How to Cook Perfectly Crispy Beef Bacon Every Time
There are a lot of people who don’t eat pork for cultural or religious reasons but who love bacon. And they can still enjoy the smoky, crispy goodness that we all know and love by making beef bacon at home.
Baking bacon is a great way to get perfectly cooked, evenly sliced slices every time. And this method also eliminates the greasy mess of pan-frying and is especially good for feeding a crowd.
Preheat the Pan or Griddle
Whether frying bacon and eggs for breakfast or adding them to soups, salads, or sandwiches, this straightforward oven technique is hands-free and perfect for large parties. Set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, line a baking sheet pan with a rim with foil, and make cleanup easier. Slices of bacon should be roasted in a single layer until hot and crispy.
You can also use a griddle for this. Place the skillet over high heat and let it get hot before laying the bacon. You can add some water to the griddle to use less grease. This “hack” helps the bacon cook more evenly, giving it a lighter, crispier texture.
Depending on how thick and crisp you prefer your bacon, the precise baking time may vary, but it usually takes 12 to 20 minutes. So that you don’t unintentionally burn it, start inspecting it a few minutes before it’s finished. Once done, place on a dish lined with paper towels and drain any extra bacon fat.
Lay the Bacon in a Single Layer
If you’ve never tried buying beef bacon for sale before, you’re in for a treat. Unlike pork bacon, which cooks up tough and chewy when cooked over the stovetop, beef bacon is tender and crisp. This makes it perfect for breakfast and brunch dishes like eggs, pancakes, and French toast.
The key to making perfectly crispy beef bacon is starting with a cold pan or skillet. This helps the fat render better, which leads to a crispier result. Whether cooking the bacon directly on the pan or a rack, ensure the slices are in a single layer. If the bacon is overlapping or stuck together, it won’t cook evenly and will end up tough and chewy instead of crispy.
For added crispiness, you can also cook the bacon in the oven. Place the strips directly on the pan or use a wire rack like a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Bake the bacon in a single layer and start checking after about 12 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the bacon is a deep golden and puffed up slightly.
Cook for 3-5 Minutes on Each Side
The bacon cooks better and more evenly when cooked low and slow. This is true whether you cook it on the stove or in the oven. It also helps if the bacon is cold when you put it in the pan, so the fat and meat are at the same temperature when they start to crisp up.
The time the bacon cooks depends on its thickness and how crispy you like it. Thinner bacon, like the kind you buy pre-packaged, usually needs about 15 minutes in the oven. Bacon of an average thickness takes about 22-26 minutes to get crispy.
When the bacon is cooked to the crispness you choose, drain it on paper towels before serving. As they cool, the strips will continue to become crisp. The leftover bacon may be refrigerated for up to three months or kept in the fridge for a few days. Before using it, let it thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours if you freeze it. The cure may be made to last longer and have more taste by mixing in a little molasses or maple syrup.
Transfer to a Plate
When the bacon is done to your preference, place it on a platter covered with paper towels to soak up any extra grease. Additionally, the paper towel will aid in preventing scorching on the plate’s base.
This is the easiest and most foolproof way to cook bacon. No more having to stand over the stove, flipping it, and babysitting it while you try to do something else in the kitchen. It’s also great for batch cooking to have crispy bacon on hand all week.
You only need a rimmed baking sheet, a wire cooling rack, and beef bacon slices. Place the rack in the oven and lay the bacon evenly across it so the slices don’t overlap. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the desired crispiness is reached. When the bacon is finished cooking, place it on a dish covered with paper towels and serve it warm. It can be included in all of your favorite dishes, such as sandwiches, burgers, salads, and eggs, for a delectable breakfast.
Serve
Oven-baking bacon is easy and quick and allows you to cook a large quantity of bacon at once. It also means you won’t have to stand over a pan of splattering bacon and can do other things while it cooks.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil to bake beef bacon, then add the bacon. Then, top the bacon with a metal cooling rack (or use a plate or heavy casserole dish) to elevate the bacon. This method works well with any thickness of bacon, though thicker slices take longer to cook than thinner ones.
Once the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry. It will crisp up even more as it cools.
Enjoy your perfectly crispy beef bacon for breakfast, in a BLT sandwich, or with any recipe for bacon. Add a pinch of smoked paprika or ground Szechuan pepper to the curing salts for extra flavor. You can also brush the bacon with maple syrup for a sweeter twist!
