Weird trick with bacon..

[Kayelle]

I know there all kinds of ways of cooking bacon (oven, microwave, skillet) but here's a new one to me and I'll never cook it any other way again.

I've always preferred using a skillet, and I cut my bacon in half for easier frying. I hate what a splattering mess it makes, but I often want to use the pan fond so I put up with it. This method has solved my skillet bacon woes, and I promise once you use it, you'll be sold too. The bonus is my thick slice bacon fries flat.
Be sure to watch the video.

Weird Tip That Really Works: For Perfect Bacon, Add a Little Water to the Pan — Tips from The Kitchn | The Kitchn

 

[medtran49]

Thanks, I'm trying that next time I cook bacon. Besides the spatter, I hate having to try and hold a piece down to try to get it to lay somewhat flat and cook after it curls.

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks, I'm trying that next time I cook bacon. Besides the spatter, I hate having to try and hold a piece down to try to get it to lay somewhat flat and cook after it curls.

Oh I hear you there!! Hate that! It never curls with this method.

 

[Mad Cook]

I know there all kinds of ways of cooking bacon (oven, microwave, skillet) but here's a new one to me and I'll never cook it any other way again.

I've always preferred using a skillet, and I cut my bacon in half for easier frying. I hate what a splattering mess it makes, but I often want to use the pan fond so I put up with it. This method has solved my skillet bacon woes, and I promise once you use it, you'll be sold too. The bonus is my thick slice bacon fries flat.
Be sure to watch the video.

Weird Tip That Really Works: For Perfect Bacon, Add a Little Water to the Pan — Tips from The Kitchn | The Kitchn

I watched it but wasn't impressed. The method is used in some commercial outlets - B&B places, caffs, etc., but you can always tell.

I have a flat fine mesh cover for stopping fat splattering. It stops the fat going all over the place but doesn't make the bacon steam. Having said that, I rarely fry bacon. I usually grill/broil it.

Mind you, I'm not sure whether what we call bacon and what you call bacon are the same thing. One of my books says that bacon over here is more like what you call Canadian bacon but the book could be wrong.

 

[Caslon]

We discussed it a little last year. You probably missed reading it, Kayelle.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f14/cooking-perfect-bacon-89156.html

Noone was really able to explain scientifically why it works. It's a good tip to be sure and worth repeating.

 

[Mad Cook]

Oh I hear you there!! Hate that! It never curls with this method.

I was looking at a kitchen catalogue which fell out of a magazine only today and they were promoting a heavy cast iron plate with a wooden handle to keep your bacon flat. Another thing one didn't realise one needed.

I rather like curly bacon. On a par with fried eggs with frilly frizzled edges.

 

[Andy M.]

...Mind you, I'm not sure whether what we call bacon and what you call bacon are the same thing. One of my books says that bacon over here is more like what you call Canadian bacon but the book could be wrong.

American bacon, raw and cooked, is cut from pork belly. Sometimes called streaky bacon. Last is Canadian bacon which is cut from the loin. Tastes like ham to me.

 

[Kayelle]

Yep Calson I missed that discussion last march on our epic cruise around South America. I see that link that was posted wasn't about frying bacon anyway.

As you can see, it's true MC that our bacon is different, although I also enjoy the British style. The method works very well with American style.

 

[KatyCooks]

You know, when it comes to bacon, I am a bit picky!

I don't like fat, but I do like flavour -
I don't like high prices but I do like a lack of mass production -
I don't like chemical flavour - but I do like natural smoke -

My bacon has to be - pretty good.

Achieving a balance between these things?

Priceless!

 

[Mad Cook]

American bacon, raw and cooked, is cut from pork belly. Sometimes called streaky bacon. Last is Canadian bacon which is cut from the loin. Tastes like ham to me.

Oh yes, we have streaky bacon too but we also have back bacon (sliced to include one piece of pork loin and one piece of pork belly combined into the same cut) and "middle bacon" which is similar to back bacon but tends to have more of the streaky part.

We have "green" bacon, which is not smoked, and smoked bacon. Our bacon also comes in wet cure and dry cure. The latter is nicer but usually more expensive as it uses an more traditional method of curing which takes longer than wet curing which, these days, seems to involve injecting the meat with the curing solution.

Thanks for the explanation, Andy.

 

[Katie H]

Ever since I began using my waffle iron, and now my Griddler, to cook bacon I don't use a skillet any more. Some of the benefits include no splattering, I don't have to babysit the bacon, it stays flat because it is sandwiched between the plates of the appliance, and the grease flows into the catch pan.

Making breakfast that includes bacon is so easy now and doing it this way frees up a burner on the stove for other foods.

 

[creative]

I think the spattering may be down to the water content. I tend to buy organic dry cured bacon....not bothered about it being flat.

 

[Mad Cook]

I think the spattering may be down to the water content. I tend to buy organic dry cured bacon....not bothered about it being flat.

And organic dry-cured bacon tastes wonderful.

 

[roadfix]

I like bacon!

 

[Cooking4to]

I never thought of that, but then do your waffles taste bacon-ey, I have a couple tricks for bacon, 1- when dicing it do it in the package while its really cold, I will toss it in the freezer for a bit before I know I am going to be cutting it, I HATE CUTTING BACON, but keeping it in the package and cutting package and all makes it neat and easy. Next is how I cook it, I use a deep sheet pan {when cooking full slices}, I roll the bacon on its side and cook in the oven...

 

[Katie H]

I never thought of that, but then do your waffles taste bacon-ey, I have a couple tricks for bacon, 1- when dicing it do it in the package while its really cold, I will toss it in the freezer for a bit before I know I am going to be cutting it, I HATE CUTTING BACON, but keeping it in the package and cutting package and all makes it neat and easy. Next is how I cook it, I use a deep sheet pan {when cooking full slices}, I roll the bacon on its side and cook in the oven...

No, the waffle grids never have any trace of bacon flavor. I also "weave" bacon for BLTs. Works beautifully and I make up a package of bacon at a time and freeze the woven bacon. All we have to do is to nuke the bacon sheets for a few seconds and we're ready to munch. Here's a photo.

 

[Cooking4to]

No, the waffle grids never have any trace of bacon flavor. I also "weave" bacon for BLTs. Works beautifully and I make up a package of bacon at a time and freeze the woven bacon. All we have to do is to nuke the bacon sheets for a few seconds and we're ready to munch. Here's a photo.

Very very nice, I wonder if that will work on my pizza screens... Im gonna give it a try, Ill just put a drip pan under them...

 

[Caslon]

Tastes like ham to me.

Uh-huh. Which is why a lot of US pizza places, the meat toppings choice is listed as ...ham/canadian bacon. Like when ordering a Hawaiian pizza.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Ever since I began using my waffle iron, and now my Griddler, to cook bacon I don't use a skillet any more...

Cooking the bacon on (in?) the Griddler is pure genius, Katie! I've never thought of doing it that way. Then again, I'm one of those oddballs who likes drier, grease-less bacon. I tend to nuke mine between paper towels. I really need to try your way, especially so that I can catch the bacon grease that I do use in my cooking.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Bacon...