A few years ago, I saw someone (can't remember who but it was probably Paula Deen) on Food Network bake their bacon in the oven instead of frying it or cooking it in the microwave. I figured I would try it since I hate frying bacon because it makes such a big mess, and it never really comes out the way we like it - crispy - cooking it in the microwave. I always bake the bacon now and it's always crispy, it tends itself while baking - you don't need to turn it - and clean up is pretty easy!
I took one of my old cooling racks and relagated it to just the bacon bakin' rack (you have to say that REAL fast - bacon bakin'). I line my cookie sheet with foil too for easier clean up.
Just line up your bacon slices on the rack and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the thickness of your bacon and how crispy you like it.
It always turns out perfectly cooked, it doesn't curl up and like I mentioned, no turning or fussing required which leaves you free to concentrate on the rest of the meal!
If you want to save your bacon grease just let it cool a bit and pour it into your container. As for clean up, if you put some hot water on the rack for a few minutes it cleans up pretty easily. It doesn't even need to be completely submerged in the water.
I hope you try bakin' bacon the next time you fix it, I highly recommend it! :)
Linking up to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop hosted by Deb at Deborah Jean's Dandelion House and Heidi at My Simple Country Living.
I tried baking bacon a while ago and although it tasted just fine, for some reason DH didn't care for it. So now, if he wants bacon for breakfast, HE does the frying in the pan! Although I have to admit there's something sexy about seeing a man frying up bacon in a big ol' cast iron pan.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe it's just the bacon.
Carolyn Renee,
ReplyDeleteLOL!! A man cooking is rather sexy but it's probably the bacon too!
I've been baking my bacon for a long time now. I love it that way, but I ususally just let it cook in it's grease then dry it with a paper towel. Comes out nice and crispy just the way I love it!!
ReplyDeleteBTW it looks good and makes me want bacon...
SweetLand Farm,
ReplyDeleteMmmm...gotta love bakin' bacon! :)
I have no idea why I don't bake our bacon!
ReplyDeleteYears ago- I worked for a little country grocer/ truck stop. We made breakfast there every morning. They had these HUGE ovens in the back INDUSTRIAL SIZED-- We had huge baking sheets with biscuits on them; some sheets had sausage and bacon on them... and the coolest part were the scrambled eggs. She (the owner) taught me to make these casseroles with scrambled eggs, and milk and put it in the over...We made about 3 or 4 of these some mornings. When the eggs were done, you take them out cut them into 12ths. Then slice each 12th into 3rds... So you had 12 little stacks of 3 slices of egg.
That is how we made our biscuits and sausages (or bacon) sandwiches.
Very quick method.
...But I digress-- the point is- Cooking bacon in the oven is super easy! I agree!
Take care-
just call me sidetracked, Pat
Pat,
ReplyDeleteSidetracked or not, I LOVED your story! :)
Looks good, Candy! I usually have a couple of frying pans going when I cook bacon. YUM!
ReplyDeleteI think I would definitely like to try this. Thanks for sharing it with us!
ReplyDeleteI can smell it right now! I bake mine usually as well...and if you use a stoneware bar pan, you don't even have to grease the pan. It's a great way to season new stoneware!!
ReplyDeleteJulie,
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you do and it's probably still not enough! :)
LindaG,
You are welcome! I hope you can give it a try!
Alica,
Hey, thanks for that tip! :)
I have a friend who bakes bacon and freezes it so she always has it on hand when the family comes to visit.
ReplyDeleteJust heats it up (maybe in the microwave?)
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a great idea, your own Ready to Serve bacon at a FRACTION of the cost! :)
I love crispy bacon, no gooey fat so I've been microwaving it, my husband fries his but eats it half raw. I like this idea! Perfectly straight and crispy.
ReplyDeleteI baked mine in a cast iron skillet which I love and you can even half way thru then crack your eggs to the side of the same skillet and you get a fried eggs which require no turning and evenly fried on both sides. All this without me have to do much but wait for the coffee to finish..
ReplyDeleteI love baked bacon...
I have to try that! No curling...
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteI like it better than the microwave, it's not so dried out. :)
Grace,
I'm going to try that next time! Bacon and eggs all in the same pan!
Nancy,
No curling at all! :)
Well...I HAVE to try it!
ReplyDeletedr momi,
ReplyDeleteI tell ya', I'm sold on bakin' the bacon! :)
This is pure genius. Like you, I hate frying bacon. The grease always sprays out of the pan and sometimes burns me. Plus I can never get it just right. Bakin' bacon also looks a lot healthier because it's not being cooked in its own grease for a period of time. Thanks, I'll definitely do this from now on.
ReplyDeleteChiara,
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome and you are absolutely right about it not cooking in it's own grease!
Interesting, I never heard of that before. BTW we made Monster Cookies last night - oh man those are soooo good!
ReplyDeleteKristina,
ReplyDeleteThey are my new favorite, favorite cookie! :)
That is a really good idea that had never occured to me...
ReplyDeleteKateri,
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly the way I felt when I saw them do it on the Food Network! LOL!!
Excellent tip. A lot of restaurants do this to save stove top space...
ReplyDeletePearl