From the bacon frya layer of leather, meat and a lot of fat, usually removed from the pork belly. It’s the excess fat that makes the snack tasty. According to the chef Samara Grossiideally this layer should have at least 4 cm of thickness.
The bacon must be fried in oil too hot, but in a small amount, in a deep pan and partially covered (to avoid burns), until it starts to burst bubbles. In colonial times, the Portuguese fried it «dry» really, just to remove the lard (the fat), since there was no cooking oil. The consumption of delicacy began with the slaves and today it is an indispensable accompaniment in dishes such as feijoada and the turned. It’s just not worth abusing: a portion of 100 g has about 540 calories!