkey bacon brands you’re looking at when at the store, be sure to look for this ingredient.

Are my favorite bacon brands gluten-free?

There are a number of popular brands of bacon and many folks have written to ask me which ones are safe and which ones to avoid. I’ll answer some of these popular questions of name brands below.

Is Oscar Mayer bacon gluten-free?

Oscar Mayer brand is owned by Kraft, and this company is well known for labeling their products when there is gluten in the ingredients.

I was able to find a number of flavors of their bacon as gluten-free on their website after looking through each product’s ingredients lists. 

As with any brand and product, changes can be made at any time to the recipes, so always read ingredient lists before buying.

Is Smithfield bacon gluten-free?

I wasn’t able to find any specific gluten-free bacon from the Smithfield brand on their website. However, Smithfield owns Farmland and Armour brands.

Smithfield does list a few Farmland bacon flavors as gluten-free on their website, so you can feel confident that these are in fact gluten-free. Look for these options in the list above.

They did not list any of their Armour brand of bacon as gluten-free, so these may or may not contain gluten or have the potential for cross contamination. 

Is Wright bacon gluten-free?

I spent a really long time trying to validate the fact that Wright bacon is gluten-free. I found a number of websites listing this brand as having gluten-free options. However, doing my own research, I wasn’t able to come up with a definitive answer.

Check out this blog post if you are hoping to find flavors from this brand that are gluten-free, but again, I wasn’t able to validate this information myself so didn’t feel comfortable putting it in this post.

I hope if you’ve been looking for gluten-free bacon options that this post has helped you find a brand that will work for you! Always read ingredients lists and check for that gluten-free label before buying!

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