cooking bacon

[peacefrog]

My wife and I always have bacon for breakfast on Sunday mornings. It's one of our silly little traditions, but we look forward to it. I get up before she does, cook up the bacon, and bring it to her in bed.

Anyway, I always fry the bacon on the stove in a big skillet. We like it crispy, and with this method it basically deep fries in its own grease. Yummy! But today, for expediency, I used the microwave. The bacon came out virtually flavorless. Yuck! No more nuking for me. I'm going back to old-school bacon frying.

[Michael]

:signs113

Bob, what were you THINKING??!!! I'll use a microwave for "baked" potatoes, but that's about it.

[DMS]

Now I'm hungry!

[qhsdoitall]

I've used a microwave for years to cook bacon. I use a special microwave bacon tray and cover it loosely with a paper towel to keep it from splattering all over the place. Nice, evenly cooked, crisp, flavorful bacon. Easy to drain off the grease into a filter container. I either use center cut bacon if I'm health conscience or thick cut if I want full effect bacon. Yummy. OK, I'n off to make some pancakes and bacon. :D

[Tony Shlongini]

Microwaves are for detecting incoming enemy aircraft.

For cooking bacon, use a pan or griddle.

Try Neuski's bacon if you get the chance.

[bearbeard]

absolutely nothing better than the smell of bacon cooking in the morning.

[qhsdoitall]

I can attest to that. There was a time when I wasn't showing horses for a while. I needed a rest after 6 years of steady competition. So, I made some extra money catering breakfast and lunch for 50-150 people at some local horse shows. The first thing I did when I set up in the morning was 1) Make sure the 100 cup coffee maker was brewing. Note: Multi-pot brewer and carafes are a much better option. And, 2) I heated up the flat grill and slapped down 2lbs of bacon. This was at 6:30am. If you ever saw a good zombie movie then you know what it looks like when horsepeople start sniffing the coffee and bacon and start shuffling towards my cooking area. Scary. :D Ahhhh....bacon, Ahhhh....coffee. :drool:drool

[rick]

I've had some success using a George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine for my bacon.
Got a panini maker from Moms awhile back and have used it once....I tried to do a whole slab at once.
Wouldnt recommend that.
Nor would I suggest grilling bacon on the BBQ. :mad:

Best way is on the stove in a big ole cast iron skillet.

[Tony Shlongini]

About 15 years ago I was challenged to a diet contest by a colleague at work. Whoever lost the most weight in three weeks would be treated to dinner at Peter Luger's steakhouse by the loser. The official weigh in was accompanied by much fanfare, and I'll admit my ex-marine sergeant opponent fared much better than I had anticipated: we were neck and neck after two weeks.

Three days before the end, in an uncharacteristic display of poor sportsmanship, I went to work early and cooked a pound of bacon on a hot plate right on my desk. That was it for him.

The was one mighty fine porterhouse I had. ::

[qhsdoitall]

The was one mighty fine porterhouse I had. ::

:roflWay to go!

[_JP_]

Meats are one of those items where there isn't any comparison between a microwave, or using a traditional method such as a skillet to cook it. The real difference is that the microwave does not caramelize the surface of the meat like other methods do. (However, a microwave can be superior with fish!)

Part of having success with bacon depends on what brand you buy. The mass produced stuff that is sold coast-to-coast is not traditionally smoked and cured like bacon used to be, too expensive and too time consuming that way. That stuff is usually prepared by injecting the slabs of bacon with a curing solution (high water content) that has whatever flavoring in it for the type that it's supposed to be. It is then sliced and packaged.

I'm using bacon that I got from a local farm, they have a local meat processor do the curing and packaging for them. It's not like the major brands, it's a bit saltier and more smoky than that. And it does not have a high water content either.

My method for cooking bacon these days is microwave. I have one of those Nordic bacon cookers that consists of the grill tray and a vented plastic cover. That cover is key, it traps the heat and somewhat contains the steam while the bacon is cooking. The result is crisp bacon that is evenly cooked throughout, no matter what brand I use. But the stuff that I get from the local farm is the best! As far as I'm concerned, it's as good as pan fried.

Drat! It's eleven P.M. here, and now I'm hungry for breakfast. Morning can't come soon enough now.

[Tony Shlongini]

Meat needs fire.

[Kingpepper]

Meats are one of those items where there isn't any comparison between a microwave, or using a traditional method such as a skillet to cook it. The real difference is that the microwave does not caramelize the surface of the meat like other methods do. (However, a microwave can be superior with fish!)

Part of having success with bacon depends on what brand you buy. The mass produced stuff that is sold coast-to-coast is not traditionally smoked and cured like bacon used to be, too expensive and too time consuming that way. That stuff is usually prepared by injecting the slabs of bacon with a curing solution (high water content) that has whatever flavoring in it for the type that it's supposed to be. It is then sliced and packaged.

I'm using bacon that I got from a local farm, they have a local meat processor do the curing and packaging for them. It's not like the major brands, it's a bit saltier and more smoky than that. And it does not have a high water content either.

My method for cooking bacon these days is microwave. I have one of those Nordic bacon cookers that consists of the grill tray and a vented plastic cover. That cover is key, it traps the heat and somewhat contains the steam while the bacon is cooking. The result is crisp bacon that is evenly cooked throughout, no matter what brand I use. But the stuff that I get from the local farm is the best! As far as I'm concerned, it's as good as pan fried.

Drat! It's eleven P.M. here, and now I'm hungry for breakfast. Morning can't come soon enough now.


:happy088

Nuke it. Faster and less mess.

[Bronco]

Nor would I suggest grilling bacon on the BBQ. :mad:

Best way is on the stove in a big ole cast iron skillet.

Who told you about my BBQ experience???????????????????????:o

[qhsdoitall]

Who told you about my BBQ experience???????????????????????:o


It wasn't me! I'm tempted to try putting a 1lb of thick cut bacon on a cedar plank on the upper rack with a drip pan underneath. Think that would work?

[Bronco]

Seems like it would work like an oven with even heating but keep a beer handy for flameups.

[qhsdoitall]

Seems like it would work like an oven with even heating but keep a beer handy for flameups.


I learned that lesson many years ago. I had a turkey blow up on me one time. Worst BBQ disaster I ever had and the family never lets me forget it. :rofl

[qhsdoitall]

Well, my cast iron came in. I was able to get it all in one shot from a nice Ebay seller. She had it shipped out and arrived on my doorstep in a day. I'll be making some bacon next weekend that is for sure.

1) 12" Lodge Logic Cast Iron pre-seasoned 12" skillet
2) 7 qt Lodge Logic Cast Iron pre-seasoned casserole dutch oven
3) Lodge Logic Cast Iron Food Press
4) Lodge Logic Cast Iron pre-seasoned wedge cornbread pan
5) Emeril Lodge 10" square skillet