How do you cook bacon?

[Oak Smoke]

It seems like it’s a stupid question, but here’s why I asked. The doctors have told me to see that the wife gets all the protein I can get her to eat to help with the healing process. She loves bacon. If I buy a large package of Wrights bacon it will fill my number number 14 CI skillet 3 times getting it all cooked. If I use my wire racks over baking pans in the oven I get a terrible mess. The bacon that sticks to the racks is almost bullet proof. I’ve considered putting it on the kamado with a disposable pan under it. If I get that pan on fire it would be a heck of a fire. I even have one of the microwave bacon cookers but it’s slow and messy too. So if you had to cook quite a bit of bacon regularly how would you do it?

[klflowers]

CI or oven. But mostly CI. When I use the oven I just use a pan with high sides and no rack. I flip it just like I do on the stove top. Or I use the 3 burner Camp Chef Tahoe stove and a CI griddle.

[J-Melt]

I also do bacon on a baking sheet with foil. Still not the cleanest, but better than needing to do 3 skillets worth in the stove

[Dan Deter]

+3 on the foil and no rack. Outer pieces usually cook a little faster than the inner pieces so its not quite put it in and forget about it, usually flip a few times and start pulling pieces off when they look finished and put the rest back in.

[FCDank]

another vote for the foil lined sheet pan. I start in a cold oven and be sure to flip rotate every couple of minutes as soon as you can smell the bacon.

[RichardCullip]

I don’t cook large volumes of bacon at the same time but I prefer the microwave (paper plate and paper towels to catch the grease) or cast iron pan on the stove top for the few slices I cook.

[02ebz06]

Until I sold my CampChef griddle, we would use it.

Have not tried it, but how about in the oven on a baking sheet, with another baking sheet on top to prevent splatter...

[barelfly]

My wife uses baking sheets/pans and foil in the oven. This is the least messy of the ways we cook. Flips it halfway and it turns out great. Can usually roll up the foil and toss and no clean up necessary.

Since I love making messes… I use the CI skillet or go with my CI flat top for more, but that can get iffy with the grease as well.

[WayneT]

+1

[Sid P]

The wire rack method is the way to go. Sometimes it sets off the smoke detectors, but it’s not that much of a mess.

[Sid P]

mrteddyprincess Thanks Brian. We have the process down pat, but Nueske’s bacon is the secret weapon.

[Kelvins13]

That’s how I do it, only on the pellet grill. Doesn’t smell up the house all day.

[pasmom]

I also cook bacon on a rack and the smoke alarm always goes off...

[Attjack]

I bake it.

[Bad Hat BBQ]

Ditto

Cookie sheet, flip and Drain....

[bmillin]

Sheet pan all the way. With thick cut you can do a lb per pan.

[shify]

Baking sheet, on foil, no rack. I like cooking at 400 degrees.

[CaptainMike]

An outdoor griddle if you have one (if not it's a great excuse to get one) or a skillet. I've tried all of the other mentioned methods and still prefer good old fashioned pan frying.

[Oak Smoke]

So far I can’t justify the outdoor griddle because 99% of the time it’s just the two of us. The lady I’ve hired to clean the house has already mentioned the mess I made in the oven with a pizza last week. The instructions said to just put it on the oven rack for a crispy crust. It didn’t mention all the cheese that would run off the edge. If I throw a big bacon mess at her this week I might be doing the oven my self. Looks like CI again.

[CaptainMike]

I will say it's just the two of us here and I use the heck out of mine.

[klflowers]

Oak Smoke maybe you need to get a new maid. No back talk lol

[mrteddyprincess]

My go to for volume on bacon is my 28 in griddle. I can do about 5 lbs without having to empty the grease trap.

But if I didn't have a griddle, I'd go cast iron skillet and I'd use my 12 in. I have a 15 in, but I prefer the 12 in doing about six pieces at a time. I find that the deeper the grease gets as the cook goes along, the faster the bacon cooks and you can knock out a lot of bacon in about 30 minutes.

I've tried the oven and my personal preference is that I don't like the clean up with that. I'd rather clean the 12 in CI skillet.

Well wishes to your wife!

Brian

[acorgihouse]

Oven. I am home today and planning to cook bacon this afternoon in my weekly food prep, so I will come back and add photos. I normally cook the Costco applewood smoked thick cut bacon, but it works with any kind. I cook a pound at a time, so I don't have to fool with a few pieces often. I put foil on a baking sheet, then lay the bacon on it in rows. Turn the oven on to 400F, but don't preheat (the bacon kind of melts if it goes into hot oven.) Put pan in oven on mid or low rack, and let cook until it starts to brown. Usually 15ish minutes, but I'll clock it here in a few. When it is getting browned, turn over each piece and let it go again until looking crisp. Pull from oven, let it sit a few minutes, then onto paper towels to drain. You get a pound of stick straight, flat bacon strips, then I layer them on paper towels into a gallon ziploc, to reheat quickly, chop, or whatever else I want them for. No mess, and will never cook any other way again.

[mrichie1229]

+1. Any grease spatter is contained in the oven. Cleanup is as easy as a the push of a few buttons because the oven self cleans. Now if only it would wipe itself out when it is done...

[WayneT]

Mic drop!

[Timbo54]

I like to cook bacon outside on my Weber gasser. Get some heavy duty or double aluminum foil and make a lip all the way around. I'll cook the bacon at about 400 deg (dome temp ) till desired doneness. Afterwards allow the foil and grease to cool down then throw a couple paper towels in the grease to soak it up. Roll up the foil-paper towels and into the trash. Easy cleanup.

[jfmorris]

I like this idea! Basically you are making a disposable griddle on the gasser...

[RonB]

I also cook on a baking sheet with foil @ 375°. However, I use this foil.

[Oak Smoke]

I’ve never tried that foil. I will now. Thank you

[DavidNorcross]

I exclusively cook my bacon on the griddle. Cook on low and it is my preferred method.