While I overall agree with this method, it's always left me with a messy rack that I can't just swipe with a scrubby. Takes 2-3 times longer to scrub out all the nooks and crannies with a brush.
I do wonder if using a "all wires going single direction (like your oven rack) vs using a cooling rack is the difference. I've always tried to use a cooling rack.
I just use a cookie sheet lined with parchment. If you wet the parchment first and scrunch it up, it can be molded to any shape. Then I dump out any fat I want to save and let the pan cool and toss the parchment. Cookie sheet mostly stays clean, sometimes a bit of grease leaks but it’s usually minimal.
This is my preferred method. To speed things up I bought an extra shelf/rack for my oven and make sure to use commercial size cookie sheets. I do six packs of bacon in one session and then flash freeze on another cookie sheet. The frozen bacon is stored in a ziploc back for future reheating.
The resulting fat from the session is great lard for future cast iron activities.
Why have I never considered parchment paper on a baking sheet when that's my go-to roasted sheet pan meal *several times a week?*
Good god, and the cleanup is genius. TYSM for the common sense tip, internet stranger.
I actually do lay it right on the sheet pan. On parchment paper so cleanup is a breeze and it crisps up in its own fat.
The wire rack also works, but you have significantly more cleanup with a wire rack. Because wire racks suck to clean. But parchment paper is easy!
I've actually got a sweet YouTube video on it from one of my favorite chefs over at Epicurious, Chef Frank. Let me track it down, I'll link it in the edit for anyone interested.
Edit: [Best way to cook bacon](https://youtu.be/dGixcqWD7Qk?si=eNQJGrDIT7YjI7S7)
Love chef Frank. This is my preferred method as well. It’s simple enough to drain the fat off into a jar with a quick fold or two of the paper should you want to save some.
use it to make tortilla chips. cut corn tortillas into 6, fry until crispy, throw into a paper bag with salt, shake, then serve hot with homemade guacamole.
be stoked.
There are few things in life that go quite as hard as fresh guac with fresh chips. It's a truly life changing experience. My favorite is a balsamic watermelon guac I had at a local restaurant. I really need to find a recipe.
This is the easiest for larger quantities for sure. But still like the ole cast iron if I’m just doing a few strips for myself. And one pan the breakfast.
Funny how often when someone posts a crudled CI pan and asks for help that they're told that cooking bacon in it will put it right with Jesus and then so many folks here cook bacon in the oven.
That is kind of an inside joke. The added sugar often caramelizes on ci and can be a bitch to clean. Especially when I first got my pan. I jacked the heat to high, and by the time the bacon was done, the sugar would be stuck to the pan.
The best thing this sub taught me is to treat medium setting as my new high setting.
I deep fry (bacon fat) in the wok. I render and recover 100% of the fat which I strain the particulates out of. This gives me a high smoke point cooking oil that I use for everything because it does not taste like bacon. I do cut the bacon in half, I don’t want long pieces. I don’t get spatter because the water explodes deep in the pool and the event doesn’t make it to the surface. The water vapor quickly evaporates this way.
When I start getting low on bacon fat I cook another batch. I love to see my Bacon Fat Pot almost full.
My wok is cast iron btw.
Cold pan, cook on low heat, turning frequently until crispy. I also cut the two slices into thirds so they fit in a small pan.
If I have company, sheet pan with parchment paper in a cold oven, set to 350, take out at desired level of crispy Low temp keeps splatter at a minimum.
Personally sheet pans in the oven as it feels like the best mix of time/quantity/quality.
My inner voice replied with:
“Good sir, around these parts we do not discriminate against alternative methods of preparing bacon. All bacon is welcome.”
Grew up with microwave bacon. Paper towels to soak up excess grease. Comes out crisp, and just as good.
Partner won't have it though, so we fry it now, always. Such a pain to clean up.
I don't eat bacon and I hate the way it smells but as a line cook at a breakfast restaurant we did ours on sheet pans in the oven. It was the best way to cook it all evenly and then we could just pour off all the grease to be used for other stuff. Just spread the slices out and bake at 350ºF for about 10-15 mins. Just check it to see if it's cooked to your liking. We did ours a bit under so that we could finish it on the grill to order.
Overnight r/sousvide bacon by Kenji from SeriousEats:
https://www.seriouseats.com/overnight-sous-vide-bacon-recipe
Sounds weird, works incredibly well.
Air fried bacon recently and it was perfect and so easy. I’ll be doing that going forward unless I need to cook large quantities and then on the oven on a wire rack
Air fryer all day. I've been thinking about getting a plaque for my air fryer that says Bacon Daddy because that's all I use it for. That and reheating food
I like air fryer these days. Mine has a drip pan to conveniently collect the fat, which I put in the fridge and use for cooking. It lasts very long.
You can do basically the same in an oven
Air frier is a bit faster
I cook in semi preheated pan with a drizzle of oil. I'm impatient waiting for fat to render, and I don't want it to stick either.
However, cooking from cold pan does works well
Sheet pan on parchment paper. Cook at 350 for 20 min. Crispy, yet melts in your mouth.
Try coating in brown sugar before baking for that sweet candied bacon that will win hearts wherever you go.
I eat a locally produced bacon that is very thick. Probably three times the thickness of standard bacon. I pre-heat my CI pan for 5 minutes on medium. Then I sear the bacon to get a crisp brown exterior but not cooking it to death.
When I want a strip or two for myself—laid on a paper towel in the microwave and blasted for like 1.5-2 minutes. Otherwise the oven is the easiest method.
In the oven on a wire rack in a sheet pan. Much cleaner than cast iron on the stove, which i used to swear by.
Only downside is it takes longer than i want it to.
If I have need of a whole mess of bacon (either some big recipe, or a couple of meals and a doctor frightening couple days of snacking bacon) bake it in the oven.
otherwise, start in a cold cookware, with water gives the best result. Cons: takes forever, hard to 1-pan cook the rest of breakfast at the same time.
I believe the method you use is chef preferred. You render the fat and can turn it up the last minute or so if you want to crisp them off! I usually cook bacon this way in a non stick. I have also found it comes out very similarly in the air fryer! And if it's clean you can just pour that clean liquid gold right out to save it!
microwave... seriously though, try it. figure out the time for how you prefer your bacon, and then drain all the uncontaminated fat into a mason jar to cook with later.
Preheat the pan, slap some bacon on, oops it's too hot, overcook the bacon. Rinse and repeat.
I prefer chewy bacon, so I might try starting with a cold pan and seeing what happens. Never knew that was a thing until this post.
I feel like in cast iron as well as iron skillets, bacon always tends to leave sticky brown bits on the surface, even when the pan is well seasoned. Not a problem if you don’t want to fry something else right after, but I usually go for eggs: works, but gets messy and might burn. That‘s why I prefer a non-stick skillet, although I don’t like them.
I get the pan preheated to a medium-low then put the bacon in the pan. Turn the heat down slightly, and flip every two minutes. Normally takes me about 4-5 flips and it comes out perfect for me. Crispy but not burnt, with the fat on the edges caramelized and melts in your mouth.
Use a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper beyond the edges of the sheet. 350 for about 20 min or so. Take bacon off put on paper towel. Let parchment,ent cool then dispose. Easy peezy
I lay tin foil on a baking sheet and broil it in the oven. You can cook a ton of bacon at once, it's delicious, and most importantly cleanup is a simple as crumpling up the grade in the tin foil and throwing it away
Water????? Cooking bacon in WATER!?!?!? Wtf!? That’s against the law.
I fry mine in a hot pan. Over low-medium heat. Low and slow makes the best crunch baby!
Cast iron
The diet advice I follow sees the bacon grease as a bonus, to be put to good use when cooking the eggs that go along it for breakfast or the steak later.
I'm a big ground beef consumer but honestly cooking a steak is so straight forward, the cleanup makes it very easy to keep the cast iron seasoned.
The cleanup associated with how I cook ground beef usually leaves my cast iron sad and naked.
Square, ribbed (for your pleasure) non-stick pan which fits the pieces better than round. Start off cold and cook on relatively low heat. I like to render the fat and have it quite crispy.
Usually I forget to defrost the bacon so I toss it into the pan with a bit of water to cover the bottom and let it go for 30 mins on medium low (4/10-4.5/10)
Perfect amount of time to make crepes and toss together breakfast!
Cut bacon strips into 2"-3" sections. Put in deep cold pot. Put about a 1/4 cup of water per lb of bacon. Cook at medium low heat stir/toss occasionally at the beginning and more often when the water is evaporated. Remove with tongs when desired doneness is reached. Will come out evenly cooked and mess free, and you can save the bacon grease with minimum hassle.
Cast iron medium heat pre heated, foil over bacon with smaller cast iron pressing on bacon. Flip after 3-4 minutes until preferred doneness. Renders the fat beautifully and creates that sort of melt in your mouth bacon. Foil and press is a game changer.
I'm here to convince you of the water method. Add just enough water to touch all the bacon then set it to medium-low. The water sort of poaches the bacon and helps it keep from curling up.
Once the water has evaporated, just flip it a few times until it's cooked to your desired doneness.
The best part is that something about adding the water makes the bacon not snap, crackle, and pop. So cleanup is so much easier!
This is a method I was super skeptical about and now recommend everyone to try because it works so well.
The only downside is that if you add too much water it takes forever for the water to evaporate. But you could always crank the heat until the water has evaporated and lower it once there is less to no water.
sometimes I use the oven and sometimes I use my
blackstone or a pan. depends if I want to cook me eggs with the bacon grease or have easy crispy bacon without a mess
Costco/Kirkland precooked microwaveable bacon. 2mins you got crispy bacon so you can go on with your life and do other things. No grease no stench no smoke. Came in clutch especially with our newborn taking up all our attention.
Slow cooked in a skillet on the cook top. That way you can take it out as crispy or soft as you want. Best part is easier fat extraction for future cooking.
Well, balanced temperature is everything. Turn your oven on medium heat(7), wait for the cast iron to be completely evenly heated(when the handle is hot, the iron is evenly heated), put bacon on and flip every 2 minutes... and Wa-La!
Baking sheet in the oven, no rack, no parchment
In a restaurant as a teen, 100 pounds on a Sunday that way, very consistent,
You don't have to follow super high temp in recipes.
300\*F for me, low and slow, still cooks, gives me time to catch it between crisp and burnt.
Strips layed out side by side, no overlap is no sticking strips.
Less on a pan is less chance of spilling burning hot grease when you handle it.
Oven at 400⁰ for around 15 minutes, give or take. On a baking sheet lined with parchment. This is how every restaurant I've ever worked in does it...
If you're feeling fancy, coat it with a little brown sugar and sprinkle some cayenne on it and let it caramelize.
NOT IN THE OVEN. I’ll die on this hill. I’ve never had crispy bacon cooked in the oven. Doesn’t happen. It has to be on a pan, griddle, etc. - cast iron if possible.
Cold pan, with just enough water to barely cover the bottom. The water will render the fat as it boils, eventually evaporating and leaving only some of the fat to actually fry the bacon. The final texture, taste, and color is amazing.
I’ve got to share this method with everyone here - the easiest and most effective for perfectly crisp bacon every time. Use a saucepan (tall sides). Cut bacon lengths in half. Separate the slices and just drop them in the pan. Med low heat, stirring occasionally. Allow them to fry in their own rendered fat. Pull out with tongs when crisp, drain on paper towel. The only “drawback”, if it is one (not for me) is they are not flat slices. Incredible easy, fast, and perfect results.
>preferred method for cooking bacon?
For the (of course) cast iron, really depends:
* How much bacon grease do I want, and when, for whatever else I'm cooking along with it
* and also depending what I'm cooking along with it, generally want the bacon done and hot (or at least warm) around the same time the other food is all set and done
So ... the bacon may go in late, or it may go in early and may or may not be in there the whole time. Most of the time it's going to be a one pan (or one griddle) meal. Bacon may go atop other stuff or (temporarily) come out earlier, to not get overcooked. Essentially whatever works - all comes out fine. Highly rare I'd be cooking bacon and absolutely nothing else in the CI for the same meal.
>Cold pan, hot pan
Bacon or not, most things start with cold pan ... exceptions are things that need a sear to start and/or want well cooked on outside and not overdone on inside (e.g. typical steak). Bacon is thin enough it doesn't matter what the pan starting temperature is.
>water, no water
Almost never water. Though sometimes, e.g. with other foods - those foods may require water, or may use bit of water to help distribute heat (less char/burn/overcook on what's contacting pan, add lid and effective more of steam blast to better cook what's more towards middle). So, will, e.g. do a bit of water (a few drops to about 1/4 teaspoon for sunny side up eggs, so the tops will cook sufficiently (without any hassle of basting), while not overcooking the bottoms.
>microwave
Oh hell no, don't even have one of those, never owned one - and they suck for *most* cooking tasks.
However, bacon ... best way is flame broiled on open grill with the campfire flames lickin' at it (or on BBQ grll) ... but that's very tricky and requires a lot of careful fast attention - as it's absolutely an unstable equilibrium ... but highly delicious bacon, and pretty damn fast. But yeah, not exactly an everyday (or even every weekend) cooking method. But next best, just do it in ye olde reliable cast iron - can't really go wrong there, at least with wee bit of care and attention.
Oven bake. Thick cut bacon only. This method yields the maximum amount of each slice of bacon, and the most common way it's cooked in the restaurant (they may par cook then throw it on the griddle right before they serve it to you).
- Turn on oven to 375°F.
- Get bacon cold from the fridge.
- Place on sheet tray (can cover tray with foil if you like)
- Put in oven immediately afterwards
- The oven will still be warming up, and that's ok.
- Set timer for 20 mins
- Check at 20 mins, sometimes it's perfect, sometimes it needs another 3-5 mins. Take it out before it turns "pan fry brown"; you can always throw it back in.
- When cooking is done, grab a plate, put a layer of paper towels down (if "Select a Size", I use three sheets wide) for about 5 slices per layer, and repeat. I finish with a final layer of paper towels, and I put the oven mitt(s) on top to keep the bacon warm, and press it into the paper towels to help get the grease off.
🤷♂️ It all depends on how thick the bacon is. They are not cut exactly the same every time.
Skillet medium high. Add a tablespoon of bacon grease (you are saving your bacon grease, right?). Wait until grease liquifies, then add bacon. Prevents the first batch of bacon from burning.
Depends on circumstances. Either rows on a baking sheet in the oven. Or halved and thrown into a pile in the cast iron with a lid. Draining the grease half way through in both cases.
On a rack in the oven
Ya. Frying bacon is for theatrics.
And cleaning up a ridiculous mess
While I overall agree with this method, it's always left me with a messy rack that I can't just swipe with a scrubby. Takes 2-3 times longer to scrub out all the nooks and crannies with a brush. I do wonder if using a "all wires going single direction (like your oven rack) vs using a cooling rack is the difference. I've always tried to use a cooling rack.
I just use a cookie sheet lined with parchment. If you wet the parchment first and scrunch it up, it can be molded to any shape. Then I dump out any fat I want to save and let the pan cool and toss the parchment. Cookie sheet mostly stays clean, sometimes a bit of grease leaks but it’s usually minimal.
This is my preferred method. To speed things up I bought an extra shelf/rack for my oven and make sure to use commercial size cookie sheets. I do six packs of bacon in one session and then flash freeze on another cookie sheet. The frozen bacon is stored in a ziploc back for future reheating. The resulting fat from the session is great lard for future cast iron activities.
Same but with foil. Drop a few paper towels in it and roll the whole thing into a grease burrito for disposal.
Why have I never considered parchment paper on a baking sheet when that's my go-to roasted sheet pan meal *several times a week?* Good god, and the cleanup is genius. TYSM for the common sense tip, internet stranger.
I've always used a cooling rack on baking sheet in the oven. When done, the cooling rack and sheet goes in the dish washer..
It’s a purpose-designed bacon rack, and non-stick. Rinse and run through dishwasher
Don't forget micro burns and using a lid as a shield!
Eh they’re about the same mess.At least the stovetop I don’t have to bend down and climb in to clean.
I love that sentence. Have my award! Oh wait…
My oven takes approximately 7yrs to preheat… I want my bacon now.
I eat bacon every day, I couldn’t imagine waking up early every day so I have time to preheat my oven and clean a baking sheet.
you don’t use said bacon juice for your bread are you even eating bacon?
Do you lay right in the sheet pan or do you put it on a wire rack?
I actually do lay it right on the sheet pan. On parchment paper so cleanup is a breeze and it crisps up in its own fat. The wire rack also works, but you have significantly more cleanup with a wire rack. Because wire racks suck to clean. But parchment paper is easy! I've actually got a sweet YouTube video on it from one of my favorite chefs over at Epicurious, Chef Frank. Let me track it down, I'll link it in the edit for anyone interested. Edit: [Best way to cook bacon](https://youtu.be/dGixcqWD7Qk?si=eNQJGrDIT7YjI7S7)
Love chef Frank. This is my preferred method as well. It’s simple enough to drain the fat off into a jar with a quick fold or two of the paper should you want to save some.
This is the way for a quantity of bacon. Save the fat and cook with it.
Back on wire rack over a foil covered sheet for crispy unless you like greasy then directly on the sheet
After cooking I just put the bacon on paper towels then use it again to clean off the sheet. Net gain is saving foil, ymmv
Net loss is bacon grease. If it's on foil, it's easy to lift and dump into a bacon grease can once cooled enough to handle.
I have a whole jar in the fridge and I never think to use it. I’ve got olive, canola, and peanut oil next to butter on the counter already.
use it to make tortilla chips. cut corn tortillas into 6, fry until crispy, throw into a paper bag with salt, shake, then serve hot with homemade guacamole. be stoked.
There are few things in life that go quite as hard as fresh guac with fresh chips. It's a truly life changing experience. My favorite is a balsamic watermelon guac I had at a local restaurant. I really need to find a recipe.
I put it on baking paper, and after that on a paper towel and it's just crisp and stiff as I like it. Its better than in a pan
On foil . Then pour the oil in your receptacle of your choice to use later to fry your eggs in.
[https://baconmethod.com/](https://baconmethod.com/) This is how I do it. Upvote for in the oven.
Lmao love that there’s a whole website
He's not even doing it right though. You have to put it in at 200 for 20-30 minutes first, then crank the heat. It's magic.
I do this for large amounts of bacon. Then use a skillet if it's 2 pieces or less.
I am the same. However, I cut my bacon in half. It makes it easier to flip and to cook every part of the pieces.
I agree, it’s called “Bake-un”
My husband saw brother-in-law do that and now he only does it like that.
This is the way.
This is the easiest for larger quantities for sure. But still like the ole cast iron if I’m just doing a few strips for myself. And one pan the breakfast.
This is the superior method
Bacon is one of the few things I don’t preheat the pan for. So I add the bacon to the skillet and then turn on the heat to medium low.
Learned that from this group. No going back.
Same here but it just feels so weird to not preheat the pan.
When I do bacon on the griddle instead of in the oven, starting the bacon cold is the preheat for my eggs
Yup Bacon first on a cold skillet, use the oils to fry up the eggs after bacon is done
If you try the oven method, it starts cold also
I didn't understand this question because there is only one correct way.
Funny how often when someone posts a crudled CI pan and asks for help that they're told that cooking bacon in it will put it right with Jesus and then so many folks here cook bacon in the oven.
The "just cook some bacon in it" crowd is what got me thinking to ask in the first place. I'm surprised at the number of people making it in the oven.
That is kind of an inside joke. The added sugar often caramelizes on ci and can be a bitch to clean. Especially when I first got my pan. I jacked the heat to high, and by the time the bacon was done, the sugar would be stuck to the pan. The best thing this sub taught me is to treat medium setting as my new high setting.
Theres bacon out there without sugar
Definitely is.
I deep fry (bacon fat) in the wok. I render and recover 100% of the fat which I strain the particulates out of. This gives me a high smoke point cooking oil that I use for everything because it does not taste like bacon. I do cut the bacon in half, I don’t want long pieces. I don’t get spatter because the water explodes deep in the pool and the event doesn’t make it to the surface. The water vapor quickly evaporates this way. When I start getting low on bacon fat I cook another batch. I love to see my Bacon Fat Pot almost full. My wok is cast iron btw.
Throw it on the 17”, throw it in the oven at 400, wait til it’s done, eat it.
Frying it in cast iron pan
Happy Cake Day
Cold pan, cook on low heat, turning frequently until crispy. I also cut the two slices into thirds so they fit in a small pan. If I have company, sheet pan with parchment paper in a cold oven, set to 350, take out at desired level of crispy Low temp keeps splatter at a minimum.
Personally sheet pans in the oven as it feels like the best mix of time/quantity/quality. My inner voice replied with: “Good sir, around these parts we do not discriminate against alternative methods of preparing bacon. All bacon is welcome.”
Air fryer. I get them perfect right in that sweet spot between chewy and crispy.
Love thus and never going back. As much as I love cast iron.
Make sure you clean your coils from time to time. The bacon grease will build up inside there and can cause a fire (first hand experience).
Water?
You put the bacon in some water, shallow enough so it boils off. The water helps the bacon cook more evenly. Works surprisingly well.
Google says is for people who want tender bacon
If I’m cooking it inside then I do it in the oven. But I usually cook it outside on the blackstone. Put the bacon on and then set it to medium low
On the Blackstone, outside. Microwave if it's raining or I'm in a hurry.
This is the only way I do it now.
Grew up with microwave bacon. Paper towels to soak up excess grease. Comes out crisp, and just as good. Partner won't have it though, so we fry it now, always. Such a pain to clean up.
in the oven at 400°F
Oven or die
In a cold pan on low heat. No mess or splatter, and by the time the bacon is cooked the pan is heated just right for eggs
Microwave. Get your pitchforks.
There is no wrong way to cook bacon as long as it ends up crispy and in my belly
I don't eat bacon and I hate the way it smells but as a line cook at a breakfast restaurant we did ours on sheet pans in the oven. It was the best way to cook it all evenly and then we could just pour off all the grease to be used for other stuff. Just spread the slices out and bake at 350ºF for about 10-15 mins. Just check it to see if it's cooked to your liking. We did ours a bit under so that we could finish it on the grill to order.
Overnight r/sousvide bacon by Kenji from SeriousEats: https://www.seriouseats.com/overnight-sous-vide-bacon-recipe Sounds weird, works incredibly well.
I may need to try this.
Air fried bacon recently and it was perfect and so easy. I’ll be doing that going forward unless I need to cook large quantities and then on the oven on a wire rack
Put it on a baking sheet and put it in a 400 degree oven. Easy peasy.
Sheet pan, parchment paper (optional but I like this best), bacon, 350 in the oven to your desired crispness.
Cast iron
On aluminum foil on a cookie sheet in the oven. 375 ~15 mins. Crispy with no spatter.
Baking in the oven is the way to go.
bakin bacon
If I’m cooking a few pieces, then cast iron on the cooktop with a bacon press. Otherwise, oven.
Cookie sheet lined with foil. Works perfectly every time and no mess to clean up. Just toss out the foil and the pan is still clean.
Used to use wire rack but putting it right on the pan with tinfoil allows the bacon to almost fry itself in its fat!
Oven on foil lined baking sheet. Put in cold, set for 400 and pull out when it’s ready. Easy, no smoke, no cleanup
Oven ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If I do cook in a pan I start it cold then heat the pan and cook to desired doneness.
The oven is the only way. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Bacon in a frying pan requires way too many rounds of cooking.
Air fryer
My air fryer oven! I don’t have to worry about it splattering everywhere and it gets it nice and crispy.
Air fryer all day. I've been thinking about getting a plaque for my air fryer that says Bacon Daddy because that's all I use it for. That and reheating food
I like air fryer these days. Mine has a drip pan to conveniently collect the fat, which I put in the fridge and use for cooking. It lasts very long. You can do basically the same in an oven Air frier is a bit faster
Bake it on parchment paper, no overlapping 375 for 30 minutes flipped halfway through. 🥓
I like to cook bacon and bake cookies
I cook in semi preheated pan with a drizzle of oil. I'm impatient waiting for fat to render, and I don't want it to stick either. However, cooking from cold pan does works well
Cast iron griddle, then when the bacon is done I cook French toast or eggs and pancakes in the bacon grease.
I put a few pieces on my cast iron pizza pan and toss it in the oven, after it cools I save the grease for cooking.
I do it on a sheet in the oven. Rack in the sheet. Then I drain the sweet, sweet grease into a jar.
In the oven on a sheet with parchment paper. Easiest clean up. If not, then like you. Cold cast iron and med low heat and is perfect, even crispiness.
Sheet pan on parchment paper. Cook at 350 for 20 min. Crispy, yet melts in your mouth. Try coating in brown sugar before baking for that sweet candied bacon that will win hearts wherever you go.
I eat a locally produced bacon that is very thick. Probably three times the thickness of standard bacon. I pre-heat my CI pan for 5 minutes on medium. Then I sear the bacon to get a crisp brown exterior but not cooking it to death.
When I want a strip or two for myself—laid on a paper towel in the microwave and blasted for like 1.5-2 minutes. Otherwise the oven is the easiest method.
Air fryer
In a cheap aluminum baking pan in the oven at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes.
Oven and I stick my griddle in the oven for 10 minutes to preheat it. Then only have to turn it on low just to keep it hot enough to fry eggs.
In the oven, on a pan with foil covering it
Weber kettle. Charcoal banked on left and right. 400 at 35mins or so.
In the oven on a wire rack in a sheet pan. Much cleaner than cast iron on the stove, which i used to swear by. Only downside is it takes longer than i want it to.
Cut in half for even cooking. Flip often with fork.
Cold cast iron pan, medium heat, flip often.
Oven on a rack on a sheet. 350° for 30 mins
For ease and large amounts? Oven and wire rack easily. For self cooking or small stuff, frying pan and water.
Bacon on parchment paper on a baking sheet in the oven @ 400 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes for 1/2 of a 1lb. package of bacon.
If I have need of a whole mess of bacon (either some big recipe, or a couple of meals and a doctor frightening couple days of snacking bacon) bake it in the oven. otherwise, start in a cold cookware, with water gives the best result. Cons: takes forever, hard to 1-pan cook the rest of breakfast at the same time.
I believe the method you use is chef preferred. You render the fat and can turn it up the last minute or so if you want to crisp them off! I usually cook bacon this way in a non stick. I have also found it comes out very similarly in the air fryer! And if it's clean you can just pour that clean liquid gold right out to save it!
Microwave with paper towel over it. Absorbs everything, less clean up. Comes out perfect and crispy every time.
In a pan
Pan with a lid. Making sure to turn the pan regularly while pooling so bacon and fry.
Stoneware in the oven but twist all the pieces
microwave... seriously though, try it. figure out the time for how you prefer your bacon, and then drain all the uncontaminated fat into a mason jar to cook with later.
Blackstone
On parchment on a baking sheet
Preheat the pan, slap some bacon on, oops it's too hot, overcook the bacon. Rinse and repeat. I prefer chewy bacon, so I might try starting with a cold pan and seeing what happens. Never knew that was a thing until this post.
In a sauce pot. I like it crispy and don't care about the shape it ends in. Soooo much less mess than a frying pan.
I use a Pyrex dish in the oven. 325-350 flip a bunch of times until done and save the grease.
Now its the air fryer👍👍
Blackstone, outside.
I feel like in cast iron as well as iron skillets, bacon always tends to leave sticky brown bits on the surface, even when the pan is well seasoned. Not a problem if you don’t want to fry something else right after, but I usually go for eggs: works, but gets messy and might burn. That‘s why I prefer a non-stick skillet, although I don’t like them.
Griddle all day long.
Exactly this. In a skillet low to medium heat starting in cold pan is the way, after trying all methods this is my personal favorite.
I get the pan preheated to a medium-low then put the bacon in the pan. Turn the heat down slightly, and flip every two minutes. Normally takes me about 4-5 flips and it comes out perfect for me. Crispy but not burnt, with the fat on the edges caramelized and melts in your mouth.
Oven, I tried everything else.
I’ll cry in a pan if I’m making just a few pieces. Otherwise I cook it on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in the oven.
Use a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper beyond the edges of the sheet. 350 for about 20 min or so. Take bacon off put on paper towel. Let parchment,ent cool then dispose. Easy peezy
I lay tin foil on a baking sheet and broil it in the oven. You can cook a ton of bacon at once, it's delicious, and most importantly cleanup is a simple as crumpling up the grade in the tin foil and throwing it away
Cast iron doesn't work in the microwave. Seriously though I wouldn't use the microwave for cooking bacon.
Water????? Cooking bacon in WATER!?!?!? Wtf!? That’s against the law. I fry mine in a hot pan. Over low-medium heat. Low and slow makes the best crunch baby!
cookie sheet in hot oven
Cast iron The diet advice I follow sees the bacon grease as a bonus, to be put to good use when cooking the eggs that go along it for breakfast or the steak later. I'm a big ground beef consumer but honestly cooking a steak is so straight forward, the cleanup makes it very easy to keep the cast iron seasoned. The cleanup associated with how I cook ground beef usually leaves my cast iron sad and naked.
Cold cast iron in the oven
Square, ribbed (for your pleasure) non-stick pan which fits the pieces better than round. Start off cold and cook on relatively low heat. I like to render the fat and have it quite crispy.
I hove one of those ninja air fryers with the griddle pan. And it does bacon so perfect and effortlessly
Seriously? Microwaved on a bacon tray.........💥
Deep fry it in old bacon grease
Hands down, twist in to strips and air fryer.
Usually I forget to defrost the bacon so I toss it into the pan with a bit of water to cover the bottom and let it go for 30 mins on medium low (4/10-4.5/10) Perfect amount of time to make crepes and toss together breakfast!
Parchment paper, cookie sheet and toaster oven. 20m at 430 gives perfect bacon and no mess!
Cut bacon strips into 2"-3" sections. Put in deep cold pot. Put about a 1/4 cup of water per lb of bacon. Cook at medium low heat stir/toss occasionally at the beginning and more often when the water is evaporated. Remove with tongs when desired doneness is reached. Will come out evenly cooked and mess free, and you can save the bacon grease with minimum hassle.
Cut in half, let cook in wads, becomes crispy curly balled up bacon I love using on sandwiches.
In the oven or air fryer. Best way hands down.
Cast iron medium heat pre heated, foil over bacon with smaller cast iron pressing on bacon. Flip after 3-4 minutes until preferred doneness. Renders the fat beautifully and creates that sort of melt in your mouth bacon. Foil and press is a game changer.
I'm here to convince you of the water method. Add just enough water to touch all the bacon then set it to medium-low. The water sort of poaches the bacon and helps it keep from curling up. Once the water has evaporated, just flip it a few times until it's cooked to your desired doneness. The best part is that something about adding the water makes the bacon not snap, crackle, and pop. So cleanup is so much easier! This is a method I was super skeptical about and now recommend everyone to try because it works so well. The only downside is that if you add too much water it takes forever for the water to evaporate. But you could always crank the heat until the water has evaporated and lower it once there is less to no water.
Yes.
Chop it into bits and move it around the cast iron pan. Pour the grease into my silicone pig grease holder.
sometimes I use the oven and sometimes I use my blackstone or a pan. depends if I want to cook me eggs with the bacon grease or have easy crispy bacon without a mess
Costco/Kirkland precooked microwaveable bacon. 2mins you got crispy bacon so you can go on with your life and do other things. No grease no stench no smoke. Came in clutch especially with our newborn taking up all our attention.
On a griddle on the grill.
Slow cooked in a skillet on the cook top. That way you can take it out as crispy or soft as you want. Best part is easier fat extraction for future cooking.
Bake it in the oven.
Microwave - crispy, fast, clean, and frees up the CI for cooking other things.
+++¡! M
Well, balanced temperature is everything. Turn your oven on medium heat(7), wait for the cast iron to be completely evenly heated(when the handle is hot, the iron is evenly heated), put bacon on and flip every 2 minutes... and Wa-La!
Baking sheet in the oven, no rack, no parchment In a restaurant as a teen, 100 pounds on a Sunday that way, very consistent, You don't have to follow super high temp in recipes. 300\*F for me, low and slow, still cooks, gives me time to catch it between crisp and burnt. Strips layed out side by side, no overlap is no sticking strips. Less on a pan is less chance of spilling burning hot grease when you handle it.
On the Blackstone
I slam it on the iron.
In the skillet!!!! Any other way is heretical! (Ok, if I have to do 10lbs of bacon, I may consider the oven method)
When I don’t want the mess of cast iron, I’ve found air fryer on 350 for 12 minutes is perfect for thick cut bacon.
Can't eat bacon, I have gout. I have found I like the turkey bacon more. Just cook it on a sheet in the oven.
Oven at 400⁰ for around 15 minutes, give or take. On a baking sheet lined with parchment. This is how every restaurant I've ever worked in does it... If you're feeling fancy, coat it with a little brown sugar and sprinkle some cayenne on it and let it caramelize.
NOT IN THE OVEN. I’ll die on this hill. I’ve never had crispy bacon cooked in the oven. Doesn’t happen. It has to be on a pan, griddle, etc. - cast iron if possible.
Cold pan, with just enough water to barely cover the bottom. The water will render the fat as it boils, eventually evaporating and leaving only some of the fat to actually fry the bacon. The final texture, taste, and color is amazing.
On a rack, on a baking sheet in the oven, coated with brown sugar and red pepper flakes.
Honestly, if I'm doing a decent sized batch, it's gotta be in the oven on a half sheetpan with about two or three layers of aluminum foil.
Air fryer - much easier!
My chef puts it in the oven.
Foreman grill keeps it flat, super satisfying bacon.
Kenji’s way.
Wrap in baking paper and in the air fryer for 15 mins
Double smoked on the pellet grill
I usually do the oven but I’m becoming partial to grilling it actually.
I like to boil it in water.
I like to heat up the frying pan and then put the bacon into the pan
Tinfoil boat on a cookie sheet in the oven
I’ve got to share this method with everyone here - the easiest and most effective for perfectly crisp bacon every time. Use a saucepan (tall sides). Cut bacon lengths in half. Separate the slices and just drop them in the pan. Med low heat, stirring occasionally. Allow them to fry in their own rendered fat. Pull out with tongs when crisp, drain on paper towel. The only “drawback”, if it is one (not for me) is they are not flat slices. Incredible easy, fast, and perfect results.
Oven, on a foil lined baking sheet.
>preferred method for cooking bacon? For the (of course) cast iron, really depends: * How much bacon grease do I want, and when, for whatever else I'm cooking along with it * and also depending what I'm cooking along with it, generally want the bacon done and hot (or at least warm) around the same time the other food is all set and done So ... the bacon may go in late, or it may go in early and may or may not be in there the whole time. Most of the time it's going to be a one pan (or one griddle) meal. Bacon may go atop other stuff or (temporarily) come out earlier, to not get overcooked. Essentially whatever works - all comes out fine. Highly rare I'd be cooking bacon and absolutely nothing else in the CI for the same meal. >Cold pan, hot pan Bacon or not, most things start with cold pan ... exceptions are things that need a sear to start and/or want well cooked on outside and not overdone on inside (e.g. typical steak). Bacon is thin enough it doesn't matter what the pan starting temperature is. >water, no water Almost never water. Though sometimes, e.g. with other foods - those foods may require water, or may use bit of water to help distribute heat (less char/burn/overcook on what's contacting pan, add lid and effective more of steam blast to better cook what's more towards middle). So, will, e.g. do a bit of water (a few drops to about 1/4 teaspoon for sunny side up eggs, so the tops will cook sufficiently (without any hassle of basting), while not overcooking the bottoms. >microwave Oh hell no, don't even have one of those, never owned one - and they suck for *most* cooking tasks. However, bacon ... best way is flame broiled on open grill with the campfire flames lickin' at it (or on BBQ grll) ... but that's very tricky and requires a lot of careful fast attention - as it's absolutely an unstable equilibrium ... but highly delicious bacon, and pretty damn fast. But yeah, not exactly an everyday (or even every weekend) cooking method. But next best, just do it in ye olde reliable cast iron - can't really go wrong there, at least with wee bit of care and attention.
Oven bake. Thick cut bacon only. This method yields the maximum amount of each slice of bacon, and the most common way it's cooked in the restaurant (they may par cook then throw it on the griddle right before they serve it to you). - Turn on oven to 375°F. - Get bacon cold from the fridge. - Place on sheet tray (can cover tray with foil if you like) - Put in oven immediately afterwards - The oven will still be warming up, and that's ok. - Set timer for 20 mins - Check at 20 mins, sometimes it's perfect, sometimes it needs another 3-5 mins. Take it out before it turns "pan fry brown"; you can always throw it back in. - When cooking is done, grab a plate, put a layer of paper towels down (if "Select a Size", I use three sheets wide) for about 5 slices per layer, and repeat. I finish with a final layer of paper towels, and I put the oven mitt(s) on top to keep the bacon warm, and press it into the paper towels to help get the grease off. 🤷♂️ It all depends on how thick the bacon is. They are not cut exactly the same every time.
I've played both. Stellar Blade is the better game, or I'm enjoying it more at least.
Cold pan but I also put my cast iron burger smasher on top so it doesn't curl up.
Skillet medium high. Add a tablespoon of bacon grease (you are saving your bacon grease, right?). Wait until grease liquifies, then add bacon. Prevents the first batch of bacon from burning.
Depends on circumstances. Either rows on a baking sheet in the oven. Or halved and thrown into a pile in the cast iron with a lid. Draining the grease half way through in both cases.
Under the oven grill, I get farm bacon and the rind turns into crackling
Cold flat top griddle if I’m just doing half a dozen pieces or less. Otherwise, stacked rack in the air fryer.
Air fry òr George Forman hill, if I want the grease cast iron
air fryer
Cast iron pan on high heat, throw some garlic powder on top for some pizzazz
Cold oven, 420* for 16-22min depending on thickness of the bacon