How to fry thick-cut bacon? 

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “How to fry thick-cut bacon?” tips and methods to fry bacon.

How to fry thick-cut bacon?

To fry thick-cut bacon, place the bacon strips over the skillet on low heat. Flip the bacon frequently to allow it to cook properly and drain them in a dry paper towel.

Dry-frying bacon

Ingredients 

  • Bacon

Method

  • In a pan, add the bacon strips. Place the bacon pieces close to each other but avoid stacking them one over the other.
  • Turn the heat on the stove to low and cook bacon over low heat. When the bacon starts to release fat and curl, flip them over to the other side and cook it. Flip the bacon frequently using tongs so that the bacon gets cooked evenly.
  • Cook the bacon till it’s brown. You can determine the doneness of bacon depending on how you like to consume it. Some like to consume it crispy whereas others like chewy.
  • When the bacon is cooked properly, remove it from the pan using tongs and place them on newspapers or paper towels to drain them of moisture content.
  • Repeat the same steps to cook the remaining pieces of bacon. For this, you would have to remove the grease carefully and then add the other batch of bacon pieces.

If you observe that the pan has developed a crust on the bottom, switch off the stove and allow the pan to cool. Clean the pan after it has cooled and then proceed to cook the bacon.

Frying the bacon

Ingredients

  • Bacon

Method

  • In a frying pan, add the vegetable oil.
  • After the oil turns hot, turn the heat to a medium flame.
  • Add the bacon pieces over the hot oil and cook for 2-5 minutes. Flip the bacon pieces over to the other side and cook them for a few minutes too.

What are the tips to fry bacon?

  • Avoid moving the bacon from the pan till it releases itself from the pan.
  • For frying bacon, you can use a cast-iron skillet or a non-stick pan. Pans having raised ridges are also an ideal choice for frying bacon.
  • It is better to have tongs as bacon needs to be turned frequently. If you are frying, there is a huge risk of oil splattering. Tongs would minimize those risks.
  • You can check the doneness of the bacon using a fork.
  • After frying the bacon, it is essential to drain the bacon off the oil. You can use a dry paper towel, newspapers, or a brown paper bag for this purpose. Avoid placing the bacon directly onto the plate as the plate would turn greasy.
  • After frying the bacon, you would be left with bacon drippings in the pan. Do not throw it away. Instead, you can store them in glass jars and incorporate them into your future dishes.

If you are storing the drippings in a glass jar, it is better to cool the drippings first and then store them as there is a risk of the glass shattering.

  • If you are scared of the oil splattering onto you while cooking bacon, you can always opt to buy a splatter screen. The screen though would need to be moved when you wish to flip the bacon. 

In such cases, you can wear an apron and oven mitts on your hand to protect yourself.

  • If you do not like the smell of the bacon while frying, open the windows of the kitchen. Make sure to use the exhaust fan. You can also place a dish of vinegar on your kitchen counter. 
  • If your pan has bacon juices stuck onto it and you are struggling to remove them, you can use paper towels or newspapers to remove the extra fat from the pan. 

Place the pan on the heat and add water to the pan. Boil the water and then using a spatula, scrub the pan.

  • If the bacon is releasing an excess fat in the pan, you can remove the excess fat using a bulb baster and pour the fat into a container.

You can also remove the fat using a spoon but it is better to switch off the stove while doing so as the grease can ignite a fire.

  • The temperature to cook the bacon can range from 350 to 400 degrees. This would vary depending on how crispy or chewy you would like your bacon to be.
  • Thick-cut bacon would take a longer time to cook than thinner ones. In general, the bacon might take 10-20 minutes to cook.

Other FAQs about Bacon that you may be interested in.

What are Bacon drippings?

How to store bacon?

How to get bacon grease out of clothes?

Conclusion

In this brief article, we have answered the question, “How to fry thick-cut bacon?” tips and methods to fry bacon.

References

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-bacon-on-the-stovetop-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-185903

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