These Are the Most Creative Ways to Cook With Bacon (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular way to cook bacon? ›

Cooking bacon in the oven gives you perfectly crispy slices without any flipping or fussing, and the cleanup is superspeedy. It's also the best way to make bacon for a crowd. You can cook the bacon directly on aluminum foil-lined baking sheets or on a wire rack set on top of the baking sheets.

If you're looking for supremely crispy bacon and easy cleanup, try cooking bacon under the broiler. The high heat quickly cooks the bacon to produce an evenly crisp finish. Not only is it quicker than some of the other methods, but it has the added benefit of avoiding the grease splatter that comes with pan frying.

Put the bacon in a non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat. When the fat starts to run out from the bacon, increase the heat and cook for 1-3 mins on each side, depending on how crispy you like it.

1: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and lay out as many bacon strips as will fit snuggly without overlapping. 2: Place in a cold oven. Then heat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake to desired crispness, 25 to 35 minutes. 3: Drain well on a paper-towel-lined platter.

Why Does Cooking Bacon in Water Work? The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders. Plus, since the water helps render the fat, there will be significantly less splatter as your bacon finishes in the pan.

Believe it or not, you can cook bacon any numerous ways; two of the best ways to cook bacon to a perfect, savory crispness are in the oven and on the stovetop. But if you're feeling adventurous or in need of a quick slice of bacon, we also have some tips for cooking bacon both on the grill and in the microwave.

In the Oven

Place in a cold oven, close the oven door and turn oven on to 400°. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bacon is crisp; watch carefully during the last few minutes of cooking. Remove and put on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb extra fat.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium. Working in batches, remove bacon from oil, letting oil drip back into dish, and cook until crisp, about 2 minutes on each side.

Always cook bacon on foil or parchment paper at 400°F. Cook regular sliced bacon for 14 minutes; thick-cut bacon for 18 minutes. If you cook less than a full sheet of bacon, check after 12 minutes. For extra-crispy bacon, bake it on top of a metal cooling rack set over the baking sheet.

What not to do when cooking bacon? ›

Crowding the Pan

Crowding creates steam and prevents the bacon from cooking evenly, giving you limp bacon instead of crispy strips. Cook in batches if needed.

Even though it doesn't necessarily come with a mild flavor, bacon is a total blank canvas. With the help of some extra ingredients and spices for your bacon, you can take its original savory, salty, and smoky flavor and enhance it with things like chili powder and coffee, Sriracha, maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey.

According to Epicurious, par-cooking it in the oven is the preferred method of many restaurant owners.

Cooking bacon in the oven doesn't take any longer than in a pan. Oven bacon gets just as crispy, if not crispier, and there's very little mess to clean up after. Making a batch of bacon in the oven also means you can do other things while it's cooking.

Everyone has their own preference for how well done their bacon is cooked, much like preferences for the cooking of steak. Some like it soft and greasy while others like it very crispy. Most people like their bacon somewhere in between. A method rising in popularity is baking bacon in the oven.

Although it seems counterintuitive, bacon crisps up beautifully in the microwave oven. Plus, you won't splatter your stovetop with grease while you're cooking it. Without a doubt, if you just want a few slices of crunchy bacon, the microwave is the quickest, cleanest, and fastest way to make it!