We Tested 10 Ways to Make Bacon — One Was the Clear Winner

Summary:

• Each person has their own way to cook bacon, but our evaluation of 10 methods revealed surprising results.

• Microwave bacon lacks flavor, boiling in water produces sad strips, and the George Foreman grill yields dry results.

• Stovetop cooking in a cast iron skillet is messy but delicious, while oven-baking emerged as the undisputed winner.

Each person believes they possess the way to cook bacon. Toss it in a pan, right? Not so fast. We incorporated strips into 10 different products and cooked them using 10 methods, such as stovetop, oven, microwave, air fryer, etc., and evaluated each based on crispness, taste, cooking time, and messiness. The findings were actually astounding. 

The Microwave Method

 

Fast? Yes. Satisfying? Not quite. Bacon that is heated in a microwave oven becomes pale, chewy, and without that primitive, rich smoky sizzle. It can be used in a pinch to make a quick breakfast sandwich, but bacon lovers will detect that the flavor and the texture fall short of the mark every time.

Boiling in Water

 

Yes, humans do so too, and yes, we did so. When boiling bacon, it is recommended to boil it in water, then complete baking in a pan, so as to minimise shrinkage. It was curiously soft and queerly tasteless. The Maillard browning had never worked out completely, and only by-products had been produced; they were sad strips that were also unmemorable.

The George Foreman Grill

 

Nostalgia points only. The jagged plates are thimble-like in sucking out the fat, though they squeeze the life out of every strip. Bacon was drawn out skinny, uneasy, and a little dry. When you have nothing better to do on a Sunday morning, it will be all right, though nobody is going to be impressed at the breakfast table.

Grilling Over Open Flame

 

Grilling outside provides a gorgeous smoky taste, but the dripping bacon fat can lead to a blaze at any moment, making such a mode of preparation truly uncertain. Some of the strips were turned out almost crispy; some were almost burnt. A backyard brunch is nice to do, but it’s not at the top of our list.

Stovetop Cast Iron Skillet

 

It is the typical American way – and it works. An experienced cast-iron skillet produces bacon with lovely caramel rims and a full-bodied and delicious taste. The only downside? Grease splatters everywhere. Even your stovetop, your shirt, your dignity, everything is at stake. Nonetheless, the flavor is clearly excellent.

Sous Vide Then Sear

 

 

 

 

Professional level, spectacular performance. Sous vide bacon cooked at 145degF then briefly seared on the surface results in extremely tender perfectly cooked strips with crisp ends. This method does not require even more planning and equipment that many home cooks do not have, making it the only reason why the process is not ranked even higher.

Air Fryer Bacon

 

In this case, the hype of the air fryer is fully warranted. Bacon cooks quickly, remains crispy, and most importantly, the grease drains off easily in the bottom drawer. Few splashes, uniform findings, clean-up. It is rapidly being adopted by American busy households as their choice in the morning on weekdays.

Stovetop on a Stainless Steel Pan

 

A little less dramatic than cast iron, and more controlled. Stainless steel heats even and the process of browning can be monitored accurately. Strips emerged highly uniform with no areas of hotness scalding the sides. It is also easy to clean up. A sure day-to-day process that can produce restaurant bacon at home.

Putting Pie in Oven on a Wire Rack

Raising bacon on a rack of wire in a rimmed baking pan is a life changer. The hot air moves around and evenly cooks all of the strips on the top and the bottom since it does not have to be flipped. You always have crispy results, the grease gets away, and you can even cook a pound at a time.

Oven-Bake: The Undisputed Winner

 

Uncomplicated, easy, and to the point. Spreading the strips of bacon in a sheet pan of foil, cooking at 400°F, and placing the strips in these conditions will ensure even, crispy bacon that is cooked perfectly after 15-18 minutes. None of that splashing, none of that babysitting, none of that turning it over. It takes a matter of seconds to cook a complete pack and clean it all. It is the process that has been lacking.