Bacon 3 ways
Tonight with dinner, I had a pack of bacon but could not remember any of the recipes that had been told to me exactly. I knew one involved the microwave and another the oven. So I took what turned out to be 12 pieces and cooked them three ways. I wanted to document so next time maybe it'll help me remember based around what I want.
Oven:
* I googled "cooking bacon oven 350" and the first recipe said 10-15 minutes to desired doneness.
* I was already cooking biscuits at 350 (thus I looked up that temp).
* This resulted in the bacon being on the bottom rack (recipe said bottom 1/3rd anyway) since I like mine crispier.
* I lined a tray with foil and the 4 strips barely fit on my small tray but they fit.
* Despite max time and bottom rack, it was still very not crispy. One might say borderline not well done.
* Lots of oil/grease on the tray when done. Probably should have patted the bacon down before moving it to the serving plate. I may have spilled a little getting the tray out.
Microwave:
* I recalled 2 minutes then turn, another 2 minutes with paper towels on both sides.
* 2 strips didn't fit lengthwise flat on the plate. Rather than having it hang off, I curled it slightly (think smiley).
* After 2 minutes, the paper towels were soaked with grease/oil. So I switched them between each cooking.
* So 4 strips, 8 minutes, 8 paper towels.
* After the 3rd microwave, the plate was really badly greasy/oily too. I probably should have wiped it after the first one was done.
* Bacon was crispiest of the 3 ways. Weirdly 2 of the pieces (one from each set) was borderline black (super dark brown). Our microwave turns, so I have no idea how that would have happened.
Pan Fry:
* Eyeballed oil, pre-heated at 4.5 as usual. Oil maybe 2-3 tablespoons if I was forced to guess.
* Basically, I alternated the microwave time (so put in microwave strips, got pan fry strips ready, put them in, (turned existing strips if necessary), then back to microwave), so about 2 minutes each side maybe a little more.
* I liked this method best because it afforded control over how crispy you wanted it. I can see it being impatient tho.
* This was the middle oily recipe, probably also could have used patting down before putting on the serving tray.
* It was also the middle crispy recipe. The last piece I attended to the least and it got a bit crispier, so probably best method if you don't mind watching. Scariest with oil tho=)
* Also leaves a pan full of oil, which I think pork fat/oil may be bad to put down the sink...might be misremembering tho.
All in all, microwave reminded me most of restaurant bacon and oven probably how I want it on burgers/sandwhiches (I am not a texture eater so don't need the crunch). Pan fry was a nice middle ground that afforded control or was middle if timing about the same as the microwave. I could do any of these 3 again and probably would more think how I wanted it and what devices I had open.
I really think Blue Apron has improved my pan cooking too. Thanks=)
Til next time,
Joe
Oven:
* I googled "cooking bacon oven 350" and the first recipe said 10-15 minutes to desired doneness.
* I was already cooking biscuits at 350 (thus I looked up that temp).
* This resulted in the bacon being on the bottom rack (recipe said bottom 1/3rd anyway) since I like mine crispier.
* I lined a tray with foil and the 4 strips barely fit on my small tray but they fit.
* Despite max time and bottom rack, it was still very not crispy. One might say borderline not well done.
* Lots of oil/grease on the tray when done. Probably should have patted the bacon down before moving it to the serving plate. I may have spilled a little getting the tray out.
Microwave:
* I recalled 2 minutes then turn, another 2 minutes with paper towels on both sides.
* 2 strips didn't fit lengthwise flat on the plate. Rather than having it hang off, I curled it slightly (think smiley).
* After 2 minutes, the paper towels were soaked with grease/oil. So I switched them between each cooking.
* So 4 strips, 8 minutes, 8 paper towels.
* After the 3rd microwave, the plate was really badly greasy/oily too. I probably should have wiped it after the first one was done.
* Bacon was crispiest of the 3 ways. Weirdly 2 of the pieces (one from each set) was borderline black (super dark brown). Our microwave turns, so I have no idea how that would have happened.
Pan Fry:
* Eyeballed oil, pre-heated at 4.5 as usual. Oil maybe 2-3 tablespoons if I was forced to guess.
* Basically, I alternated the microwave time (so put in microwave strips, got pan fry strips ready, put them in, (turned existing strips if necessary), then back to microwave), so about 2 minutes each side maybe a little more.
* I liked this method best because it afforded control over how crispy you wanted it. I can see it being impatient tho.
* This was the middle oily recipe, probably also could have used patting down before putting on the serving tray.
* It was also the middle crispy recipe. The last piece I attended to the least and it got a bit crispier, so probably best method if you don't mind watching. Scariest with oil tho=)
* Also leaves a pan full of oil, which I think pork fat/oil may be bad to put down the sink...might be misremembering tho.
All in all, microwave reminded me most of restaurant bacon and oven probably how I want it on burgers/sandwhiches (I am not a texture eater so don't need the crunch). Pan fry was a nice middle ground that afforded control or was middle if timing about the same as the microwave. I could do any of these 3 again and probably would more think how I wanted it and what devices I had open.
I really think Blue Apron has improved my pan cooking too. Thanks=)
Til next time,
Joe