Bacon is a popular breakfast item and can be cooked in many different ways. Knowing how to tell when bacon is properly cooked is important if you want to enjoy the delicious flavor of this food.
There are certain rules you should follow for cooking bacon, as well as signs you can use to tell when it is done. In this article, we will go over the basics of understanding bacon and how to know when it is cooked.
Key Takeaways:
- Timing is key when you cook bacon – depending on the variety, thickness, and desired degree of crispiness, the cooking time can vary greatly.
- It’s important to periodically check how crispy it is by using tongs and folding back a piece or two of bacon as it cooks.
- To make sure you don’t overcook your bacon, keep an eye on it when there are less than 2 minutes remaining of your expected cooking time.
- Depending on the heat level of your frying pan, baking dish or electric skillet make sure to adjust the temperature accordingly – too much heat can cause your bacon to burn quickly.
- Visual cues like color change and firmness can help determine when bacon is done. The surface texture will change from chewy and bendable when undercooked, to crisper and firmer when fully cooked.
- A few other visual tips that can help you decide when bacon is done are: bubbling around the edges; listening for the sizzle; checking if the fat renders down; ensure there’s a light golden brown color throughout.
Types of Bacon
There are many types of bacon to choose from, each with their own unique flavor and texture profile.
Here’s a guide to the different types of bacon you can use in cooking:
- Streaky Bacon – Also known as streaky American-style bacon, this has a high-fat content and lots of flavor. It comes from the pork belly and is cut into broad bacon strips.
- Pancetta – This type of Italian bacon is salted and cured with spices, giving it a unique flavour. It is made from pork belly or shoulder and often served in cubes.
- British-style Back Bacon – Cut from the leaner part of the pig near the loin, this type of bacon is leaner and often smoked. It usually comes in thick slices or loin steaks.
- German Speck – This type of German bacon is made using pork belly that has been dry-cured with salt and spices and then cold smoked over wood fires for up to 10 days before being sliced.
- Canadian Bacon – Also known as peameal bacon, this type of cured back bacon is made using a combination of brine, sugar, sweet paprika, and spices before being rolled in cornmeal for added texture when cooked.
Cooking Bacon
Cooking bacon is one of the simplest yet most delicious dishes anyone can prepare. But in order to get perfect bacon, you need to know when the bacon is done. To help you master this delicious dish, let’s go over some tips for knowing when raw bacon is cooked. This section will cover different ways to tell when it’s time to take the bacon off the heat. In other words, how to know when bacon is done.
Preparing the Perfectly Cooked Bacon
Bacon can be cooked in a variety of ways, but the most common and widely accepted method is to fry the bacon in a skillet on the stovetop. When preparing bacon for frying, it’s important to use a quality pan. It should be large enough to fit all of your bacon without overcrowding the pan. If your bacon isn’t fried at an even temperature, you risk it becoming burnt on one side while remaining undercooked on the other. And, nobody wants undercooked bacon. Preheat your pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat before adding your bacon.
Once the pan is hot enough, line the bacon slices up neatly in the skillet, leaving room between them for even browning and allowing air to circulate around each piece. After about two minutes, turn each slice over with tongs so that both sides are evenly browned – this should take about 10 minutes total for regular-cut bacon and 8-10 minutes for extra thick slices.
Drain off any excess fat as needed during cooking, or transfer slices to a paper towel-lined plate or a baking dish when done to absorb extra bacon grease. With proper technique, you can enjoy delicious crispy bacon every time!
Heat Source
When cooking bacon, the heat source you choose will determine how your bacon comes out. You can cook bacon on a griddle or in a skillet over a stove top, bake it in an oven on a rimmed baking sheet, or microwave it according to instructions on the package. The heat source is important for the desired crispiness and tenderness of the bacon. Some likes slightly crispy and some likes crispier bacon. So, in the cooking process make sure to choose the best heat source.
Griddle/Stove Top:
For the most even browning and best flavor, cook bacon on a pre-heated griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Check frequently while cooking until it reaches your desired doneness. Flip halfway through to cook evenly.
Oven:
To reduce fat splatter while still getting super crisp bacon, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out uncooked slices of bacon spaced out in rows. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 20 minutes (or longer depending on desired doneness) until browned and crispy. Based on your taste, you can make it light brown or dark brown. Place cooked bacon onto paper towels to absorb excess bacon grease before serving.
Microwave:
Bacon that is pre-cooked in specially designed plastic packs can be microwaved according to manufacturer’s instructions for quick burgers, salads or snacks that come together quickly. Microwave times vary depending on wattage of the appliance — always refer to packaging for the exact times and settings for optimal results.
Timing
When cooking bacon, timing is key. Depending on the variety, thickness and desired degree of crispiness, the cooking time can vary greatly. For instance, thin-sliced American-style bacon is often cooked to a very crispy texture in 3 to 5 minutes. On the other hand, thicker-sliced artisanal bacon may need additional time to optimize its flavor and texture – up to 8 minutes or longer.
Furthermore, it’s important to periodically check how crispy it is by using tongs and folding back a piece or two of bacon as it cooks. To make sure you don’t overcook your bacon, keep an eye on it when there are less than 2 minutes remaining of your expected cook time. Lastly, depending on the heat level of your pan or electric skillet make sure to adjust the temperature accordingly – too much heat can cause your bacon to burn quickly and you will end up with burnt bacon. Bacon perfection takes practice so don’t be afraid to enjoy a few burnt bacon strips while you perfect your technique!
Visual Cues
Cooking bacon can be tricky, as overcooking it can make it dry and unappetizing. Knowing when it is done relies on visual cues. The color will darken as the bacon cooks and the fat will render, becoming translucent. Pay attention to this color change, as well as the firmness of the bacon, to know when bacon is done. If you don’t pay attention to the visual cues, you will end up with overcooked bacon.
Crispness
The extent to which bacon is cooked or fried is sometimes hard to differentiate at a glance, as there is usually very little color change between ‘lightly cooked’ and ‘burnt’. One of the best indicators of doneness is by assessing the crispness of the bacon. The surface texture will change from bit chewy and bendable when undercooked, to crisper and firmer when fully cooked. To test for doneness, gently squeeze each piece between your fingers—if it feels crispy then it’s ready! For an even more reliable test, use a fork to break open a piece; if it breaks with little resistance, then you’re good to go!
A few other visual tips that can help you decide when bacon is done are:
- Look for bubbling around the edges indicating moisture evaporating from the fat
- Listen for the sizzle; this usually signifies that the heat is still present
- Check if the fat renders down and appears translucent
- Ensure there’s a light golden brown color throughout
Safety Tips to Cook bacon
Cooking bacon correctly is essential to ensure it is safe to eat. Bacon is a type of processed meat and the risk of food poisoning is high if it is not cooked properly. To avoid this, there are a few safety tips to keep in mind. This section will cover all the safety tips you need to know to properly cook bacon.
Avoid Cross-contamination
The most important way to avoid cross-contamination is to constantly practice food safety. Always remember to separate raw meats, poultry, seafood and eggs from ready-to-eat foods such as fruits and vegetables. You should also never place cooked foods on a surface that has been used for raw foods without thorough cleaning and sanitizing first.
When handling these items, use different cutting boards and clean utensils for each type of food. Additionally, transfer foods using single-use disposable utensils or dedicated containers for each type of product – for example, one container for raw poultry and another for vegetables.
Make sure you thoroughly wash your hands between handling of different types of food items in order to reduce the risk of passing bacteria from one item to another. Additionally, store your food appropriately once it is cleaned. Everything from perishable items like dairy products or meats to dry goods should be kept independent from each other so as not to increase the risk that transferable microorganisms will be able to survive in a more suitable environment. It’s also important to keep storage temperatures consistent so that bacteria does not develop when being stored.
Storage
When it comes to storage, knowing how to store bacon correctly is an important part of making sure that it is safe to eat. Proper storage of raw bacon can help prevent foodborne illnesses and ensure that it remains at its best quality. This section will discuss the best way to store bacon so that you can use it for the longest possible time.
Refrigeration
Once you’ve cooked your bacon slices to perfection, the best way to store it is by refrigeration. It should always be refrigerated as soon as possible to maintain its quality and freshness. Properly stored, cooked bacon will last for about seven days in the fridge.
When transferring your cooked bacon from skillet to a storage container, make sure you take proper precautions with handling it and cooling it down before placing it in the refrigerator. Place wax paper on a flat surface and place the strips of bacon on top of the wax paper. The strips should lie flat, not overlapping each other or touching any other item (this includes other pieces of bacon). Once all the bacon has been transferred from skillet to wax paper on a plate or cutting board, securely cover it with plastic wrap then place in refrigerator immediately. This method is recommended if you plan on storing the cooked bacon for fewer than seven days.
If you need longer-term storage options for your leftovers, you can also freeze your cooked slices of bacon for up to three months without compromising its flavor or texture. To do this, securely wrap each slice individually in foil or waxed paper; this will prevent them from sticking together when freezing them in bulk quantities. Place all wrapped slices into an airtight freezer bag and store at a consistent temperature below 0°F (-18°C). When ready to eat simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and re-heat as desired before eating.
Freezing
Freezing bacon can extend its shelf life, allowing you to enjoy the rich flavor of bacon without worrying about going bad. Frozen bacon should be wrapped carefully in airtight packaging and labeled with the date. It’s best to store in a freezer-safe container for easier monitoring of how well your thawed bacon has fared. Frozen bacon should be used within one month or less of buying or freezing it.
If you plan on keeping your frozen bacon slices for longer than one month, wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap or wax paper followed by an aluminum foil single layer and consider storing it in an airtight container for maximum protection. This ensures several layers between the food and freezer burn, which can give the meat an unpleasant taste if you aren’t careful with packaging and freezing times.
To prevent water loss during freezing, place a piece of wax paper over the frozen food and freeze both together — this will limit moisture loss while preserving flavor when defrosting and cooking your bacon. Make sure to consume all thawed ingredients within 24 hours of defrosting them to avoid spoilage!
Reheating
Reheating previously cooked bacon can help extend shelf life and provide a convenient way to eat leftovers. It’s important to remember that bacteria can be a concern when dealing with cold bacon pieces. Bacon should only be reheated once, and it’s best to reheat it up to 165°F (74°C) in a hot skillet or oven, never in the microwave.
Cooked bacon can also be kept frozen for up to one month in the freezer if wrapped properly in parchment paper or aluminum foil. When reheating frozen bacon, preheat the oven and then bake until heated through — temperatures from 350°F (177°C) to 400°F (204°C) generally work best for this task. For stovetop methods, you can also thaw frozen bacon and direct heat it over medium-high or medium-low heat on a skillet.