RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesI made bacon using my air fryer, oven, microwave, and stovetop. In the end, only one appliance made perfect strips of bacon. Steven John
I cooked bacon using my stove, oven, air fryer, and microwave to see which had the best results.
A pan on the stove may be the classic approach, but it was messy, and the bacon seemed extra greasy.
The oven is great for big batches of bacon, but the air fryer created the perfect taste and texture.
I cook a lot of bacon — maybe about a pound a week.
Historically, my preferred way to prepare it is by cooking a large batch in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. When it's done, I'll chop up the fatty meat into bits and store it in the freezer for breakfast omelets .
However, when bacon is front and center rather than a mere part of a larger meal, I'm not sure the oven is the best way to go.
To find the best cooking method, I made bacon using my oven, stove, air fryer , and microwave to see which appliance came out on top.
I used three different types of bacon to ensure my tests were thorough.
Steven John
To make sure I gave each cooking method a fair look, I used three different kinds of bacon across all four appliances .
I bought cherry-smoked, uncured bacon from Porter Road, sugar-free organic applewood-smoked uncured bacon from North Country Smokehouse, and Alewel's Country Meats "Sweet & Sassy Bacon," which was part of Harry & David's All About the Bacon Sampler.
I preheated my oven and air fryer, placed a large pan on the stove, and lined a large plate with paper towels before digging into the packs.
I already knew what to expect from oven-cooked bacon.
Steven John
Since I cook bacon in the oven all the time, there was no guesswork here. I preheated my oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then placed strips of bacon on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper.
I let them cook for a bit longer than I usually would for omelets, since they wouldn't get any extra time in a frying pan.
I ended up pulling the pan out after 13 minutes.
If you're cooking for a crowd, the oven is probably the best option.
Steven John
I don't like crispy or crunchy bacon . The oven is great for my tastes because the meat cooks gradually and rests in plenty of grease that helps prevent any singeing.
That said, oven-cooked bacon is often a bit, shall we say, floppier than one (even I) might like.
Cooking the bacon on a wire rack inside a sheetpan can help up the crisp factor, though. That way, the bacon won't sit in grease as it cooks.
Ultimately, the baked bacon turned out just fine. Since you can make a lot at once, I think this method is handy if you need a lot of bacon for a recipe or are serving multiple people .
Cooking bacon in a pan was a surprising letdown.
I started with a completely cool pan. Steven John
I find it best to start with a cold pan when cooking bacon on the stove . This lets the fats slowly break down into grease rather than burning the meat.
There's no need for oil or cooking spray ; the fat has you covered there.
I brought the burner to medium-high heat, and within 30 seconds or so, the bacon started to sizzle — which smelled great.
After about four minutes, the rashers started curling, so it was time to flip them. I was a bit frustrated by how much effort it took to get each one lying relatively flat again without all of them falling on top of each other.
A couple of minutes later, the bacon was done, and I was so over the method.
Steven John
Once the bacon was cooked, there was grease spattered across my stove and countertop.
Although one of the strips came out perfectly, most of the bacon was seared beyond my liking and was very greasy.
The stovetop is a classic way to fry bacon, but I don't think it was worth the effort and mess.
Microwaved bacon is so quick that it’s easy to forgive it being the worst method.
I sandwich the bacon in between paper towels. Steven John
I used to cook bacon in the microwave often enough in my apartment days, but it's been a while. The one thing I remember clearly is that paper towels are key.
I laid out six strips of bacon on my lined plate, added another layer of paper towel on top (to avoid any grease splatters), and popped the plate into the microwave.
For a standard microwave, four minutes is the perfect amount of time for my texture preferences. I grabbed the plate (with an oven mitt) and pulled off the top layer of paper towels.
I quickly remembered remember why I stopped cooking bacon like this.
The bacon was so greasy. Steven John
The microwaved bacon didn't look appetizing, especially with all the drippings running off the paper towels and onto the plate.
The strips were curled up — crisped in parts and soft in others — and there was a notable sheen of grease.
When I took a bite, I was met with more chewiness than tenderness, but I had to admit the flavor was all there. If you only have five minutes to get out the door, I guess microwaved bacon is better than no bacon at all.
The air fryer quickly became my favorite way to cook bacon.
My air fryer has several layers of shelves. Steven John
Like many people, I went on an air-fryer kick a few years back. But lately, ours has largely sat at the back of a shelf.
After digging it out and preheating it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, I popped in the strips of bacon and set the timer for eight minutes (which many articles and videos on the internet seemed to agree was best).
The taste, texture, and grease level were all perfect.
I loved the slightly crispy but still fatty bacon. Steven John
The air-fried bacon was tender with a hint of crispiness that even I could appreciate. It wasn't bordering on crunchy and was remarkably low in grease.
The strips also didn't curl up nearly as much as with the microwave or pan. They held their shape, resulting in better-looking bacon. Looks don't matter as much as taste here, but I can appreciate a well-plated meal nonetheless.
It's safe to say we'll be using our ...
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