Bakin' Bacon

Charlie Golf

Charlie Golf

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Yes, my name is Charlie.
So earlier this week I had my annual physical and blood work. Since everything went well, the only logical thing to do was cook up some bacon for breakfast today.

I've always heard that cooking bacon in the oven was the way to go but never tried it...until today.

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16 minutes later:

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After a piece or two was analyzed for quality assurance purposes:

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A good start to the weekend. :)
 
It’s a great way to make large quantities. I like to set the bacon on racks raised above the foil so the fat can drip off while it cooks. But that also makes for something else to clean up.
 
That’s how my wife made bacon before we were married. We had a George Foreman that also works quite well for smaller quantities, although my bacon-wrapped bacon recipe was a little slow.
 
I also use this method. cook the whole package of bacon, use as needed. very convenient. I tried matthews way of using a raised grill and it's more of a PITA than anything. cooking a coupl'a slices, nothing beats a cast iron pan but aint nobody got time for that.
 
You ever grilled it? Gotta go slow, but it’s great!

Next time, drizzle some brown sugar on the bacon before baking. Add some red pepper for fun if you like that sort of thing. Some version of what’s called “pig candy”. Add maple syrup if you like.
 
If you want to knock your blood work even more in the other direction, sprinkle each slice with a little brown sugar before baking :) I switched to Canadian Bacon a couple months ago after realizing I was eating way too much bacon. Not as good, but gets the job done.

Edit: Doops @455 Bravo Uniform, missed your candied bacon comment
 
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Matthew said:
It’s a great way to make large quantities. I like to set the bacon on racks raised above the foil so the fat can drip off while it cooks. But that also makes for something else to clean up.
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You say that like having the bacon sizzle in its own fat is a bad thing. :D

texasclouds said:
Would eat
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You'll have to hurry up then. Not much left.

MauleSkinner said:
That’s how my wife made bacon before we were married. We had a George Foreman that also works quite well for smaller quantities, although my bacon-wrapped bacon recipe was a little slow.
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Your bacon wrapped bacon probably just needed more bacon.
 
eman1200 said:
I also use this method. cook the whole package of bacon, use as needed. very convenient. I tried matthews way of using a raised grill and it's more of a PITA than anything. cooking a coupl'a slices, nothing beats a cast iron pan but aint nobody got time for that.
Click to expand...

455 Bravo Uniform said:
You ever grilled it? Gotta go slow, but it’s great!

Next time, drizzle some brown sugar on the bacon before baking. Add some red pepper for fun if you like that sort of thing. Some version of what’s called “pig candy”. Add maple syrup if you like.
Click to expand...

I never grilled it, but I have been using a cast iron pan on the grill. As much as my wife likes bacon, she tries not to eat it. Therefore she'd prefer that the house not get filled with the heavenly aroma. :dunno:

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Did I miss the temp setting? Bake at 350 for 16 min or Broil for 16 min?
 
Mahneuvers said:
If you want to knock your blood work even more in the other direction, sprinkle each slice with a little brown sugar before baking :) I switched to Canadian Bacon a couple months ago after realizing I was eating way too much bacon. Not as good, but gets the job done.
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Now's the time. I have a whole year to make up for it.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
Next time, drizzle some brown sugar on the bacon before baking. Add some red pepper for fun if you like that sort of thing.
Click to expand...
Beat me to it. Also, baking it on parchment paper or a silicone mat makes it a little easier to clean.
 
The Oscar Myer Center Cut bacon does exceptionally well in the oven. Spread it out on a foil lined cookie sheet, put in in a cold oven, then turn the oven on bake at 350 degrees. Takes about 25 minutes. But, it melts in your mouth and tastes even better than it smells!
 
I cook bacon in a sheet pan on our gas grill. The kitchen stays clean, and I can make enough bacon for four people at a time.

Also, I highly recommend a bacon press.

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I'll give you a recommendation. Next time instead of paper towels, use a mesh cooling rack (like for cakes) instead.
 
flyingron said:
I'll give you a recommendation. Next time instead of paper towels, use a mesh cooling rack (like for cakes) instead.
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I'll give your recommendation a recommendation :) Hit it w/ some non-stick spray first. I've found not even non-stick cooling racks are enough.
 
I'm sure @Matthew has made bacon from pork bellies. Talk about some good stuff. I made ~6 batches before my slicer died.
 
Pepper. Lots of black pepper.

I forgot to do that yesterday though.
 
I've done the oven on wire rack thing a few times and I agree...more to clean up, not worth it.
Anther twist I tried a couple times was to use a sheet pan with raised edges that hold a bit of water....submerge the strips just barely in water.....I forget the particulars but it did work nicely. Mostly I like the dry cookie sheet method but often I revert to the old fashioned deep skillet on the stove...old habits and all....
 
If we bake the bacon it goes on a grid on top of a disposable foil tray. I tend to keep a mason jar of bacon grease around, there was always a coffee can of it when we were growing up.

If we don’t need to top off the mason jar, I sop up the grease with newspaper and that turns into a fire starter and the foil pan gets recycled.
 
Albany Tom said:
Am I the only one that sometimes saves the grease to cook with? Not all the time, too lazy. But beef seared in bacon grease? Good times.
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Dad taught me how to make popcorn on the stove top. Step one: two scoops of bacon grease from the mason jar. So I still save it, even though popcorn is a rare treat and microwaved these days. I also find bacon grease wilts greens quite nicely, when the pescatarian is not around.
 
MMMmmmmm, wilted greens!

Bacon grease, vinegar from whatever sweet pickles are open, and crumbled up real bacon! Salt and pepper to taste, and some flour or cornstarch were in there too, but the first three were mandatory, and set the flavor foundation.

Mother made it, Mother in law made it, Grandmother made it. When I was cooking on my own, I made it without a recipe, from memories of watching and smelling as it was created in the various kitchens.

Needless to say, my wife makes it. One daughter in law makes it too, it is traditional in her family too.

Now I am hungry for wilted greens, but breakfast is sour milk pancakes, with bacon, crispy bacon. And butter, maple syrup, and orange juice.

Life is good with bacon.
 
What kind of bacon? Maybe I've used too high heat but baking it has been hit/miss with some rancid tasting stuff.

Microwave too.

And bacon for 4 in the over? 1lb of bacon doesn't get very far here. Maybe 1.5 kids.
 
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