Warning: Cooking bacon in the air fryer may not be the best idea
While cooking bacon in the air fryer may seem like a convenient way to achieve crispy results, experts warn that it may not be the safest option. The high fat content of bacon can lead to smoking or even flames in certain air fryer models, posing a potential fire hazard.
To prevent these hazards, it is recommended to cook bacon in smaller batches and drain the grease regularly during the cooking process. However, this can be inconvenient and requires frequent monitoring, making other methods like pan-frying or oven-baking more practical alternatives.
Pan-frying
Pan-frying is the most popular method for cooking bacon and involves placing bacon strips in a pan over medium heat. This method yields bacon with a slightly soft texture in the middle and a crispy exterior, resulting in a richer flavor due to direct contact with the frying pan and the caramelization process.
Oven-cooking
Cooking bacon in the oven is a simple and effective method that involves arranging bacon strips on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and baking them at 200C for 15 to 20 minutes. This method produces flat, evenly cooked strips of bacon with a consistently crispy texture and a slight chewiness in the center. It is also less messy and is better suited for cooking large batches of bacon than other methods.
Overall, while air fryers can be convenient for cooking various foods, it is important to exercise caution when cooking bacon due to the potential fire hazard. Alternative methods like pan-frying or oven-baking provide safer and more reliable results for cooking crispy and flavorful bacon.
