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Make the Most Perfect Bacon Ever [VIDEO]
Don't think bacon can get any better? We prove it can.
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Bacon, Potato, and Cheddar Frittata
More challenging to cook properly than a regular thin frittata, a thick, hearty frittata often ends up dry, overstuffed, and overcooked.
from: CooksIllustrated.com
May 2005
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The Best Simple Recipes
With our test kitchen know-how (and relentless testing) we found ways to make naturally fast dishes faster, and traditionally slow-cooked dinners a weeknight option. But one thing we never did was settle on shortcuts that shortchanged flavor.
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Wonder if that same method works with turkey bacon?
Does cooking it in water boil out any of the flavor? I like salty bacon and wonder if the salt would leach out. What about the smoky flavor?
I managed to watch it without craving bacon until he took that crunchy bite at the end… now I need to eat some bacon!
Better method – line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and cook it in the oven. If you have the time, 275F for 1hr 20 min, or if you need it done in less time, 400F for ~20 minutes, then move to a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess grease. It’ll stay super tender if you can cook it low & slow, but either way it’s better than the frying pan as you’ll get nice flat strips that work great on sandwiches as well.
I am going to give this a big old thumbs down. While the video was quick, the bacon cooking process was not. It took nearly 45 minutes, left me with a pan full of cooked on bacon grease to clean, and didn’t come out any better than the 4 pieces I cooked in the microwave while waiting for this. Also, although the video doesn’t mention flipping, my bacon would have burned had I not turned it. And be aware, by allowing all the water to cook off, you will have bacon vapor floating around your house for hours. Not as yummy as you might think.
Anyone who’s ever worked in a restaurant kitchen knows that cooking bacon in the oven is the best way to get evenly cooked, crispy bacon. I throw a few strips on a baking sheet with foil, like Erin, on 400F for 10-15 minutes. Just keep an eye on it to make sure you get the consistency and doneness that you prefer.
Does this work at 8,400 ft?
I tried this method today and loved it. The bacon had no raw spots, the fat rendered beautifully and the bacon was crisp and delicious. This is my new method. Thanks ATK!!! Janice
I haven’t tried this method yet, but am intrigued to try it at least once. My favorite way to cook bacon (like Erin & Jason) is in the oven, although I cook it on a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet. That allows for the fat to drip off, keeping the bacon from getting too greasy, and it ends up perfectly crisp every time. I do love the fact that oven-cooking bacon frees you up to multitask and do other things. You don’t have to babysit it the way you would if you were pan-frying it.
Caitlin, I seriously doubt you cooked it right if it took you FORTY FIVE MINUTES and left you with “cooked-on bacon grease”…good lord. It’s supposed to be just enough water to cover the bacon, don’t drown it! Perhaps you went overboard on the water? I think it would boil off in less than 5 minutes on high if done right.
And you don’t like the smell of bacon lingering in your house? What is wrong with you?? Terrible at cooking…blame the test kitchen for it, and don’t like the smell of bacon? Classy.
I too use the oven, an Ina Garten trick. Works great! Oh, and Ophello, can we practice civility here? I’m sure we’ve all had our challenges in the kitchen.
Wow, never heard of this method, but will give it a try next time I cook bacon. I, too, have been using the oven method for years and think it’s probably the best, especially for an entire package of bacon…but I’m always open to trying something new! Thanks for the tip!
Panini press is the BEST Way to make bacon! All of the fat drains off and you are left with straight crispy bacon that doesn’t shrink down to nothing!
My grandmother (born in 1894) always cooked bacon in the oven, using a broiler pan. I remember her cooking fondly. (And if you want her recipe for Swedish Coffee Bread, buy “From Our Grandmother’s Kitchens,” published by the ATK crew!)
I agree with Kristine… I use my George Foreman to cook my bacon. It cooks in 8-10 minutes and all the grease runs off, and it’s cooked to any specification, I prefer extra crispy!!
I’ll have to give this a try
Tested and was not impressed by this method, to say the least. The water took forever to evaporate and the bacon strips to brown. A much better method is either broiling the strips under medium-low broiler or using the oven, as others have suggested. All in all, the ATK way is very inefficient, not to mention all the cleanup in the end. The video does a disservice in that it creates the wrong impression of the cooking time involved, which is actually much longer than we’re led to believe.
better technique, save your bacon fat in a mason jar and cook your bacon in a frying pan filled with bacon fat (over medium).
I love this tip!
ATK also has an oven cooking method for bacon…I prefer it to this. I found this bacon “washed out” of flavor. But from time to time I just want to fry it up and get it over with. I have one technique to offer in the matter–cut the strips in half.
Protocol:
Place the smaller strips geometrically on only the flat bottom of pan.
As strips are browned and render sufficient fat move strips to rendered fat for final cooking.
As strips are removed add additional strips immediately as opposed to waiting for all strips to cook.
Pros:
Excellent portion control
More precise control of cooking depth
Slices actually fit properly for BLT’s and C. Burgers
Uniform final cooking in deep fry type conditions
Assembly line time efficiencies by avoiding batch-at-a-time cooking
Greater ability to honor “I like mine still a bit soft” requests (there’s always one)
Curling is virtually a moot issue
Cons:
You will attend the cooking–forget the dicing of the onions bit
Fat saturated bacon (right, we’re cooking this bacon up for placement on 15% fat burgers with a nice fat slice of cheese and carefully butter toasted buns and now the fat content issue comes up…please….)