Bacon in the microwave
My yummy Sunday morning breakfast of French toast and bacon. The bacon was cooked in the microwave.
Until recently, I was a major doubter when it came to this subject. Even though I knew people had been cooking bacon in the microwave for decades, I still pictured those ridged pans they sold especially for nuking bacon and considered it a far inferior method to frying it in a pan on the stove.
I like my bacon 100 percent crunchy, without any chewy fat valleys or leathery meat. For that reason, I usually use a cast-iron bacon press when I fry bacon, just to make sure it doesn’t curl up and cook unevenly. But my friend Stacy is who finally taught me the error of my assumptions by fixing me awesome, crunchy bacon in the microwave.
This is one of those blog posts that’s going to be really helpful to some folks, while others will be thinking, “You are just now figuring this out?” For the benefit of both, I’ll tell you that my friend adds one little step at the end that might not be on everyone’s radar.
Here’s her method:
1. Place two paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Lay bacon on top in a single layer. Cover with one or two more paper towels.
2. Microwave for 2 minutes. Check and adjust, if necessary. Microwave in 30-second increments until bacon is done to your desired level.
3. Place in the freezer for 1 minute. This sounds weird, but this is Stacy’s special step to finish crisping up the bacon. Something about the drastic temperature change seems to cause it to finish hardening up.
I like this method not only because it is faster, but because it is MUCH less messy (no pans to wash, no popping grease) and it might even be a little healthier – once you see the amount of grease soaked up by the paper towels, you’ll wonder about that, as well.
So, I’m curious as to how many of you already choose to cook your bacon in the microwave? If you are a stove top person, what is it about that method that has you sold?
January 23, 2012 - 10:36 AM
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Fiance has been doing this for many years (10+). I was skeptical as well until I sampled the wonderful results in a BLT topped with a homegrown tomato.
We microwave turkey bacon all the time…it’s the easiest, best method for cooking it. We put 4-5 strips on a plate, cover with a paper towel, and nuke for 3-3.5 minutes until nice and crunchy. It’s the only way to cook turkey bacon without burning it or having it stick to a pan. Makes it just as good as regular crunchy bacon too.
Ohhh, homegrown tomatoes!
One problem with this bacon discovery is that I might eat more bacon. Bad for the waistline
I’ve never cooked bacon in the microwave, but I did try cooking it in the oven yesterday. I lined a jellyroll pan with foil, placed a baking rack on top then put the bacon on the rack. I put it in a cold oven and heated it to 400. It only took about 10-15 minutes to get nice a crispy.
You’re just now figuring this out?
I’ve been doing it for years, just like you described. It cuts out having to clean a skillet and the bacon gets crisp.
I have been nuking bacon for several years too. No messy pans, and probably a little better for you w/out all the grease. Always nice & crispy. My daughter is horrified at the thought, though! She’d rather cook hers in the oven, but that’s still a messy pan, grease, etc. for me, but it does cook up nicely there too. Can’t wait for BLT season – has to be homegrown tomatoes!
I always do mine in the microwave, but I use the special bacon plate and splatter lid in combination with the paper towels. Made some last night for bacon cheeseburgers (crunchy is a must for burgers in our house) and it turned out perfect
Microwaving has become the norm in our house! I’ve always been hesitant about “cooking” in the microwave, but bacon is a definite yes! Off the subject, just wondering if it would be possible to get Michelle Carder’s Buffalo Chicken Chowder recipe from the Souper Bowl Event at the Taubman?!
I actaully prefer cooking mine in the microwave, but do not use any paper towels and mine is definitely not healthier (although I do only buy the center cut which apparently has somewhat less fat), but I simply place 4-5 slices on a plate and microwave for approximately 1 minute per slice, or until it really stops sizzling and popping (kinda like listening to popcorn cooking in the microwave), and then as I remove each 4-5 slices, when I add more, I actaully leave the residual bacon drippings on the plate for each next batch and this gives it so much flavor, and helps the cooking and crisping process. I remove, stack and cover the cooked bacon up on a plate and this seems to continue the crisping as well until ready to eat. Of course, as soon as I am done cooking bacon, I wipe down the inside of my microwave, but this is relatively easy to clean while it is still warm inside!!
I’ve always done it in the oven like Lori. It cooks nice and flat, as I generally am making it for BLTs.
Lindsey- on an unrelated note, do you know if Foodies is out of business? We attended a workshop there right before the holidays and I know they had multiple workshops scheduled with the Roanoke Co Parks & Rec program. However, when we drove by the other day there was a For Lease sign in the window and their website is down. thanks!
I always cut my bacon (out of the pack) in half to make it more manageable on the plate. I also microwave it for about 45 seconds per slice, and I don’t get lazy and overload a plate with more than a dozen half pieces. We are talking a difference of 1-2 minutes, here, so let’s ‘man up’ for the extra time, folks.
I do approximately what your friend does, put it on a regular plate with a paper towel underneath and above it. I’m not so particular about the fat being extra crispy since, well, I am eating extremely fatty pork, so I coast on the frenzy.
Hopefully, this won’t offend as many sensitive people as when I said Paula Deen was a hypocritical corporate whore. Then again, the number of posts defending her proved my point. Again.
Another positive for cooking bacon in the microwave – it cuts down on that pork stink. You know, the overwhelming aroma of pork that saturates everything in your entire house when you fry bacon?
You still get ‘some’ aroma, but nothing like when frying. Thus, you don’t have to open all your windows on a January morning, like you would if you fried.
I would also love that Buffalo Chicken Chowder recipe!!
Yes, some folks may like the smell of bacon lingering in the house but it does linger for quite some time, so if you don’t like it, that is another bonus to the microwave method.
Since I’m the only one in my household who really likes bacon for breakfast, I usually open the package as soon as I get home and separate the slices into single layers between sheets of wax paper in a storage container, then pop it in the freezer.
With the microwave method, 2 minutes on 50-percent power thaws the slices, then I continue with the method I described above.
@Maria and Meghan, I will ask about that chowder recipe.
@KL, yes, Foodies has closed.
@ Meghan and Maria, great news! Michele Carder would love to share that recipe as soon as she cuts it down from 8 gallons (unless you wanted to make 8 gallons- haha).
I’ll post it here sometime this week, so stay tuned!
Since my husband likes very chewy, greasy bacon, I still cook his in a skillet or the oven, but for my super crispy bacon, I prefer to nuke it.
People really eat crisp bacon? Yuck.
I’m an oven guy myself. I put the bacon on this tray I have that has very slight valleys in it and at the bottom of the valleys is a hole to a lower tray. This might be called a Broiler Pan. I don’t know. It’s my Magical Bacon Pan. It lets the grease go away, and
I cook it low and slow, and right before its done, I use a paper towel to sop up any wayward grease on top, and then I sprinkle just a dash of Turbinado Sugar on the bacon. then turn on the broiler until it caramelizes. (usually pretty quick.)
Thick Maple Bacon works the best. I tend not to rush things when I make bacon.
I did this earlier with two packages, then refrigerated the bacon, and cut it up with a knife into bite size chunks and tossed it into a pot of my sweet and spicy chili. Mixed with the beef, it gave it a more hearty chunky taste.
In fact, I think this weekend might be time for a new batch of Chili.
ABDNVA, you just can’t give up can you?
Yes, Drew! What, are you British? Haha, just kidding. I remember the English bacon on my vacation and I liked it, too
We’ve used the “jammer” to cook bacon for years, it really is so much quicker/easier. We buy OM center cut bacon which does have much less fat, and that cooks up really well in the microwave. Most of the bacon we’ve cooked takes about 45 seconds to a minute per slice. We’ve tried the OM “pre-cooked” bacon a couple times, got it on sale for $2.50. It’s a very thin slice but sure is easy! I just fold a paper towel over double and roll it up w/ 1 piece of bacon per turn. Only takes a few seconds to heat it up. I agree w/ what Maria said, we don’t much “cook” in the microwave, but bacon is the exception. Sure is handy to heat up leftovers!
Pork bacon I do in the microwave.. my husband showed me how many years ago. We use paper towels top and bottom on a plate for about 40-50 seconds per slice. It not as messy as on the stove..But,turkey bacon is just as easy on the stove top since it is not so greasy.
the easiest and best way to make crunchy bacon is as follows:
line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
put bacon on it
cook at 425 for 15 – 20 mins
the parchment holds the grease and the bacon DOES not splatter all over ur stove. it is awesome and you would think you had fried it. trust me its amazing.
while the bacon is baking…you can do other things. you have to try it!!! it has been my best kitchen tip for years!!!