Bacon may not be the healthiest of foods but it’s undeniably one of the most delicious, making a tasty addition to breakfast, lunch or evening meals. The beauty of bacon is that it’s pretty quick to cook – simply throw it in a pan or on the grill and wait until it crispens up.
But in a similar vein to steak, how you enjoy your bacon is a matter of preference, with some favouring a lighter cook that is slightly more chewy, while others want that lovely crisp and crunch. For those who fall into the latter category, food experts say there is a way to guarantee perfectly crispy bacon every single time and all it takes is one ingredient.
If you want to achieve a crispy texture without burning your bacon and turning it brittle, the answer lies in cooking the meat in water. According to experts, you simply need to add enough water to cover the bottom of your frying pan and then add your strips of bacon to it.
The water will not only prevent the bacon from sticking to the frying pan, but as it heats up and circulates, it ensures an even cook and helps stop it burning. It also keeps the cooking temperature low which helps the bacon retain its moisture and stay tender as the fat renders evenly.
America’s Test Kitchen explains: “Sometimes the best techniques are the counterintuitive ones, and our simple stovetop method of cooking bacon in water is just that. It may sound weird, but it will produce crispy and tender bacon every time.
“The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders. Plus, since the water helps render the fat, there will be significantly less splatter as your bacon finishes in the pan.
“Also, by the time the water reaches its boiling point, the bacon fat is almost completely rendered. This will help keep the meat bacon from burning, since you now don’t have to wait for the fat to cook off like you would if you cooked it the traditional way, instead of in water. Now your bacon is tender and crisp, not dry and brittle.”
Not only does adding water make your bacon crispier, but it can give it a more balanced taste which is less salty.
BENSA Bacon Lovers Society adds: “This method is a total game-changer. What you’ll get are beautifully crispy bacon strips that practically melt in your mouth.
“Cooking bacon with water helps render the fat gently and evenly, which means more tender bacon with no overcooked bits or burnt edges. Adding a little water to the pan also tones down the saltiness just a bit, so the bacon flavour really shines through.”