There's a reason people say that bacon makes everything better — because it's true! Other than vegetarians, there are very few people who don't like its crisp deliciousness. Plus, it's ideal for so many things. You can eat it on its own beside eggs and home fries, you can pile it onto sandwiches, or you can use it to top salads or pizza — or do just about anything else with it! When it comes to food, bacon is about as perfect as it gets.
And while it's not all that tricky to make, there are ways to make it easier and tastier. Maybe your bacon burns as soon as it touches the pan or always ends up too greasy to be as enjoyable as it should be. Maybe you're just looking for a way to take your bacon up a notch. Whatever the reason for wanting to make your bacon better, the following tips will help.
1. Start with a cold pan
There are many dishes that require you to heat the pan before you put anything — including oil — inside. But the opposite is true for bacon. If you heat the pan before you put the bacon in, chances are the meat will start cooking right away and burn before the fat has had a chance to render. And then you end up with fatty bacon that's difficult to even chew. Instead, place strips of bacon flat in a cold pan, and then turn the heat on. As it heats, the fat will start to render before the meat starts to cook, and it will all be done to perfection at the same time.
2. Drain when bacon is done
No, you don't have to let the bacon sit in a colander in the sink when it's done cooking. But you do have to find a way to remove some of that fat. Otherwise, when you put it on a plate, a pool of grease will start to form under it, making your bacon unpalatable. A plate lined with a paper towel, newspaper or even a paper bag will all absorb the grease, so the bacon is nice and crisp when it's time to serve or use. But remember to also blot the top of the bacon with a separate piece of towel or similar item — there's grease there, too.
3. Cook it in the oven
By now, many people have heard about baking your bacon. It's so much easier! While frying bacon on the stovetop isn't all that hard, with the grease splatters it sure can be messy. And, if you're reaching your hand near the bacon to turn it when that fat splatters, it can also be painful.
To avoid these messes and possible burns, lay a wire rack over a baking sheet, and place the strips of bacon on the rack. Place it into a 400 F oven and bake for 10-20 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon. The wire rack will let the air circulate around the bacon, so you don't have to turn it, and it will also let the fat drip down, so the bacon isn't too greasy. The baking sheet will catch those drippings to prevent a fire, and you can use them for later.
4. Save your drippings
Speaking of those drippings, save them, no matter how you're cooking your bacon. Bacon fat can be used in place of any other fat, and it's so much more flavorful than the others. To do it, place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl after the bacon is done cooking and tip the contents of the skillet into it. This will prevent any pieces of meat staying in the fat, which could turn the bacon fat rancid in a short amount of time. Then transfer the fat into a small, airtight dish, and store it in the fridge. The next time you need to add a little smoky flavor to a recipe, it will be ready and waiting for you.
5. Candy your bacon
Sweet and salty is a food combination that drives people crazy in the best way possible. When you're cooking bacon, it's easy to do, especially in a skillet. Just cook the bacon as you normally would, remove it from the pan,and drain off most of the fat, leaving a couple of tablespoons in the pan. Add about 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and return the skillet to the heat, whisking the sugar into the remaining fat. Return the bacon to the skillet, letting it cook for a minute or so before turning it and letting the other side cook in the sugary fat for another minute. Remove from the pan, drain as you normally would, and get ready to listen to people telling you what a rock star you are in the kitchen.
