Bacon lends itself to many preparations, but frying is the classic technique for cooking it. You can enjoy it with eggs, toast or other breakfast foods. You can also break it up and add it to salads. This article will tell you how to fry bacon to perfection, but will also give you some ideas for flavoring and marinating it. If you don't have a stove and pan available, don't worry, you can still cook bacon, and here you will find instructions for doing so!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Fry the Bacon
Step 1. Use salami at room temperature
Remove it from the refrigerator and leave it on the kitchen counter for 5 minutes. In this way the fat in the bacon softens; remember never to fry it when cold. If you wish, you can marinate it or flavor it right now, you can find some useful ideas in the dedicated section of this article.
If the bacon is frozen, you will need to thaw it first. Never fry it when it is still frozen, but wait for it to thaw inside its packaging or in a bowl with water at room temperature. Do not use the microwave to defrost it
Step 2. Place the bacon slices in a cold pan
You can use a cast iron pan or a normal frying pan with a diameter of 30 cm; the important thing is that it is cold. Slices of salami can also touch each other but not overlap, otherwise they will not cook evenly.
A normal frying pan is perfectly suitable, as well as a cast iron one; however, the latter cooks the bacon faster
Step 3. Turn on the stove and start cooking the bacon
Set the heat to "low" and let the meat begin to cook. As it heats up, you will notice that the fat melts and collects in the pan; this allows for even cooking. If there is too much fat, you can pour some into a heat-resistant jar or bowl. Do not throw it down the sink or it may become clogged.
If you love crispy bacon, you can add a little water, just enough to cover the meat and turn the heat up to "high". When the water starts to boil, lower the heat to "medium" and when it has evaporated completely you can reduce the heat again to "medium-low". Continue frying until the fat turns golden
Step 4. When the bacon slices start to curl, flip them over with a fork
After a few minutes you will notice bubbles on the meat and the edges of the bacon bits will turn on themselves. At this point you can turn them with the help of a fork or a small spatula that you will slide under each slice before turning it over. You can also wedge the meat between the teeth of a fork and rotate it; this technique gives you more control.
Step 5. Continue cooking the meat until ready
The time it takes depends on your personal tastes; if you love crispy bacon, you will have to wait longer.
Step 6. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain the fat
Once it's cooked to the point you want, transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Wait for the paper to absorb excess grease before serving.
You can also drain the fat on a sheet of newspaper, a cut paper bag, or on a metal rack placed on a baking sheet
Method 2 of 3: Flavor the Bacon
Step 1. Consider adding some variations
You can make the sausage tastier by marinating it or sprinkling it with spices before frying. You can also combine it with other ingredients. This section of the article will give you some ideas to make the bacon taste more interesting; if you want to know the right cooking technique, refer to the first part.
Step 2. Add some spices
You can give the bacon a "boost" of flavor by sprinkling it with a combination of spices. Make sure it is at room temperature before adding the flavorings and let them soak into the meat for a few minutes before frying. Here are some suggestions:
- 15 g of brown sugar, 5 g of a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and allspice.
- 5 g of brown sugar, a pinch of ground pepper.
- 15 g of garlic powder and 15 g of paprika.
- 22 g of whole cane sugar.
Step 3. Marinate the bacon with a sauce, syrup or salad dressing
Put the salami on a plate and cover it with the liquid of your choice. Make sure both sides of the slices are well coated and place the dish in the refrigerator for half an hour. At the end you can fry the bacon as usual. If you prefer, you can also marinate it with these ingredients:
- 240 ml of pineapple juice and 5 ml of soy sauce.
- Extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and aromatic herbs.
- Molasses.
- Teriyaki sauce.
- Maple juice, choose a fairly liquid one.
- Remember that sweet sauces and toppings will caramelize in cooking, be prepared for a difficult-to-wash pan.
Step 4. Make bacon pancakes
While not exactly a marinade or a flavoring technique, you can combine classic "made in the USA" breakfast foods: bacon (or bacon) and pancakes. Make pancake batter and fry the bacon. Remove the salami from the pan and place it on the kitchen paper, remove the fat from the pan and return the bacon to the pan, spacing the slices 5 cm apart. Pour the batter into the blanks and cook until bubbles begin to form (this will take a minute or two). You can now flip the pancake over and cook on the other side until golden (about two minutes).
Method 3 of 3: Alternative Cooking Techniques
Step 1. Consider other cooking methods
Although bacon is normally fried, it is sometimes not possible due to lack of time or equipment. Luckily, there are other ways to make a delicious dish and this part of the article will tell you how to do it using the microwave, oven or barbecue.
Step 2. Use the microwave
Place a few slices of bacon on a paper towel lined plate and cover them with a second layer of paper. Place the dish in the appliance and cook for one minute. Check the process carefully, as each microwave is different and bacon may be cooked earlier than expected.
The greater the number of kitchen paper sheets, the greater the amount of fat that is absorbed; all this will allow you to have a very crunchy bacon
Step 3. Bake the bacon in the oven
Line a pan with aluminum foil and place it on a metal grill. Arrange the slices of salami on the grill and place everything in the cold oven. Turn on the appliance by setting the temperature to 205 ° C. Wait for the bacon to cook for 20 minutes, but if you like it particularly crunchy, wait a few more minutes.
- You can also turn the slices of meat. Bake them in the oven for 12-15 minutes and then flip them. Wait another 10 minutes.
- Cooking on a metal grill allows the fat to drain without forming a puddle around the meat. In addition, the hot air from the oven can completely envelop the bacon and cook it evenly.
- Use a cold oven and don't preheat it so the salami slices won't curl.
Step 4. Grill the bacon
Turn on the barbecue and set it to medium temperature. When it is hot, arrange the slices of salami on the grill. Wait for them to become crisp and golden before turning and cooking them for the same amount of time. It will take 5 or 7 minutes.
Advice
- Instead of waiting for the pan to heat up, put the bacon in the cold pan.
- Try pouring water into the pan and cook the bacon over very high heat, gradually lowering it as the water level drops. This way you will get a very crunchy bacon.
- Consider marinating or flavoring the bacon.
- Save the melted fat for other preparations. Never throw it down the sink drain, as it will return to solid state and could cause plumbing problems.
Warnings
- It is normal for the fat to splash and sizzle, droplets of boiling grease will fly out of the pan. Be very careful when preparing fried bacon, to avoid a few sprinkles of very hot fat from hitting and burning you.
- Never leave bacon unattended while frying. A fire could start that would destroy the house or, even worse, the bacon could burn!
