Bacon is a treat that many of us look forward to, especially on the weekends when you might have a bit more time on your hands to prepare a full English breakfast. While it’s not the healthiest of foods, plenty of Brits enjoy it as a treat every now and then.
So it can be a real let down if you go through all of that effort to prepare it, just for it to be soggy and overcooked. While cooking it in a pan with a splash of oil is the norm for many, this could be the reason your bacon isn’t coming out golden and crispy. Some experts recommend switching oil for water to make less of a mess, or cooking a pack at once so it comes out evenly, but there’s one “minimal fuss” method that’s more effective.
Although cooking bacon in a pan might seem like the easiest option, it’s actually more difficult to get crispy and golden bacon this way, and you might find you’re often left with chewy fat.
Instead, it’s much more effective to simply cook bacon in the oven, especially if you’re cooking a large portion of it for a full English breakfast, as it will cook evenly and you don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on it.
But there’s one essential step you should do before placing it in the oven. In an article for Homes & Gardens, Michael Goodman, the Executive Chef at Four Seasons Las Vegas, advised leaving bacon to rest for 10 minutes before baking for that “perfect shatter-crisp texture.”
Placing cold bacon from the fridge straight onto a hot pan can immediately result in overcooked meat, and stringy fat that’s hard to chew. Letting bacon reach room temperature means it will cook evenly and crisp up without having to overdo it.
For golden and crispy bacon that’s still got some bite to it, the chef advised setting your oven to 190C. Once it’s warmed up, and you’ve given your bacon some time to chill out of the fridge, you can go ahead and place it in the oven.
Michael said: “Cook bacon on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Line it with parchment, since it’s less reflective, distributes heat more evenly, and makes cleanup a breeze.”
Depending on the cut of bacon, you might need to leave it in the oven for slightly longer. It shouldn’t take longer than 15 to 20 minutes to crisp up, but keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
It also means you’re left with less mess to clean up afterwards, and Michael encouraged keeping any leftover grease as you can use this to roast potatoes, or add it to salad dressings.
Cooked bacon will last for up to four days if kept in an airtight container, and can be added to salads or pasta for added flavour and texture.