Ingredients
3 slices bacon
Preparation
Step 1Add bacon in a single layer to a large skillet. Place over medium heat and cook, using a fish spatula to gently press down on bacon for full contact with the skillet, until bacon starts to shrink, 2 to 3 minutes.Step 2Flip bacon and continue cooking until both sides are deeply golden and edges are crispy, 2 to 3 minutes more. Flip as often as needed to ensure even cooking. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
There’s no wrong way to enjoy bacon. We have 100+ recipes featuring bacon, in every size, shape, and flavor. But if you fancy yourself a very specific bacon ideal, here are some tips for making bacon on the stovetop to get your perfect doneness, every time. Start in a cold pan—or not. If you’ve watched Lena cook through 4 ways of making bacon, you’d know that a cold pan is best for a smooth and flat, crispy piece of bacon. Throwing your bacon into a preheated pan will cause the cold bacon to immediately shrivel and scrunch, leading to uneven cooking where you get super crispy spots alternating with soft, chewy, fattier bits. Placing cold bacon into a cold pan and then turning on the fire will allow the bacon to heat up alongside the pan, resulting in a gradual rendering process of the fat. As the bacon shrinks evenly across the entire strip, starting in a cold pan leads to a more even cook that allows you to stop the bacon right where you want it in terms of crispiness. Be patient. You might be tempted to cook as many pieces of bacon as possible in the pan at once, especially if you’re serving up brunch for a crowd, but please resist the rush! Overlapping bacon in your skillet will lead not only to uneven cooking where some pieces cook faster and crispier than others, it will also take much longer to cook a larger batch all together. One trick that can help you maximize your skillet is to cut your bacon in half before cooking, which will make it easier for you to play tetris with the pieces to make sure they’re all in a single layer. Everything in moderation, including your heat level. Keep your skillet on a medium heat; go any higher and you might risk burning the edges before the rest of the strip is cooked. Flip often. As the fat is rendered, your bacon is technically frying in its own grease. As the amount of grease increases, the amount of bacon decreases. This inverse relationship causes the cooking process to accelerate as more time goes on, which means the remaining bacon will cook faster and hotter towards the end. Flipping more frequently as you get closer to your ideal texture will help you prevent overcooking and avoid burnt bacon. Drain (and save) that bacon grease. If you’re cooking multiple batches of bacon, be sure to drain out the grease into a heat-proof container and give the pan a wipe with a paper towel between each round. As mentioned above, more grease = more vigorous heat = higher probability for burnt bacon. If you have any small tiny crumbs of bacon bits left in the pan from a previous batch, they will continue to burn under the heat of the following batch. A clean(ish) pan = better bacon. As for what to do with that leftover bacon fat? Use it as you would butter or any other cooking oil. It’s also pre-seasoned, so that flavor will be excellent in everything from fried rice to homemade biscuits and cornbread, or even your next loaf of banana bread, you maverick. Once you’ve made your bacon on the stovetop, drop us a comment down below and let us know your tips and tricks!
