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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Oven Fried Bacon

by Michelle


Oven-Cooked Bacon

This is the best method to cook a large batch of bacon and the quantity called for can easily be doubled using two cookie sheets. The bacon strips cook evenly with little attention requiring no turning or flipping during cooking (although around the 18 minute mark, I do find myself more times than not, removing the trays from the oven, flipping the strips and transferring the faster cooking outliers to a paper towel-lined plate to cool).  ~Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, January/February 1998.

1 package, thin or thick cut bacon, such as Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon or Whole Foods 365 Brand


Procedure:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle and preheat oven to 400°F.
2. For thin sliced bacon, arrange bacon slices on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 6 minutes, then rotate pan front-to-back (if using more than one tray of bacon, exchange oven positions, too). Continue baking until crisp and brown another 5 to 6 minutes.



3. For thick sliced bacon, arrange bacon slices on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, then rotate pan front-to-back (if using more than one tray of bacon, exchange oven positions,too). Continue baking until crisp and brown another 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Using tongs, transfer bacon slices to paper towel-lined plate. Drain and serve. The cooked bacon also keeps well, for up to a week, in the refrigerator. The cooked strips are handy for your favorite version of a bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich, or chopped and used in a variety of recipes from vegetables to pastas.
5. If you like, after the grease has cooled on the cookie sheets for about 10 minutes, carefully pour into a glass container and seal with lid. Store in the refrigerator and use in recipes that call for bacon fat.

1 comment:

  1. I always save my bacon fat, it adds a lot of flavor to the meat and is great for high heat.

    ReplyDelete