Eric’s Bacon Recipe

Before we get started… You’re welcome

I LOVE to cook! My wife will tell you that I’m not the greatest at cleaning afterwards though 🥴. The recipes that I cook are as delicious as they are simple. I’m a little nervous to let this one out of the bag because the more folks that make it, the less people will say to me, “This is the best bacon I’ve ever had!”

The Background: The fat of the bacon cooks differently than the lean part - it’s the lean part that gets crispy, and the fat that provides juicy flavor. Usually, crispy bacon has stringy fat - and sometimes juicy bacon is soft and floppy.

The Science: Bacon fat renders (liquifies/melts) at about 140 degrees F (60 C) and burns at 325 degrees F (165 C). The bacon meat gets crispy through a process called the Maillard Reaction at 325 degrees F (165 C). This means that when cooking bacon to get it crispy, unrendered fat will burn or be stringy.

The Solution: Use water. I spread the bacon in a baking pan that has walls at least an inch tall. Fill the pan with enough water to cover the bacon - a couple of notes here. 1. Sometimes the bacon will float - just push it down. 2. The more water you use, the longer it will take, so don’t overdo it. Set your oven to 400 degrees and gently set the pan in the oven (gently so that you don’t spill water all over your kitchen). What’s going to happen is the oven is going to heat the air, the racks, and the pan. Typically, this heat goes directly into the food, so the Maillard Reaction can get started. HOWEVER, since you’ve surrounded your bacon in water, the heat goes into the water and the water heats the food.

The thing about water, though, is that it’s not going to heat up to 400 degrees in the oven. It will heat to 212 degrees F (100 C) and then vaporize! The time it takes for the water to evaporate, the bacon is sitting in 212 degree F (100 C) water, letting all of that fat render at a comfortable temperature. Depending on the size of your pan and the amount of water you put in, this process can take some time. I’ve had batches range from taking 20 minutes for this part to over an hour. One thing to note is that when you open the oven door to check to see how much water you have left, there will be A LOT OF STEAM in the oven that will pour out (and UP) as you open the door. I recommend NOT looking at the bacon until after the steam has escaped. I recommend this because I may have received a hot facial a time or two.

After the water has evaporated, the bacon will start to be warmed by the pan and the air inside of the oven. This will begin the Maillard Reaction. This process is MUCH faster than the first part, so keep an eye out. Different bacon thicknesses cook differently. I recommend taking the bacon out a few minutes sooner than you expect.

When done correctly, you will have the best juicy and crispy bacon that you’ve ever had. You’re welcome.