How Do You Cook Bacon?

Kay SD · ‎03-09-2011

I'm looking for a new way to cook bacon. Don't eat it often, but when I do I want it to be perfect. I like mine on the medium-to-thin and crispy side.

I like the ease of the microwave but it uses a lot of paper towels and isn't so good with thin strips as it is with thick.

I don't like the way it sits in the rendered fat and curls up in a skillet.

I like using the toaster oven, but don't like cleaning the spattered grease. The big oven doesn't make sense for a few strips of bacon.

How do you do yours?

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

i make mine different ways (microwave, in a skillet, and in the oven). lately i have been using a large cookie sheet wrapped with heavy duty aluminum foil in the oven. i put the bacon on the cookie sheet, put it in a cold oven, then i set it for 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the bacon. i then remove it and place them on paper towels.

if i do it in a skillet i like using a bacon press. i have a glass one. that helps prevent the bacon from curling AND protects the stove a bit so there is not too much splattered grease.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

Yardlie · ‎03-10-2010

I never cook bacon at home. When I was at my sister's at Christmas, she used the big oven to cook the bacon...turned out great.

Once when I really had a taste for bacon, I just purchased the pre-cooked bacon from the store.

A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. ~~ Steve Maraboli

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

I started doing it in the oven some time back, because I didn't like how much it shrank by frying it.

What I do is lay it out on aluminum foil on a sheet pan and, to preclude splatter, I put a sheet of parchment paper over the top of the bacon. Works great and don't have to clean the oven afterward.

I do 400F for 20 minutes. I get a medium crisp with that. Then, of course, I put it on paper towels, on a plate, to de-grease it. I don't like using a rack when baking it because it just makes more mess. I am able to adequately de-grease the bacon with the old tried and true paper towel method.

Krimpette · ‎03-09-2010

I love bacon, but try not to eat too much of it. When I cook it I use my square electric frying pan. I only do 5-6 strips at a time until their done to my desired crispness. Sometimes, if I'm doing a whole pound, I undercook them a bit and then drain and package them to store them in the freezer. Then I can just take a couple of strips at a time and "nuke" them if I need them for a sandwich, for example.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

I prefer my bacon microwaved. My husband likes to fry bacon, and he has finally started using the square skillet and glass press, which keeps the bacon nice and flat while it cooks. I just don't like all that liquid grease, which he pours into a glass jar and throws in the garbage.

Kay SD · ‎03-09-2011

chickenbutt, I never thought of using parchment on top to prevent splatters. Is it reusable? And do you think your method would work in a countertop oven? I like the way it turns out from the oven but I hate cleaning the oven.

Krimpette, I didn't know partially cooked bacon would freeze well. Does this work best with the thicker slices that are not so fragile?

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

It's a good idea, Krimpette, to ration it out like that. I've never even imagined doing it, but I bet I could eat a pound of bacon if I allowed myself.

What I do is, when I bring it home (I get a couple pounds of my fav one when it's on ad once or twice a year) is take out a long, sharp knife and cut the whole thing in half. I put each half pound into its own Foodsaver bag and vac seal it to keep in the freezer. (PS: it's a little easier to hack it in half if you par-freeze it first, but it can be done unfrozen too)

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/13/2014 Kay SD said:
chickenbutt, I never thought of using parchment on top to prevent splatters. Is it reusable? And do you think your method would work in a countertop oven? I like the way it turns out from the oven but I hate cleaning the oven.

Krimpette, I didn't know partially cooked bacon would freeze well. Does this work best with the thicker slices that are not so fragile?

Hi Kay! I just thought it up one day when I needed some bacon for a recipe and I had just cleaned the oven. It seemed like a good idea so I tried it and it worked perfectly. No, I didn't re-use the sheet of parchment paper but I suppose it could be. It 100% precluded splatter, though, so it was worth it. I always keep a roll of parchment or two on hand plus I have 10" rounds and some half-sheets too, that I got from KA Flour.

I suppose you could do the same thing in the convection oven. I don't know why not. But man, as much as I love my convection oven, it's kind of hard to clean so I haven't tried doing anything particularly messy in there. The parchment/bacon thing shouldn't make a mess, though, because it lays right on top of the bacon. Just pull off a sheet large enough to totally cover it. I pulled out a sheet that covered the entire area of my baking sheet.

goodstuff · ‎03-09-2010

I cook bacon on medium-low heat in a nonstick skillet. I don't worry about laying it out straight; I just spread the bacon out in the pan and stir and move it around as it cooks till it's browned and much of the fat is cooked out. Then I drain it on paper towels on top of thick newspaper before serving.