How do you cook bacon to keep it from curling up?
Mary from Houston, TX
I cook mine in the microwave. I place it on 2 pieces of paper towels and cover with 1 or 2 pices of paper towels. It cooks without making a mess and is flat. (09/02/2008)
By Janet
I have seen it cooked in cast iron with a weight on it to prevent curling. There is actually a bacon weight made--resembles an old fashioned sad iron.
I also have seen it cooked in a large cast iron skillet with a smaller skillet placed on top the bacon for weight. I saw this done once at a campsite. (09/02/2008)
Put the bacon in a bowl of ice water right before frying and it will stay flat. (09/02/2008)
By Pam
I bake a package of bacon at a time in the oven. 400 degrees for 12-15 min. depending on how crispy you want it. It works great this way, tastes better to me and it doesn't curl. It's also less work and less messy than frying on the stove.
I use a cookie sheet covered with tin foil, then lay out the bacon in a single layer and bake. When done, remove bacon to drain. Let the grease cool down in the pan for about 20 minutes and then pour into a container and refrigerate for later cooking or discard it in the trash. Never down the drain. Very easy. (09/02/2008)
By Sherry
Put in a cold, room temp, skillet then turn the heat on medium or so. (09/02/2008)
By BARBARA.
I clip the rind every inch or so and just press it down with a spatula as it cooks on med heat, it curls as the fat on the rind edge melts and shrinks, this method has worked over 50 years for me. My 2 daughters stayed with an aunt for a weekend when they were young girls, as aunt Mary put the bacon in the pan for breakfast she just left it while she was getting the plates to warm in the oven, very surprised at this.
Sandra [who was used to seeing me stand with the spatula pressing the bacon flat so the fat would brown nicely] said "auntie are you just going to leave the bacon to fry on it's OWN"!
Later as my sister was telling me this she added - " I thought she wanted me to jump in with it! - I can never fry bacon now without a smile as that ALWAYS comes to mind. I think you may like the results this way Mary, it is quick, easy and the fat crisp. (09/03/2008)
By cakedec
Just along snip the fat at intervals with kitchen scissors and it won't curl up in the fry-pan. jan uk (09/03/2008)
By jan nash
We use a cast iron bacon press, I also cook in cast iron skillets. The bacon press has a wood handle so you don't burn yourself. It's very handy. You can probably buy a bacon press where you buy cast iron skillets. One time I was doing two skillets of bacon, with one bacon press, and I just sit a smaller cast iron skillet on top of the bacon in the other skillet, and it works fine too.
Just watch the grease when you raise either the bacon press or the extra skillet for holding down the bacon. I usually keep a pie pan to the side to hold either while I check on my bacon, or take it out. And remember when you weight down your bacon, it cooks A LOT faster, I learned to do this cooking in a restaurant. Enjoy (09/03/2008)
By glinda
I use a bacon press when I am cooking bacon and don't have any problems. (09/03/2008)
By Molly Garza
My mom used to dredge it lightly in flour first... makes it really cripsy, no curls.
You can also season the flour with pepper for a great flavour! (09/03/2008)
By Sarah Leach
As far as I am concerned the only way to cook bacon is in the oven. I put a single layer of bacon on a cookie sheet lined with foil and cook in a 400º preheated oven for 15 mins. There is no turning, no curling and no messy spatters to clean up. I do a whole pound at a time and put the uneaten portions in a plastic bag in the freezer. Then you can reheat as many strips as you want to use in the microwave. (09/03/2008)
By soochatty
I tried the oven method but felt it still made a big mess. I now line a plate with paper towels, fold the bacon slices in half, cover with another paper towel, and cook about six slices in the microwave until they're crispy. The top towel prevents any splatters and it works like a charm. (09/04/2008)
By ChloeA
I've always hated the mess from frying bacon on the stove, and getting snapped on bare arms with hot grease. So just last week I tried it in the oven - set on broil. I made half a package at a time, all lined up nice and neat. Broiled about 5-7 min on each side (I don't have this perfected yet!). And they came out chewy and flat. Maybe if I'd left them in longer they would have been crispy, but we prefer chewy. And the majority of the fat drains while cooking! I pressed the rest of the fat off with paper towels. I'll never fry bacon on the stovetop again! (10/01/2008)
By Camille
I also cook mine in the microwave. I place them neatly on a plate and cover with 1 or 2 pieces of moist paper towels. That prevents the mess and the hassle of flipping them. Depending on how crispy you like them is the amount of minutes you cook them. Start with 5 minutes and gradually add minutes until desired taste. Once a week I cook an entire package and refrigerate it in a Tupperware or glad plastic container for future use. Is just like buying the "Ready to Serve Oscar Mayor" with the difference of the price. It is great for kids, they will pop the bacon strips to the microwave for about 5 to 10 seconds and it is ready to eat. (10/10/2008)
By Csuarez
When you open a new package, prick the entire slab with a dinner fork. My mom did this back in the 50's as I do today. (10/12/2008)
By Keeper
Re the oven method of cooking bacon-- if you want to save draining the bacon, use a baking sheet with an all-around lip and place a wire cooling rack in the sheet-- then cook the bacon on the rack (350 F for about 15-20 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like your bacon). Pre-drains the bacon, and you can easily pour the drippings off for later use. I just keep one sheet and rack together for regular use (the rack fits precisely in the baking sheet, so no storage problems). (10/14/2008)
By Amanda
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