Baked Bacon

I hate to fry bacon!  And the microwave type never seems to cook evenly.  I end up with some of the bacon being burned, some crispy and some limp...  all 3 in just 1 piece of bacon!  The other day I found that I had a package of bacon that needed to be cooked but I wasn't ready to eat it just yet.  Soooo I preheated the oven to 400, lined a cookie sheet with sides with foil, put my bacon down trying to keep it from touching and stuck it in the oven.  I couldn't get the full package to fit the one pan but that was ok too.

The 1st pieces of bacon were ready in about 8 minutes after being turned once about half way through.  About half of the bacon was done after the 8 minutes and these were around the outer edges.  I removed them and added the rest of the bacon.  After about 4 minutes I was able to remove the rest of the 1st batch and turn the 2nd batch, removing them in about 4 more minutes.

When I fry bacon it pops and makes a mess of my stove.  To get it to cook evenly and not curl I usually have to cut it in half and use a bacon press.  Not with this method!  It didn't curl, it stayed flat without the press and it didn't seem to shrink very much.  My cooked bacon came out with the crispy texture I wanted and perfect for just about any use.

Now... I still didn't need a whole package of bacon so I put it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator.  To use it I simply put it in the microwave for about 20 seconds (700 watt) and it comes out warm and perfect with no burning.

This may sound like it takes longer but it really doesn't and it's so much better than frying or microwaving.

I Didn't Know That - Bacon

I love bacon and love to add it to some of my dishes.  Over the years I've cooked many pounds and have always had the same complaint - my bacon curls and shrinks.  So, again while reading one of my older cookbooks I ran across some answers to this problem and more.  Here is what I found.

To keep bacon slices from sticking together, roll the package into a tube shape and secure it with rubber bands before refrigerating.  I've tried this and it does work.  I roll from the sort end not the long end.  Yes it takes up more room but it does keep it from sticking together. 

Now for my curling bacon.  Soak it in cold water for a few minutes before frying.  This will not keep it from curling completely but it will keep the curling down.  And to reduce some of the shrinking, put the bacon in a cold skillet and prick them with a fork as they fry.  Yep, this works too. 

Now if you want your bacon to curl for maybe an appetizer  you cook it slow but don't let it get crispy.  Then take it from the skillet and twist it around the tins of a fork.  Pierce each curl with a wooden toothpick and broil under a low flame to complete crisping. 

And for those 'bacon bowls' that I've been seeing on TV.  I took my muffin pan, turned it face down in another baking dish.  Wrapped my bacon around the tins creating a cup like they show on TV.  Cooked it in the oven at 375 degrees until crispy.  Cooled and removed.  This actually works.  The cooking time depends on the thickness of your bacon as well as how many slices you use to make your bowl.  These are really neat and make some cute dishes that kids will even love.  I filled mine with cooked grits and an over-easy egg.  Yum!

Bacon Broccoli Quiche

The idea for this dish came from a recipe for Garden Frittata.   The Frittata has on crust and I wanted a crust.  It had no meat so I added bacon.  It called for a couple of ingredients that I decided not to add so to compensate for the changes I increased a couple of the ingredients.  This is so simple to make and is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and even dinner.  Add a salad and roll and you have dinner.

Changes and short cuts - you can use precooked bacon to save time.  You can change the meat to ham instead of bacon or change the cheese.  You can even use asparagus instead of broccoli.

See the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet