• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hot Rod's Recipes
  • Browse Recipes
  • How-To
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • How-To
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Videos
    • How-To
    • About
    • Subscribe
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » How-To

    How to Make Perfect Bacon - 3 Ways

    Published by Rodney on September 20, 2019 - Jump to Recipe - 2 Comments

    perfect bacon
    Here's 3 foolproof ways to make bacon. If you struggle making perfect bacon, try one of these easy methods. You won't regret it.
    bacon ready to eat

    We all love Bacon. Everything tastes better with Bacon right? I got a t-shirt that says it does. But what I have come to find out is that not everyone knows how to cook bacon properly. So I am now sharing with you How to Make Perfect Bacon - 3 Ways.

    There are probably more than 3 ways to cook bacon but I am going to focus on the 3 easiest ways: fry it, bake it and microwave it. Each method requires a different approach so I am going to share all three methods with you.

    I know that some like their bacon super crispy while others like their bacon on the "softer" side. It really depends on what you are using the bacon for. It will be up to you to experiment a bit with the times listed on the recipe card below to find what you are looking for but the cook times I am listing below is a great starting point.

    If you've ever wondered what part of the pig Bacon comes from check out the picture below. Surprised?

    Pork Cuts Diagram

    #1 - How to Bake Bacon

    Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Arrange Bacon on the baking sheet.
    Bake for 18 to 25 minutes at 400°F. You do not need to preheat the oven.

    raw bacon going into the oven
    Cooking Bacon 3 Ways
    bacon fresh out of the oven

    #2 - How to Microwave Bacon

    Cover a plate with paper towels and line up bacon strips. Cover with more paper towels and micro on high for approximately 60 seconds per strip. So if you plated 5 bacon strips then you will need to microwave for at least 5 minutes.

    raw bacon on papertowels

    #3 - How to Fry Bacon

    Place bacon strips in a cold skillet and cook on both sides over medium heat. If you need crumbled bacon, dice before frying.

    Cooking Bacon 3 Ways

    Show me how the Bacon turns out

    My favorite way of making bacon is frying it. I guess I am just old school. It can get a little messy but if you start cooking the bacon with a cold skillet you will get less splatter. Anyways, this is what the fried bacon looks like:

    Cooking Bacon 3 Ways

    The advantage of baking your bacon is it's less messy. Especially if you line the baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

    Once done baking the bacon, let the sheet cool and simply toss the parchment or foil in the trash. Here's what baked bacon looks like after 16 minutes in my oven:

    Cooking Bacon 3 Ways

    And probably my least favorite way of making bacon is in the microwave. Not that it tastes bad or anything but I am just not a fan of using the microwave for anything. Personal preference.

    Important to note that you need to microwave the bacon about 60 seconds for EACH bacon strip. This is what I got after roughly 6 minutes in the micro:

    Cooking Bacon 3 Ways

    Air Fryer Method

    I recently posted on how to make Bacon in the Air Fryer. I realize that some of you may not have an air fryer yet but for those who do, check out my Air Fryer Bacon post.

    So now that you know How to Make Perfect Bacon - 3 Ways, check out all the recipes you can make with bacon like my Turkey Bacon Ranch Sliders or my Bacon Jalapeño Popper Cheesy Bread.

    For more great recipes with Bacon, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • bacon ranch chicken burgers
      Bacon Ranch Chicken Burgers
    • strawberry chicken salad
      Strawberry Chicken Salad
    • blt turkey tortilla wrap
      BLT Turkey Tortilla Wraps
    • turkey cobb salad
      Turkey Cobb Salad

    📖 Recipe

    How to Make Perfect Bacon

    How to Make Perfect Bacon - 3 Ways

    Here's 3 foolproof ways to make bacon. If you struggle making perfect bacon, try one of these easy methods. You won't regret it.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep TimePrep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook TimeCook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total TimeTotal Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Author Rodney
    Servings 4
    Calories 473 kcal

    Equipment

    • Skillet
    • Baking Sheet
    • Microwave

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 lb Bacon

    Instructions
     

    How to Bake Bacon

    • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Arrange Bacon on the baking sheet.
      Cooking Bacon 3 Ways
    • Bake for 18 to 25 minutes at 400F. You do not need to preheat the oven.
      Cooking Bacon 3 Ways

    How to Microwave Bacon

    • Cover a plate with paper towels and line up bacon strips. Cover with more paper towels and micro on high for 60 seconds per strip.
      Cooking Bacon 3 Ways

    How to Fry Bacon

    • Place bacon strips in a cold skillet and fry on both sides over medium heat. If you need crumbled bacon, dice before frying
      Cooking Bacon 3 Ways

    Notes

    → 1 lb of bacon equals 12 to 16 slices if using thick cut and 16 to 20 slices if using thin cut bacon.
    → If you are wrapping bacon around other food, always use thin cut bacon
    → Always drain your cooked bacon on paper towels to absorb all the extra grease
    → Line baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup

    Nutrition

    Calories: 473kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 14gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 751mgPotassium: 225mgVitamin A: 42IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    More How-to Articles

    • roasted poblano peppers
      How to Roast Poblano Peppers
    • Easy Steak Seasoning
      How to make Homemade Seasonings
    • fresh albion strawberries
      How to Store Fresh Strawberries
    • various onions
      Choosing the Right Onion
    hot rods recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marjorie

      January 10, 2023 at 1:00 pm

      I love bacon, but always had troubles getting it right. This is just the recipe I needed to make sure it always came out the way I like it. Bravo to the chef for posting this.

      Reply
    2. Ron

      August 06, 2023 at 12:38 pm

      I tried all three ways to cook bacon and liked them all, but my favorite one was the oven method. I could put it in the oven and not have to bother about it until the desired time. But that’s just a preference of mine

      Reply

    leave comment and rating! Cancel reply

    We would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please choose a star rating. Thanks!

    Recipe Rating:




    Before a comment appears it needs to be approved by the site owner. Read our Comment Policy to see how your comment data is processed. Your email address will NOT be published.

    Primary Sidebar

    perfect bacon
    Chef Rodney Headshot

    Hi! I'm Rodney and welcome to my blog. I am a foodie and a self-taught cook. See More →

    Recent Recipes

    • Baked BBQ Chicken Sliders
    • whole wheat skillet bread
      Whole Wheat No-Knead Skillet Bread
    • roast beef sandwich with olives
      Roast Beef Sandwich with Olives
    • pulled pork quesadillas
      Pulled Pork Quesadillas

    Footer

    perfect bacon

    ^ back to top

    Recipes

    • Recipe Index
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Pressure Cooking
    • Celebrity Chef Recipes

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipe Disclaimer
    • Contact Us

    Social

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    This site may contain affiliate links.

    Copyright © 2015-2023 The Ventucky Chef, LLC. All rights reserved.