This morning, as I incinerated my breakfast, I was reminded of the etymology of the word rasher, as in a rasher of bacon. There are two theories on the subject. The first rather tedious one is that it’s cognate with razor and therefore means a thin strip that has been cut off.
However, the first etymologist to tackle the rasher was John Minsheu (1560-1627). He, in his Ductor in Linguas, gives an explanation that is much more fun, though not necessarily much more true.
A Rasher on the coales, q. rashly or hastily roasted.
This does, at least, tally with my experience.