You are the arbiter of your own porky pleasure
By Kat Kinsman Updated December 04, 2018
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Credit: Photo by Claudia Timmann via Getty Images
Have you heard the good news about bacon? It's tasty and a lot of people like it. Some people are real horny for bacon. Are obsessed with bacon. Have used their enthusiasm for bacon in lieu of a personality. Have centered their lifestyles around the enjoyment thereof. Don't let their borderline terrifying boosterism deter you from a delightful cured pork experience. Most bacon exists on a spectrum of pretty good to really good. There's a swath of "meh" bacon (often topping fast food sandwiches), and the very occasional definitively bad bacon. (It happens. Feel free to @ me.) But only occasionally does a civilian come across blowout bacon, and that's a pity. It's not that hard to amp bacon up a little bit and seeing as the world is running a couple pints low on joy right now, it's both OK and crucial to manifest extra pleasure where you can.
Buy it
Obviously you can buy really great bacon. Our Bacon Critic Emeritus Scott Gold did all the grueling work for you and you may reap the benefits of his findings. Yes of course Benton's is on the list. I'd toss Edwards Virginia Smokehouse on the list as well. But this is like saying you know what a really great car to drive in? A Mercedes. OF COURSE IT IS. This is about working with what's realistic for you on the regular and making the most of it. Rent a Porsche on vacation sometime, but put some really comfy seat covers in your Honda for the everyday of it all.
Cut it
If you have not experienced the glory of slab bacon, hooboy, are you in for a treat. This is basically just bacon that's not yet been sliced into strips, and it enables you to select the thickness that most appeals to your senses. How often does that happen? You are the arbiter of your own pleasure. Behave only as responsibly as you choose to. Roasting works well if it's super thick.
Glaze it
Fat and salt are BFF with sweetness, and it doesn't hurt to get a little tanginess in there either. Brush uncooked bacon slices with a slurry of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey, place them on a rimmed, foil-lined tray in a 400°F oven, check every five minutes or two to see how things are faring, flip and baste as needed, and when the bacon is cooked and the glazed thickened, cool the bacon on a rack with the tray below.
Spice it
The smoke and saltiness of bacon is also excellent with heat. Only you know who you are as a spice person, so sprinkle or drizzle accordingly. You may still be a Sriracha stan. Brush some on there. You may appreciate a bright, slow burn in which case get in there with the Aleppo pepper flakes—stick 'em on there with honey if need be. You may have been alerted to the good word about about Chile Crunch, in which case what are you waiting for? Baste it on at the beginning (again, the sheet method is your best bet here) or dust some skillet-cooked bacon once it's crisped to your liking.
Salt it
You sure can add salt to your bacon if that's what pumps your particular ventricles, but you can also make your own bacon salt and add a little bit of bacon flavor to everything that passes through your lips. Even bacon. How meta. And meaty. (You can also make a bacon candle and light your way through the emotional darkness.)
Jam it
Cook down bacon with some onion, bourbon, sugar, syrup, and vinegar and you've got bacon jam. Spread that on everything from cheese plates to ice cream, eat it by the spoonful, or spackle it into the cracks in your psyche. It's surprisingly effective.
FAQs
Brush uncooked bacon slices with a slurry of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey, place them on a rimmed, foil-lined tray in a 400°F oven, check every five minutes or two to see how things are faring, flip and baste as needed, and when the bacon is cooked and the glazed thickened, cool the bacon on ...
How to make bacon taste even better? ›
Even though it doesn't necessarily come with a mild flavor, bacon is a total blank canvas. With the help of some extra ingredients and spices for your bacon, you can take its original savory, salty, and smoky flavor and enhance it with things like chili powder and coffee, Sriracha, maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey.
How to make really good bacon? ›
1: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and lay out as many bacon strips as will fit snuggly without overlapping. 2: Place in a cold oven. Then heat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake to desired crispness, 25 to 35 minutes. 3: Drain well on a paper-towel-lined platter.
How to get bacon to cook evenly? ›
Sheet pan + aluminum foil
My personal favorite way to cook bacon in the oven is on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil, because it cooks evenly and gets crispy on both sides. Lining your pan with aluminum foil will help protect it from grease; it'll need a quick rinse or run through the dishwasher at most.
Why do chefs add water to bacon? ›
The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders. Plus, since the water helps render the fat, there will be significantly less splatter as your bacon finishes in the pan.
How do you fix the best bacon? ›
Bacon-Cooking Method: Baking on Parchment Paper
About This Method: Martha Stewart's technique promises a “spatter-free” way to get “perfectly crispy bacon.” You simply line one or two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, arrange the bacon on top, and bake at 400°F until it is crisped to your liking.
What not to do when cooking bacon? ›
Never Make These Mistakes When Cooking Bacon
- Starting with a Hot Pan.
- Using Cold Bacon.
- Using Bacon That's Too Thin.
- Using Heat That's Too High.
- Crowding the Pan.
- Cooking Bacon on the Stove.
- Cooking Bacon in the Oven.
- Using Bacon in Other Dishes.
When bacon is heated, the sugars and amino acids in its muscle tissue and fatty acids break down, giving birth to various compounds like aldehydes, furans, and ketones. These compounds are responsible for the delightful aroma and taste of bacon.
How does Gordon Ramsay cook bacon perfectly? ›
While a pan is on, he simply heats olive oil, brown sugar, salt, pepper and butter in a pan before adding the bacon. After the bacon begins to sizzle in the pan, Gordon Ramsay explains why this method helps create tastier bacon. He said: “As it cooks, it becomes irresistibly caramelised and golden brown.”
Is it better to cook bacon on high or low? ›
First, resist the urge to cook bacon over high heat. Bacon will take a few minutes longer to crisp up when cooked over medium, but the less intense heat allows for more fat to render from the bacon, so it cooks more evenly and crisps up better.
To cook bacon on the stove:
In a cold skillet, arrange bacon in a single layer (don't let it overlap too much). Turn the skillet to medium heat and cook, flipping the pieces often to promote even browning, until they reach your desired doneness (8 to 15 minutes).
How do you enhance bacon? ›
Brush uncooked bacon slices with a slurry of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey, place them on a rimmed, foil-lined tray in a 400°F oven, check every five minutes or two to see how things are faring, flip and baste as needed, and when the bacon is cooked and the glazed thickened, cool the bacon on ...
What is the secret to cooking bacon? ›
Tried and true, this is the way I learned to cook bacon: Lay the strips in a cold skillet, place over medium-low to medium heat, flip and fry until you reach your desired doneness and then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
How do you add flavor to cured bacon? ›
All you need to do is adjust some of the ingredients and experiment with additions. Brown sugar, molasses, garlic, bourbon, different wood species and a host of other options can be used to create your own signature bacon, and let's be honest, it's going to be one helluva tasty process of trial and error.
How do you replicate bacon taste? ›
One great recipe for a vegan bacon marinade combines maple syrup with vegetable oil, soy sauce, liquid smoke and our very own Maple Bacon and Black Pepper seasoning. Simply coat your meat-free bacon substitute in this sauce and marinade overnight for the best results.
Why does bacon taste funny sometimes? ›
If you're met with a sour or sulfuric odor, your bacon has likely gone bad. This stench occurs when bacteria, yeast, and fungi take hold of the bacon. The microbes may produce odors themselves or cause the bacon to release off-putting aromas. Sometimes bacon's distinct smoky smell can mask these odors.
Why does restaurant bacon taste so good? ›
The bacon chefs use in restaurants, however, is usually far leaner than the supermarket kind. Chefs often have the benefit of specifying with their suppliers how they like their meat-to-fat ratio, and this gives them less fatty bacon that has the perfect amount of lubrication without getting greasy.
