Bacon

BACON!!! It  must be said with an exclamation because it’s bacon!!!

I haven’t always loved bacon, until I realized how delicious it is…if it’s done right that is. I really love the saltiness that it adds to some sweet things and I love bacon bits in everything. It’s still not healthy so we don’t have it a lot but it’s still worth knowing how to cook it.

The past few years I have fallen in love with the pre-cooked stuff that you just pop in the microwave for 45 seconds or so. My husband, who has always loved bacon, does not like that stuff. I finally bucked up and learned how to cook some fresh stuff for him without me stinking up the house, making a big greasy mess, and having it actually cooked well. I used to always burn it or not cook it enough. Those days are over though and this is so easy to do.

Of course, you must begin with some of the good stuff. I think most of my previous problem was that I would get the cheap stuff. I recently discovered the Kirkland brand Bacon from Costco and it’s a really good bacon cut and flavor for a reasonable price per pound. The problem is that you have to buy 4 lbs of it. I just keep them frozen until I need a pack and it’s always nice having bacon on hand.

Simply set your oven to 425 degrees.

Lay down some aluminum foil on a sheet pan and a rack if you have it. Place the bacon on top and cook it for 17-24 minutes.

This time I tried to weave it for a sandwich and it turned out perfect.

Cut 3 pieces of bacon in half and lay 3 of those pieces right next to each other on the pan or rack. Get another piece and weave it over and under the other ones. Keep weaving the other 2 pieces until you’ve got a nice woven square. It does take a little bit longer to cook the woven pieces but it’s it turned out perfect.

Next week we’ll be making BLT’s so stay tuned on how to make those using this bacon weave.

If you like it cooked more, then just leave it in the oven a few minutes more.

If you like it cooked less, cook it for less time.

For me, I like it cooked a little more than normal if I’m putting it in a sandwich because it tends to get a little more soggy in the sandwich.

Bacon

Raw Bacon

1-Clean your work area and turn your oven on to 425 degrees.
2-Lay aluminum foil down on a sheet pan and put some racks on top of the foil. If you don’t have racks, it’s okay to put the bacon directly on the foil.
3-Lay the bacon strips on the racks or the foil. Place them close together because they will shrink. You can lay them out or cut them in half and weave them together.
4-Wash your hands after touching any raw meat and make sure you wash any area that the raw bacon touched.
5-Place the bacon in the oven and cook it from 17-24 minutes. It will all depend on how you like your bacon cooked. If you are weaving the bacon then it might take a bit longer.
6-Let the sheet pan with the foil cool down and the fat will harden making it easier to clean. I like to scrape it with a spatula and throw it in the garbage. It’s not good to dump it down the drains.
7-Eat, Share, Enjoy!!!