Forget greasy pans and uneven cooking – there’s a better way to make bacon that’s both delicious and crispy: baking. Chef Billy Parisi, a cooking expert with over 25 years of experience, claims that oven-baked bacon is the ultimate method for achieving perfectly cooked bacon. He’s tried countless methods, from pan-frying to grilling and even deep-frying, but nothing compares to the results of baking.
Why is oven-baked bacon superior? It’s all about even cooking. When you fry bacon in a pan, the fat renders much faster than the meat cooks. This leads to uneven browning, with the edges becoming charred and overcooked while the middle remains undercooked and chewy.
Baking solves this problem. The oven cooks the bacon evenly, ensuring that it crisps up without curling or becoming soggy. The slow and gentle heat allows the bacon fat and natural sugars to caramelize, creating a richer, sweeter, and more savory flavor than traditional frying methods.
Here’s how to cook bacon in the oven:
Equipment:
* Baking sheet
* Paper towels
* Baking paper (parchment paper)
Instructions:
1. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. This will catch the rendered bacon fat and help crisp up the bacon.
2. Place the bacon strips on the baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced apart and not touching.
3. Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of your oven.
4. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) or 200°C (400°F).
5. Cook for 22 to 25 minutes at 190°C (375°F) or 18 to 22 minutes at 200°C (400°F).
6. Once the bacon is cooked, remove it from the oven and place each piece on a paper towel to absorb excess grease.
Chef Billy emphasizes the importance of immediately transferring the cooked bacon to paper towels to prevent it from becoming soggy in its own rendered fat.
Enjoy your perfectly cooked, crispy, and flavorful oven-baked bacon! It’s the perfect addition to any breakfast, brunch, or even a snack.
