Making your own bacon, rubbing pork belly in salt and other seasonings, and leaving it to cure, sealed, in the fridge might be asking too much. If you are like me I do love some really good bacon. Just because we bring the bacon home from the store, doesn’t mean that I can cook some delicious perfect bacon.
1. Bakin’ bacon
This is my preferred method, as it is simpler, more consistent, and creates less of a mess than stovetop frying. Just lay your bacon slices on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, and then bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes (cooking times may vary depending on your oven). When the bacon has crisped up to your liking, remove it to drain on paper towels until you’re ready to serve it. Don’t leave the bacon sitting in its own grease on the pan or it will reabsorb the fat and lose its crispiness. If you prefer your bacon soft, not crispy, simply cook it for less time, removing it from the oven when it reaches the consistency you like.
2. Microwave? Meh
Bacon can be nuked, but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Chances are it’s going to wind up either too rubbery or too crispy. It’s just a subpar product and not worth whatever time you save.
3. Candied bacon
Just when you thought bacon couldn’t taste any better, along comes this sweet, spicy, crackling variation. You can rub bacon slices with brown sugar (about a teaspoon to a teaspoon-and-a-half of brown sugar per slice), sprinkling them with cracked black pepper, and setting them on a wire rack lightly coated with non-stick spray. Place that wire rack on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper (this will save you the serious cleanup headache of scraping burnt sugar from the pan) and bake it at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisped with a beautiful candied coating.
Note: be sure to take the bacon off the rack while it’s still warm. If you let it cool, it’s liable to stick to the rack and crack when you try to remove it later.
4. Stovetop bacon
Chop the bacon before putting it in the pan and let it crisp up in pieces. If your pan has a hotspot, and some bacon pieces are cooking faster than the others, you can prevent those pieces from burning by splashing a small amount of water on them to dissipate the heat. Saves the rendered fat from the pan, using it for salad dressings (sherry bacon vinaigrette), roux, or for sautéing vegetables. If you don’t plan on using the bacon fat right away you can store it in an airtight container and put it in your fridge, where it will last for months.
Bacon and eggs is a great way to start the day and can be a filling way to feed a house full of guests!
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