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yondering
10-06-2009, 05:30 PM
Ok, this may seem a little simplistic, but I want to learn how to fry up bacon right. Talking about strips of bacon here, not pork roast or lunchmeat. I've had it a few times where the fat just crumbles/melts in your mouth, but haven't been able to cook it that way myself.

I fry it in a skillet over medium heat, flipping it over 1 or 2 times during cooking. Seems like it goes from being chewy, to hard and brittle, with no in-between. What am I doing wrong?

hoosierlogger
10-06-2009, 05:40 PM
Try a bacon press. They will keep it flat so all parts of the bacon are in contact with the skillet at all times. it cooks more evenly and faster, plus you can stack more of it on a sandwich when its flat.

I use a cast iron skillet, and I might add it turns out good for me. SWMBO hates the cast iron and swears it is against her, as she cannot get bacon right in it.

Lee W
10-06-2009, 06:34 PM
I hate to say it, but the best way to cook bacon like you described it to bake it. I am having BLTs tonight and I baked the bacon at 350f for 40 minutes.
Perfect.

10-x
10-06-2009, 06:42 PM
+1 for Lees method. Fried it in all kinds of frying pans for years, then the wife heard about baking it in the oven, try it you'll like it:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

square butte
10-06-2009, 07:05 PM
Cook on the upper end of a low heat. Turn often. The closer it is to the color you want it - turn it more often than in the beginning. Rotate position in skillet. (most skillets and burners have a hot spot) Be prepared to take some time - about half an hour. Remove when done and place on a paper towel to drain. My wife calls me the bacon miester. This method almost never fails me. Every package of bacon cooks a bit differently.

dominicfortune00
10-06-2009, 09:09 PM
When I cook bacon, I do it in a teflon lined skillet on a gas range.

I put the bacon in the pan and cook over medium low heat until there are tiny white bubbles around the bacon.

I then turn the bacon over, cook until I see the tiny white bubbles again, and it's done.

Remove from pan and put on paper towels to drain.

Cooking it this way makes bacon that my daughter calls juicy.

A good way to do it is in a convection oven, it makes it easier to see the tiny white bubbles.

yondering
10-06-2009, 10:39 PM
Thanks guys. Sounds like I've been cooking it too hot/fast, it's done in about 10 minutes.

I'll try the oven idea. Do you guys wrap the bacon in aluminum foil in the oven, or just lay it out on a pan? Seems like I heard about usin aluminum foil somewhere, but I'm not sure.

I saw the little white bubbles last time I cooked bacon, but kept going too long I guess.

MT Gianni
10-06-2009, 11:47 PM
When you get it right look for Cottage Bacon. It will make the best BLT's in the world.

Bodydoc447
10-08-2009, 12:15 PM
Alton Brown of TV's Good Eats also recommended the baking method. He put his bacon on a cooling rack and the rack in a sheet pan to catch the fat drippings. My wife often uses a microwave thingy (looks like a skillet/griddle with ridges) and it comes out okay.

Doc

scrapcan
10-08-2009, 02:52 PM
bake it or put it in the pan and put it on the grill in a pan. Yep you can use the grill as an oven and it turns out great and then there are no complaints about the house smelling like cold bacon grease for three days.

When the bacon is done you can cook your eggs in the hot cast iron pan on the grill, mos tof hte time you do not even need to have the fire on. And before you are all done soak that piece of toast you toasted ont eh top grate in the drippings.

Boy that was not a very healthy set of instructions was it? The grill does work great though.

dominicfortune00
10-11-2009, 11:51 PM
Alton Brown of TV's Good Eats also recommended the baking method. He put his bacon on a cooling rack and the rack in a sheet pan to catch the fat drippings.

Yes he does.

He also has a recipe to make your own bacon on Food Network.com

I want to try it when I get the time and can find some pork bellies.

dominicfortune00
10-12-2009, 10:58 PM
Watched the season premere of Good Eats tonight, and Alton Brown cooked bacon in a round waffle maker.

Go figure!!

Three-Fifty-Seven
10-13-2009, 08:50 AM
I also use to bake it . . . 300 degrees for an hour . . . don't eat it anymore . . .

rugerman1
10-13-2009, 09:00 AM
Fry bacon in as much grease as it takes to submerge it and use a bacon press to hold it down as close to flat as possible.

OutHuntn84
10-13-2009, 09:43 AM
I have to agree with hoosier, Noth'n cooks Noth'n like a cast iron skillet. Plus every restaurant I know uses a bacon press when fry'n bacon.

WickedGoodOutdoors
10-13-2009, 01:29 PM
Nukulate your Bacon beween white paper towles in the Microwave for a few mins until crispy.

It cooks all the grease out of it and makes it crispy. Youll never want it any other way

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/qf/c/ScienceAndMechanics/1-1936/radium_pig/med_radium_pig_0.jpg

mold maker
10-13-2009, 02:35 PM
Have ya ever fried bacon and eggs in a brown paper bag, over a camp fire????

fatnhappy
10-13-2009, 02:37 PM
Fry bacon in as much grease as it takes to submerge it and use a bacon press to hold it down as close to flat as possible.


Rugerman is almost there. I fry it in a cast iron skillet full of lard (aka ersatz butter.) Deep fying it in lard doesn't require a bacon press.
When I'm done the lard goes back in the tupperware into the fridge. At any given time I have about a gallon of bacon grease handy for cooking the next batch.

markinalpine
10-14-2009, 04:12 PM
From You-Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4NQ2qZmthE

"Chicken Fried Bacon" :bigsmyl2:

I know, this isn't about just cooking bacon in the home, but I enjoy this video.

Mark :coffeecom

OutHuntn84
10-14-2009, 04:19 PM
Have ya ever fried bacon and eggs in a brown paper bag, over a camp fire????
Do Tell?

hoosierlogger
10-14-2009, 04:46 PM
Have ya ever fried bacon and eggs in a brown paper bag, over a camp fire????

we used to do that when I was in boy scouts. Just line the bottom of a brown paper bag with bacon, crack open a couple of eggs directly on top of the bacon, and set on a grate above the camp fire, so no flames touch the bag. The grease from the bacon will keep the paper bag from catching on fire.

You can also boil water over a fire in an un waxed paper cup.

OutHuntn84
10-20-2009, 04:11 PM
I'll have to try that this deer season.

Lumpie
10-25-2009, 03:00 PM
First I never In my life saw this, until I spent the summer in Alaska with a friend. Thats where the picture in mt Id. Is from. mFry Bacon in what ever type pan that you want. Dip bacon in either milk or water. then dredge it in flour. Shake off excess. Put in skillet. It will blow your mind. It will just lay flat while it cooks. Try it! Lumpie

papa bear
10-26-2009, 03:37 PM
The best way to get just the way you want is to bake it. No splatter and you can make it as crisp as you want.

Cactus Farmer
10-26-2009, 04:48 PM
Buy the 3 lb box of ends and pieces (used to flavor beans,ect) fry the whole thing in a large skillet on the Bar-b. When its about half cooked.(translucent,ie, almost clear) run it thru a meat grinder and put it in several zipper bags. Take a pinch for flavoring or in the skillet with the eggs. Scrambled,or fried it sure is easier to do and fast too. And the grease makes the best cornbread!:lol:

dsmjon
10-26-2009, 08:36 PM
It's good off the grill also, keep the flare-ups down, the bacon comes off damned tasty!

C1PNR
10-27-2009, 06:43 PM
We've been doing it in the microwave for years. Faster than the oven and the result is the same, including the bacon grease.

We use a special microwave "griddle" with large grooves that allow the grease to run off into a catch basin. We also put a paper towel over the top to keep the splatter down, but it doesn't really get much grease on it.

ghh3rd
12-21-2009, 07:11 PM
Sometimes fry bacon in the waffle iron, then make waffles. Mmmmm mmmm.

Changeling
01-23-2010, 06:36 PM
It is not so much how you fry it as it is the type/Brand of bacon you use. There is a million brands out there but about two years ago I had "Farm Land" brand thick smoked bacon and that was it totally. If you can find it near you give it a try, you'll be PM'ing me afterward, LOL, It is absolutely awesome.

BTW, everything is better in a cast iron pan, DUH. If you don't have one you aren't cooking right.

dominicfortune00
01-23-2010, 09:39 PM
I find it's hard to beat a good brand of slab bacon for taste.

TDB9901
01-26-2010, 12:32 PM
SWMBO has taken to baking, or "oven frying" it on her heavy ceramic cookie sheet thingie, she got at one of those cooking "Hen Parties".

Works good, more evenly cooked and flatter.

cmhbar
02-07-2010, 09:52 PM
I am a lazy type camp cook and frying whole strips of bacon and having them curl around, trying to turn them, I thought there must be a eaiser way. (read lazy)! soo--------- I now take a pak of bacon and cut cross-ways, and now have a lot of little bacon "squares" no turning now--just stir till done! also use bacon ends and pieces the same way-always in cast iron skillet or dutch oven!!!

Gerry N.
02-07-2010, 11:42 PM
Most people fry their bacon too hot. Med-Low to Low heat and a little patience will do the trick. Sometimes I press the odd slice that wants to curl up too much with the pancake turner. I also fry my bacon in a good quality cast iron frying pan. Keep an eye on your bacon and turn frequently so you can see how it's coming along. It's a short, short time between almost done and overdone.

A microwave is excellent as well. I place my bacon on two layers of paper towel, with two more layers over it. In my microwave, one minute per slice is about right. If underdone, I give it thirty seconds more at a time until done to my liking. Again, it bears watching as it's only a few seconds between perfectly done and overdone.

Remember, too that everyone likes his bacon a little different than everyone else.

Gerry N.

Lloyd Smale
02-10-2010, 07:50 AM
chicken fried bacon, got to try that one!!!!!

wilddog45
02-11-2010, 07:32 PM
My cousin says its healthier to bake instead of fry things, so im bakin my bacon to be health conscious. NOT!!! LOL!!!

frankenfab
03-29-2010, 10:22 PM
Have you guys ever had "Petit Jean" bacon?

Low, Slow, and chewy is how I like it. The second and third batches are always better because the grease level is up. I just fry a pound or 1.5 pounds and put the leftover in the freezer. It is good out of the microwave after 30 seconds.

Dave Bulla
04-06-2010, 02:19 AM
I guess it's all in how you like your bacon. I can't stand crispy bacon. I want it browned and just starting to crisp up but thick and chewy for the most part. As far as I'm concerned, ya can't make good bacon with a bacon press because it all cooks up the same way. I like the variety of crispy edges with chewy parts here and there.

Now, regardless of how you like yours, here's a little trick for better tasting bacon. When you put it in the pan, grind some black pepper over it pretty generously. Let it cook till the first side is done and flip it over. Now, sprinkle just a little bit of sugar across each strip. Cook till the second side is done and remove from the pan. MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm MMMMMMMM!

And I can second the Farmland bacon as being pretty darned good for store bought bacon. The Wright brand peppered bacon is real good and you don't have to add pepper. My favorite is good slab bacon and ya slice it yourself with a knife about 1/4" thick and leave the skin on. Cook slow and let it get a little crispy. If it's thick enough, the inside will still be chewy. Talk about good sammich fixins!