Mmmmm... bacon! I'm currently picturing the Beggin' Strips commerical. "Bacon!?! Gotta get that bacon! ... I'd get it myself but I don't have thumbs!"
There are three ways to cook bacon: stove, microwave, and oven. Up until yesterday morning, I had only tried the stove method. Usually it didn't work out very well for me. There were a few interesting experiences when I tried to pan-fry bacon. One unfortunate experience during college, I ended up smoking up my apartment and had to open all of the windows and turn on all of the fans for hours to get the smell to dissipate. However, this was the only way that I knew how to cook bacon.
My family has never been big on meat in the morning and bacon was deemed "unhealthy." I'm honestly not sure if my parents said something along those lines or if I just determined this on my own. I grew up in a grains for breakfast household, and it was usually special occasions or on some weekends that my parents and I would eat eggs. (Side note: I remember LOVING Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal and Basic 4. So yummy. Too bad I'm not eating those now.) I don't have any memories of eating bacon for breakfast at home though. That all has changed as of 2 weeks ago. I had my first piece of bacon after 6 months on not having bacon and let me tell you, it was fabulous!
So back to the three methods of cooking bacon...
Number One: Stove
If you're going to fry bacon, you need to watch it closely, and fresher bacon is better. If you put the heat on too hot, you can accidentally burn the bacon (oops), so use medium to medium-low heat. Also, the bacon tends to curl when you cook it this way so it ends up cooking unevenly. You'll have crispy bits and soggy bits right next to each other. You can use a fork to prick the bacon and reduce the curling. So you should cook slowly, turning the bacon frequently. Once the bacon is done, remove and place on paper towels to drain excess fat. (You can then save the remaining bacon fat from the pan for use in cooking later. You might want to strain the oil first before you store in the fridge or freezer. Or, if you're like me, use the bacon fat to cook something else, like sauteed kale, or even breakfast eggs.)
Number Two: Microwave
My current favorite, this is the fastest and easiest. Spread a paper towel over a microwave safe plate. Place 4-6 pieces of bacon on the plate (the number of pieces depends on the size of your plate) and cover with a second paper towel. Cook for roughly 4 minutes in the microwave. The time will depend upon your microwave, so start by cooking for 2 minutes and then cook at 1 minute intervals until the bacon is nice and crispy.
Number Three: Oven
This is new to me as well. Spread the bacon on a foil-lined pan (the foil is there to make clean-up easier). Place on the middle rack of the oven and set the temperature to 400 F. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes. Again, the time depends on your oven - mine is a bit overzealous so I usually check whatever I'm baking halfway through.
Viola! Three ways to prepare bacon. If you know of some better way, please let me know!
Try using parchment paper instead of foil for the oven bacon method. I learned it from Joe, he'd know.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Malcolm! I can see how that would help. Just make sure you use parchment paper and don't accidentally grab wax paper (wax paper can be used in the oven as long as it is fully covered by whatever your making, such as cake or bread).
DeleteThat also reminds me that baking bacon can get messy. Bacon tends to splatter, especially if you broil it. Cooking at a lower temperature will help, but still be prepared for some possible oven clean-up after.