Many of us have developed a fanatic obsession with the tender meat, velvety fat and salty smokiness of bacon.
Bacon can be baked, fried, boiled or grilled. It can be the star of the show or a savory flavoring ingredient of the most upscale or the most down home of dishes.
Please experiment with the various methods of how to cook bacon until you develop your own favorite!
This is the old tried and true method. Start off by using a cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet. No matter what pan you use, bacon never sticks because of its' high-fat content.
Cooking bacon in water is easy and has its advantages. Bacon surrounded by simmering water is less likely to splatter. The water "embraces" the
rendering fat and slows the cooking process. The water reduces the risk of
burnt or overly-crisp bacon and gives you the most tender meat. Cooking bacon in water can be done in the skillet or in the oven
Cooking bacon in the oven is my favorite cooking method. It has many advantages which include:
To Cook Bacon in the Oven
Place bacon in preferred pan and place in a cold oven. Turn oven to 400°F Bake until desired doeneness, about 12-18 minutes.
Pour off
accumulating fat as desired. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon, number of slices, size of pan and your preferred texture.
Cooking Bacon in the Oven - Tips and Tricks
Time, Temperature, Texture
Just when you thought there was nothing more to learn on how to cook bacon......this will be quick.
Low and Slow Cooked Bacon
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High Temp Quick Cook Bacon
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Just like cooking any piece of meat, a low temperature and an extended cooking time delivers a moist, tender product. With bacon the meat becomes lightly crisped with a soft interior. The fat is lightly browned and literally melts in your mouth.
Low and slow cooking starts with an oven temperature of 350°F to
400°F for 15-25 minutes, or a medium-low fire for cooking on the stove. Begin
checking at 10 minutes and cook until you get the desired results.
Higher temperature and a short cooking time will give bacon an overall crispy, "shattering" texture. The meat and the fat will have about the same crunch.
High temperature cooking starts at an 400°F to 450°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it (it goes quickly) and be careful not to burn the bacon grease.
First off, I am not a fan of cooking (as opposed to reheating) food in the microwave. Don't know why this is an acceptable thing, but that's just me.
Cooking bacon in the microwave does offer many advantages. Cooking time is cut way down, almost no out of control fat and splatter to worry about, and clean-up is a piece of cake.
To Cook Bacon in the MicrowaveLayer 2-3 paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Place bacon on paper towels, don't crowd or overlap slices. Place 2-3 paper towels on top of the bacon.
Microwave on high. Check at about 3 minutes and if necessary continue cooking in short intervals until preferred texture is reached.
Letting bacon rest a minute or so will increase crispiness
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