The Best Bacon You'll Ever Make (And Every Method to Avoid) | Epicurious 101

[@epicurious]

Chef Frank has tips on how to carve a whole roast chicken, too! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pai4mqehi9momM0

[@jensenka60506]

Really wish the other two methods that I did not see that would have been the BBQ and Smoker.

[@populistprogressivenewswit4301]

All I could focus on was how you touched the worst of raw meats, and then went on to touch everything else in the kitchen and then finally the cooked bacon. Never cleaning your hands. You really want the wonderful variety of pork worms that bacon has to offer you man.....

[@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094]

Watch DOMINION.

[@peggyhutto3710]

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[@henrybaka6598]

@@jensenka60506 p

[@turtlelore2]

I noticed how Frank never elaborated where he got the bacon. Obviously it's his own home grown pig that he prepared just 2 hours before the video.

[@dirtspritestuff5850]

he definitely just got 2 pigs to screw each other 2 hours ago before filming, then manipulating the timespace continuum for a young pig. he then selectively breeded pigs for 9000 years (seems like 2 hours to us), and got a good slice

[@tabijozwick]

You got to embrace a Frank Proto fact

[@borbetomagus]

Bacon made from Tamworth pigs is said to be some of the best. Another bacon you won't soon forget (for better or worse) is Benton's 'Hickory Smoked Country Bacon', which is cured and dried in refrigeration for three weeks, then it is thoroughly smoked in their wood stove smokehouse for two to three days. /watch?v=nVNSNGXzmO4 If you like smoky foods, then this will be a real treat.

[@NinjaKushzVidzz]

im glad this is still alive

[@richardwindsornomura]

Nope. Home made bacon doesent shrink.

[@cocoxcocoa]

I agree with Frank. Never cook bacon on a rack. Trying to clean those things with tiny pieces of bacon stuck to all the joints is a nightmare. Takes longer to clean it then it does to cook the bacon in the first place.

[@KyleBaran90]

@@BillHicks420 I don't think there's anything wrong with dry bacon per se - you could use it as a crumble or texture on something else. But generally yeah, a pan looks good.

[@LamZL1]

Actually that's false.... just soak the rack in water for a few minutes, let the solidified oil detach from the metal and you are done! real quick and easy hack! don't bother using a metal sponge to get the oil off! worked every time for me!

[@faymelke5058]

@@KyleBaran90 so l be b if for me RVs w pp

[@cocoxcocoa]

@@LamZL1 thats all fine and dandy when you have a sink that can fit an entire sheet pan rack inside it, but my racks are too big to be soaked in anything. also bacon grease doesn't just "detach" from stuff. even if you soak it you're still going to have to scrub every nook and cranny with soap to get the grease off.

[@cantcurecancer]

Just throw it in the dishwasher?

[@samisuhonen9815]

I personally feel like one really important trick for good bacon, is to start with low heat. A lot of people who know how to cook normal meat like steaks, know you must normally preheat the pan really hot so you sear the surface and don't let the juices escape. But this ruins bacon in my opinion. It makes the fat part rubbery. It sort of hardens the fat from my experience. What I personally do, is start with really low heat to start melting the fat. And I gradually raise the heat so it gets a nice crispy finish. And because the cut is sooo tender and fatty, it won't be affected by starting the cooking on low heat. Any time I cook bacon like this, the fat is really soft and really just melts in your mouth when you eat it. I especially recommend this method if you use bacon for cooking other things. Like bacon in pasta, I start by cooking bacon like this, then I fry mushrooms in the melted bacon fat, add some seasoning like plenty of black pepper and herbs. I add cream and some good cheese in, and finally mix the thick creamy fatty sauce to my pasta.

[@jayden3750]

If there is anyone that has never made bacon before, this dudes method is really good. It's my first time making bacon and his method made a lot of sense. I tried it and it tastes so good.

[@undine120]

@@jayden3750 The easy way for this is do the oven method, but don't preheat. Stick it in a cold oven, then set it to 350. Takes longer than the 15 minutes, but the time is worth it... and let's be honest, if you preheated the oven, did you save any time, unless you already had something else in the oven?

[@nanais007]

Yep, I chop/cube up my bacon because I cook a lot at one time in a cast iron. Cold pan low heat, then adjust.

[@Kitty-Cattie]

Wow I love this advive

[@Aurajuust00]

Amazing advice. Thanks!!

[@PhantomSavage]

I was taught by culinary god Alton Brown that the oven was the superior method of cooking bacon, but my mind is blown by the evolution of this method with the parchment paper, maximizing bacon potential while minimizing clean up to merely one sheet pan. Frank is truly on another level.

[@mktulpa]

we used to get bacon sold on strips of non stick paper at the cafe I worked at in high school. great method

[@alvareo92]

I use aluminum foil which in my country is exponentially easier to find than parchment paper

[@Ogrematic]

@Ego Master Yes, you do. You cook bacon in bacon fat.

[@richj011]

@Ego Master exactly. makes zero sense

[@corryjookit7818]

@@richj011 Did none of you watch or hear the part where he mentions putting oil on the pan. He merely put it on, just enough to barely cover the bottom.. If none of you on here don't want to use the oven, get a bigger pan. That way all of the bacon slices will fit. That's what I have and am surprised Chef didn't give this as an option.

[@politickery9412]

After a lifetime of eating pan-fried bacon that's overdone in the middle of each slice and still flabby at the ends, I cut a package in half and tried frying shorter strips. Everything is fine now. I'll stick with that.

[@lynndragoman2454]

Exactly just cut it in half and it turns out great. The oven method needs to be flipped or its dry on one side and raw on the other.

[@Xisiqomelir]

I start them out whole, then cut and flip them midway to put all the original ends at the hot center of the pan.

[@politickery9412]

@@Xisiqomelir Waiting until the fight is more than half over sounds like you're loading the game against yourself.

[@nill7308]

Why would it take you that long to figure it out

[@politickery9412]

@@nill7308 Just slow, I guess; and not a big bacon eater, though that's going up now. Why do more wieners come in a pack than hot dog buns ever since I was a kid?

[@Sonicron86]

Tried the oven method with the baking sheet today, and I was blown away. From now on this is the ONLY way for me. Thanks so much, chef!

[@fightingcock6920]

Same! I never thought about doing it that way and it’s honestly way more convenient

[@bigskybob]

big LIke for Frank trying the mystery bacon juice. That really made me appreciate watching this video. The immediate switch from "can't pay me to eat that" to "Damn, that's good. Make a salad dressing out of it" is a quick change of opinion and a demonstration of open-mindedness. Thank you for including that.

[@KvltKommando]

Using bacon grease as salad dressing is basically like Appalachian dish kilt lettuce, except it's specifically hot bacon grease that makes the lettuce / cabbage leaves pop

[@kevinmccoy781]

A few times now I've cooked bacon on a rack over a cake pan with halved brussels sprouts (and some salt and oil) in the oven, so that the bacon fat drips onto the sprouts while they roast. The bacon finishes first so I pulled it when appropriate and allowed the sprouts to continue roasting. This was quite tasty.

[@cloudbloom]

Great idea

[@BigBootyBatman]

I don't understand how you're using the cake pan?

[@Black0utDayz]

Bruh you're going to start a grease fire and kill everyone in yo building??0.o Like that's the craziest stupid thing I've ever heard. Don't do that.

[@kevinmccoy781]

@@BigBootyBatman the Brussels sprouts are in it and the rack with bacon sits on top

[@kevinmccoy781]

@@Black0utDayz lol what?

[@lemons_s]

My favorite way is using the oven. But there is a method I like when I pan fry without adding additional oil. You start by adding water to the pan and cook the bacon in that to render the fat, once the water dissolves you'll have enough fat to crisp the bacon.

[@gerritfrancis9444]

Frank seems to be one of the most relatable chefs on your channel. Great communicator and very down to earth. I hope he is the same person off camera. Great video guys!

[@maddenalt8904]

if you're not all that smart, sure. any chef would specify the heat on a stove.

[@FatelDarkAssassins]

He has is own channel called protocooks where he teaches specific dishes :)

[@Nurofaen]

I always start with a cold cast iron, and let the fat render out as it begins to cook as recommended by a chef. Nice to see another chef with the opposite point of view.

[@Lili-xq9sn]

Yes. And with the oven method, I put the pan of bacon in a cold oven. You get a lot of fat rendered this way.

[@simptrix007]

@@Lili-xq9sn I would say it would be impossible to time it in general because every oven performs differently. I think Frank wanted to equip us with fail safe instructions.

[@135bpmCoffee]

Also, go ahead and splash a little bit of water into the pan along side the bacon. It helps heating the bacon up a little gentler, therefor the fat renders a bit more before it starts to fry. Feels weird at first to basically fry the bacon in water, but just a couple teaspoons are enough to get the pan wet.

[@Elandrianthetrue]

@@135bpmCoffee The water serves the same purpose as the fat Frank puts into his pan, but with the upside of not adding any fat to your bacon grease.

[@Lili-xq9sn]

@@simptrix007 I wondered about timing too, but when I tried it , it was only a couple of minutes more. 2-3 minutes more.

[@juancamilorodriguez937]

Your bacon in the microwave really blows my mind, I wouldn’t expect such a good result, a couples of minutes later you show exactly what I was expecting at first lol

[@tomarasmith4459]

The microwave makes the best bacon and eggs. I've been cooking my own breakfast this way since I was 3 or 4

[@TheGuyATX]

A friend of mine told me she made her bacon in an air fryer. I thought “no way it could be any good”. She made me some, it was delicious. Now I make all my bacon in the air fryer.

[@margaretmold63]

My son just gave me an air fryer, easy to make 🥓.

[@squeektheweek6949]

as a small convection oven this makes perfect sense

[@cheriwalker7071]

I also use the air fryer. We need to see what air fryer bacon ranks on the Frank-o-meter!

[@marymaryquitecontrary]

@@cheriwalker7071 Zero, unless the a/f is made of cast iton! 😜

[@bisonfunyuns4988]

@@margaretmold63 mold lol

[@nimbulan2020]

I have to say I'm quite surprised you were so positive about the microwave method. I wasn't expecting that, though I understand. When I was a kid we had this microwave bacon tray we always used that worked great, and it retained the grease like cooking in a pan does.

[@ShawnChang6453]

This channel taught me almost everything about cooking and food preparation. I can't believe that a year later, my meals are no longer shades of monochrome.

[@bardotskie4597]

"bacon, gateway drug into meat" -Frank 2022

[@benharrison5816]

Electric griddle is probably my fave method. I've had one for years. They're nice because you can fit a good amount of slices on them, even heating, and they have a hole where the grease drains into a tray, so you get a bit less fat and cleanup is pretty easy. Kind of a big appliance though, but if you make pancakes then you probably have one.

[@meganbuffington7388]

My parents always used a rack in the oven to cook bacon, and I never understood why it didn't taste as good as when I pan fried it. Now that you say the fat drips away and is dry, it makes sense. I'll 100% use the baking method next time WITHOUT a rack. Thanks!

[@ropsylvia4164]

Why would they let all the goodness drip off😢

[@joelchong7336]

And without all that scrubbing

[@huanzhouzou564]

That's why I love Frank, always open to new ideas like using the microwave and trying that bacon juice.

[@DebatingWombat]

Agreed, but I wish he would’ve mentioned the wattage of his microwave oven, since that matters a lot when recommending a certain cooking time on “high”.

[@borbetomagus]

@@DebatingWombat You might care to cook bacon until you see many small bubbles form on the top. At that point it seems to still have some chew, but isn't extra crispy (unless you like that). Still, you'll have to do some trial and error with your microwave, given the differing thicknesses of bacon.

[@user-se7wf9dv6r]

The microwave: no good restaurant should be with one.

[@bunyonsnipe2792]

It does taste like bacon!

[@_MrTrue]

You would be shocked to see how much microwaves are used in restaurants. From your neighborhood greasy spoon all the way to Michelin star fine dining restaurants, you'll find much use for the microwave.

[@apexkech]

The ROLLING. GENIUS. I'm doing this forever now. Simple, practical, real. My goodness.

[@katiaolivares4691]

Here faster than the "Frank doing everything from scratch" comments

[@seemaissa941]

🐝😂

[@CatnipCaptain]

Hi I'm frank, today well be making a steak, but I will be creating my own stove from scratch 😂

[@alexandramarin3036]

6

[@alexandramarin3036]

6

[@queefinout]

@@seemaissa941 bn bn bn B bn B bn bn B

[@chillpenguin7679]

I learned about baking bacon in the oven from Binging with Babish, and I've never once gone back to frying it in a pan. The oven method is hands-down the *best* method for cooking bacon!

[@TheGnarlyPigeon]

I learned about the oven method from Chick-fil-A. It's so convenient and easy to control the quality.

[@ItsMrBozToYou]

Easiest to make in advance and larger batches.

[@johanlarsson9805]

Wait, so you are saying you missed the entire internet-era when Epic Meal Time ruled youtube?

[@CHICKENmcNUGGIESMydude]

Psh noobie i knew about it from epic meal 7 years prior to babish channel

[@chillpenguin7679]

@@CHICKENmcNUGGIESMydude I also just tried microwaving bacon for the first time! It actually worked pretty damn well, to my surprise. Better late than never, I guess!

[@mehdisoozande8768]

I always bake my bacon and it is very easy and always give the best results, very nice and consistent. I have heard of another method which is adding a little water in the frying pan. I have never tried it myself but I have heard that it makes the bacons more tender.

[@claytonberg721]

Yeah, if you're having it for breakfast or whatever it's far and away the best way. Frankly I buy a package of bacon once every couple of months just to re-season my cast and and to save the bacon fat. The bacon itself gets chopped up and frozen, and then used whenever I need bacon bits, bacon for a pasta or a casserole or whatever. At least in theory, I usually end up eating most of the bacon before I can chop it up and freeze it. The grease always gets saved. It's shocking what sort of effect a half teaspoon of bacon grease will have on a stirfry.

[@davidfriday7498]

Thank you for this, Chef! I have just started getting into cooking at home for myself. I had only tried pan frying and was 100% guilty of overstretching the bacon. You've given me the confidence to try oven baking the bacon; that result you showed looked amazing!

[@royhodge473]

I watch a few cooking shows including "The Two Fat Ladies" and when the use "American" bacon they always place it on the counter and use the back of a knife to "Flatten" and therefore stretch the bacon

[@macdonmt]

Baking on parchment is how my father-in-law taught me to do it (I was previously a pan guy). He learned from the cooks at the Ritz-Carlton where he worked. Highly recommend if you haven’t yet.

[@ninjasheeps3690]

As a non-american who has never had the issue of having gas stoves anything but using a pan is mind bogglingly stupid and dissapointing. A friend of mine once made it in the microwave so i just left because i don't want to eat something prepared by a psychopath. Havent talked to him since.

[@molluskmuncherr]

@@ninjasheeps3690Sounds like a you problem

[@KvltKommando]

@@ninjasheeps3690 you're dumb then because bacon comes out nearly perfect in microwave. Unless you mean Brit style bacon which just sucks period

[@ghw7192]

I have cooked bacon many different ways over the decades, but my cast iron pans are my faves. Fringe benefit is that helps keep the pans seasoned. Something I discovered, is that if I split the bacon ends, it helps reduce curl. I cook the entire package as i will eat half of it as i cook.. Excellent video!

[@MadKingIII]

I always used tinfoil in oven bacon, a complete cover of the sheet means the sheet stays clean and you can just get rid of the foil after cooking

[@deavir]

This is so much easier. This is also the method I have used for years!! I lift the edges for a barrier.

[@abyssriumaquatics1460]

It’s bad for the environment tho… and it’s not hard to wash 1 sheet tray

[@MadKingIII]

@@abyssriumaquatics1460 a roll of tinfoils effect on the environment pales in comparison to my continued existence in the Western world

[@SonnyDK]

The reduction in lifespan from eating something as unhealthy as bacon probably evens out the environmental impact of using the tinfoil :D

[@thalanoth]

I use parchment paper, personally I think it cooks better than tinfoil

[@Drake844221]

At my household, we actually cut the strips of bacon in half, usually just by cutting the whole pack of bacon in half when we're processing it after getting it home. We then take it and put it into quart-sized ziplock bags (usually 3/8 to 1/2 a pound to each bag) and then we take it and freeze it in our deep freeze to portion out for day-to-day use. The smaller pieces of bacon are just easier to manage. But yeah, we cook them in the pan, because it is just kind of satisfying to do while you're still waking up in the morning. We do _also_ save our bacon fat in a pyrex bowl with a sealable lid that we just keep on the counter. We then will utilize that fat in cooking (eggs, for example). I've even taken to using it in my bread baking (for a dough that uses 1 kg of flour, I'll usually pop about 2 tsp of bacon fat into the stand mixer after it has had some time for gluten development). It really does a great job giving the bread... just that little bit of extra character and flavor. We do still end up throwing away a good bit of bacon fat... but that's mainly because our "production" of that outstrips our usage of it XD Oh! And one nice thing about the pyrex bowl is that I'm able to just pop it in the microwave for a minute and a half to two minutes to completely melt the fat in the bowl, which allows the sediment to settle out to the bottom, leaving clearer fat toward the top, where we're pulling from.

[@ffwast]

If you have more of it than you use, just use more of it

[@joannaedwards6325]

Michael Been cutting my bacon packs in half for years. So much easier to handle. Is it safe to leave bacon grease unrefrigerated? I put mine in the fridge as I don't use it every day.

[@Drake844221]

@@joannaedwards6325 we keep it on the counter, ourselves. After all, it is fully cooked. If we were putting it in raw, that would be a different matter.

[@joannaedwards6325]

@@Drake844221 Oh. Ok. Thanks. 😊

[@danleconey3694]

add water to a cold pan with the bacon and turn it on medium heat. It works like a charm everytime. Adding water seemed weird to me, at first. But now it is the only way I cook bacon. That or in the oven on a rack!

[@soju69jinro]

water? you'll get splatter. water and oil = bad idea.

[@danleconey3694]

@@soju69jinro I'm telling you! Try it and get back to me. I was weary myself at first, until I tried it. You do not use too much water, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. You wont be disappointed. Medium heat

[@dashboardmoney5743]

@@soju69jinro it is a common method actually it works very well i have to admit

[@trwsandford]

He isn’t lying. Bacon in a cold pan, just enough water to almost cover. High heat, till the water has boiled off. Turn down to medium. After the first flip, turn down a little more. Never fails. The science behind it is deceptively simple. You get it rapidly to the fat rendering heat, and hold past the heat where collagen turns to gelatin. Then the water is gone, and you are pan frying something better than you would otherwise.

[@donnoanything824]

tq.. will try that.. 👍

[@WaveManMike]

I have always pan fried bacon but I just bought some parchment paper so I can give baking it a try. Wish me luck, I test it out tomorrow morning.

[@simpsimps553]

You and I both know that you can’t afford it.

[@markhuitson]

How did it go?

[@simpsimps553]

@@markhuitson “how did it go” “how did it go”

[@markhuitson]

@@simpsimps553 yes

[@richardfusco8767]

Put flour on it

[@melbell0865]

Best investment I’ve ever used, when cooking bacon, is a splatter guard. No grease popping up, no oil on your stovetop, and depending on the type of splatter guard you use, a good way to get some convection cooking in the pan without steaming.

[@alastor1052]

Agreed, the splatter guards are also a super reliable way to melt cheese for cheeseburgers :)

[@joannaedwards6325]

My great splatter guard fell into Never never land between stove and counter. 😢😢 I miss it.

[@Geoduck.]

Thank you Chef Proto. You have made me a better cook much appreciated.

[@JamesWhite-fz1ci]

Chef Frank! That "Bacon is a gateway drug into meats" was HYSTERICAL! I laughed so hard, it was amazing (just like bacon). Thank you for that.

[@renenowicki]

Really. What is it about bacon that blows ham to hell? And bacon grease is the best for anything in a cast iron skillet. A waste to discard it. So, so good.

[@krorvous7501]

I actually like my bacon both chewy and crunchy for different reasons. I want chewy bacon when I'm eating it straight. I want crunchy bacon when it is on a sandwich. Nothing worse than pulling all the bacon out of the sandwich on the first bite.

[@ianfinney7820]

Bacon should never be crispy. End of.

[@unholynexus]

@@ianfinney7820 Crunchy. Not Crispy.

[@ianfinney7820]

@@unholynexus crispy/crunchy the same thing. Bacon should be neither.

[@unholynexus]

@@ianfinney7820 Crunchy bacon has a place. In sandwiches and salads, even on ice cream.

[@ianfinney7820]

@@unholynexus sandwiches, hell no. Ice cream, you mad. Salad, yes but not crispy. Crispy/crunchy=burnt

[@VeryMiley]

Love love LOVE Frank’s videos. I can’t cook to save my life. But he has ways to explain things so that cooking makes sense, and the outcomes are successful. Really appreciate it

[@FatelDarkAssassins]

He has is own channel called protocooks :)

[@VeryMiley]

@@FatelDarkAssassins nice! Found it, and subscribed !

[@StoneMcGregor]

I love the tips frank, but I would argue that if put your initial round of bacon in a cold pan... then turn to medium heat.. by the time the pan is warmed you'll have plenty of grease from the bacon itself

[@jamesross2373]

I’ve recently been cooking bacon in my air fryer. It doesn’t cook super evenly, but I kinda like that in my bacon because you get to enjoy some crispier bits and some chewier bits. It also only takes about 5 minutes.

[@triskits_mmm]

If even a tiny bit of that bacon is raw you can get sick. Not likely to happen in the US or most developed places but it is more than possible. Just fyi.

[@jamesross2373]

@@triskits_mmm I don't leave any parts raw, some bits just get crispier than others.

[@JamminClemmons]

@@jamesross2373 I cannot walk into YOUR Canadian markets to purchase bacon without first knowing how to speak French! - Da hell's wrong witchu people up there? Imma gonna slappa da snot outta yo faces wit da wet spahetti. Mama Mia!!!

[@chickenwings9117]

There's LOTS of stuff to watch on the KZbin regarding cooking but I gotta say Chef Frank is worth the time. Thanks Chef. You're informative, funny, and it's evident that you're genuinely trying to help. Thanks again!

[@cleverusername9369]

As a stoner I've always used the 420 baking method: thick center cut bacon in a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, baked at 400 for 20 minutes (hence 420). I like to use a baking sheet because it collects the rendered fat and is easy to pour into a Mason jar with a coffee filter secured over the mouth with a rubber band. You're left with perfectly cooked bacon, and beautiful, clean, amber colored bacon grease to use in other cooking applications.

[@CamCitizenTV]

I'm interested now. What kind of recipes use bacon fat? I hate throwing it away.

[@anaacosta1941]

@@CamCitizenTV gravy for biscuits and gravy. Scrambled eggs. Sausage. Vegetables. It’s lard and great for anything. Also, it’s minimally processed unlike any vegetable oil

[@cleverusername9369]

@@CamCitizenTV it's extremely versatile, I'll use it for eggs, sautéd vegetables for soup, stir fry, or stew, you can fry meat in it, it's perfect for like a shallow fried breaded pork chop. It's a great way to impart a little savory flavor to a cast iron skillet corn bread, when combined with flour and stock it makes an excellent base for a gravy, I've used it to baste steaks, roast chicken, and whole fish to get a crispy skin, you can even use it to pop popcorn on the stove. It admittedly gets a little smoky at lower temperatures than vegetable or Canola oil, and I wouldn't use it for a recipe that calls for a neutral flavored oil, but for anything that could be improved by a hint of baconyness and saltiness (literally everything) it's wonderful. It can even be reused a few times and will gain more flavor if you strain it out properly and keep it covered and refrigerated once it's cool. Not vegan or vegetarian friendly or Kosher, obviously. Try this: fry up a few slices of bacon, drain the hot rendered fat through a coffee filter into a container, then use a little of that fat to fry a couple of eggs. They'll be the best fried eggs you've ever had.

[@CamCitizenTV]

@@cleverusername9369 thanks for the reply! That's very helpful. I have made bacon and then fried eggs in the bacon fat still in the pan and I can confirm it is delicious! I appreciate all the ideas and the coffee filter is such a no-brainer too haha.

[@fredsmith9788]

@@CamCitizenTV Slice up a potato any way you like and fry it in bacon grease. That's what my mother does. It looks something like this (but without the bacon bits): kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4u1d2holriEiKc This looks good too (thicker slices): kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2LFp6KEapWcodk

[@Luna.3.3.3]

~Thank you for the bacon tutorial. I def. do it in the oven over 5-6 pcs.~ Just a little rant.... 🇨🇦 I'm REALLY tired of 'Canadian' bacon shown as this ridiculous round, thin piece of ham-like 'thing'. NO ONE in Canada calls that bacon. We have bacon (the same as what most ppl call it & we have peameal) Peameal bacon - similar to British bacon, but ours is brined and rolled in cornmeal. It's much meatier. *_Those round discs of sadness - that hamy-type product that Americans call Canadian bacon is NOT ours_* 🇨🇦 _It's just HAM_

[@eklectiktoni]

lol, duly noted 😀 If it makes you feel any better, people only think of that Velveeta stuff when you say 'American cheese'. But there are some REAL quality cheeses that were developed here in the US (like Colby and Monterey Jack).

[@jordanbridges]

Canadian chiming in. What is up with that name of Canadian "Bacon?" So silly. Bacon is bacon. Ham is ham.

[@robertdingleton1929]

@@eklectiktoni A lot of Europeans I've talked to seem to think that 'cheddar' means something like 'velveeta' also.

[@Luna.3.3.3]

@@jordanbridges 🇨🇦 We have to stick together, EH? 😄

[@Luna.3.3.3]

@@eklectiktoni Yes, I hear you. I don't think the Velveeta block is used as much here as it is in the US, but slices, definitely. I've NEVER heard anyone here call them 'American' cheese. I tend to just call them Kraft slices. (or endearingly, 'plastic cheese' lol)

[@steveg7066]

I'm all about the microwave paper towel method, because I love as crispy as it can get. Like the shattering crispy

[@phillipanderson2607]

I'm agree 100 percent with what you are saying. I love publics brand low sodium thin sliced bacon in a bacon tray with a paper towel on top of the tray in the microwave. It takes about 4 minutes to cook. Very delicious 😊

[@Arcadia61]

I've cooked three layers of bacon in the microwave with paper towels in between each layer and it turned out great. Oven produces the tastiest but it is also the most time-consuming.

[@woodstream6137]

I nuke it if I'm in a hurry, you think one sheet pan is slower than multiple batches in a skillet that need baby sitting?

[@thereadingpaige]

The rolling tip is honestly so obvious but so helpful. I would've never done it unless I saw it myself. Thank you!

[@MiniMii550]

The way my mom does it is to grab a skewer and skewer the bacon onto it like an accordion so that it sits kind of wavy on the skewer. And then you cook it on a pan or griddle and the bacon comes out with crispy bits and chewy bits and it's my favorite way of doing it. Also works great for sandwiches because the bacon isn't as long so it fits perfectly within the bread without sticking out

[@user-oz5xb9ed3w]

you know you can cut bacon half..

[@Terrivel119]

Can confirm on the microwave. I work in fast food and it’s saved our bacon a couple times (pun intended) when we run out on accident.

[@ilenastarbreeze4978]

so i just have to say, as a canadian who moved to the usa, i never knew what that stuff you call canadian bacon is, i can assure you, i have never seen it in canada,and we have .. well, canadian bacon, the regular bacon stuff you know

[@henrimatisse7481]

eh?

[@theouthousepoet]

Indeed. “Canadian Bacon” is not really consumed in Canada, but is a product sought-out by non-Canadians. I’ve been to a couple of restaurants in Vancouver that used it, but that’s it. I’ve never seen/noticed Canadian Bacon in a grocery and I’ve never heard of anyone making it at home.

[@merk9569]

“Gateway drug into meat” Lol! When I became a vegetarian the two things I missed most were bacon and hotdogs. I never even knew that I liked hotdogs! I eventually went back to eating meat only to wean off of most of it for health reasons. I naturally have cholesterol, 300-400, as a near vegan! I recently said the only time I cheat is with bacon. It’s my Achilles heel!

[@originalhgc]

For pan frying, I suggest you start in a cold pan. You can lay the bacon flat, and let it come up gently. No need for extra lubrication; the fat starts to render before bacon strip curls. For baking, up to 5 slices fits nicely in your toaster/oven.

[@kakarotox]

Too much fat in bacon already.

[@Murasadramon]

Everybody I know has judged me my entire life for throwing bacon in the microwave verse pan frying. I'm so glad to hear an actual chef go "Hey, it's okay to do it. It's not THAT bad."

[@tunaburn2330]

Better than not that bad. He rated it quite a bit higher than pan frying.

[@TheBaconWizard]

@@tunaburn2330 The best commercial operations use a combination of flame-grilling and microwave. It's sort of an industry secret. I should know: I am a bacon wizard.

[@dalsosegno]

@@TheBaconWizard you are not just *a* bacon wizard, you are THE bacon wizard!!

[@TheBaconWizard]

@@dalsosegno Aww shucks....

[@theodore6548]

It may interest you to know that the great Jacques Pepin advocates the microwave for bacon.

[@davidwalter2002]

My church had a Men's Breakfast, and one of the guys working in the kitchen came from a restaurant family. He baked the bacon in huge lots, and it was fantastic. Really the best method for cooking bacon for four dozen hungry men. 😁

[@camogrrl]

A decent bacon and egg pie takes about 12 rashers. Only the oven can cook them all at once. I don’t think Americans cook their own pies though.

[@auntlynnie]

I agree - baking the whole pack is the way to go. When I only want a couple of slices, I cook it in my great-grandmother’s SQUARE cast iron skillet. They fit perfectly.

[@renegade_patriot]

dude I need that cast iron skillet.

[@auntlynnie]

@@renegade_patriot It’s pretty magical. It lives on my stovetop.

[@jichaeljuicy4047]

When Frank said "I'm lazy" I just think back to all of the times he has brought in his homemade items whether it be food or his wooden spoon

[@johnjohnblazin]

I throw a whole package in and move it around , the grease gets nice and high and cooks the bacon so good , I've tried all methods (including the cooking only 5 pieces at a time on frying pan) and this is the best result for me, to move it around while cooking you treat it like you were tossing a salad

[@paulredinger5830]

Baking it in the oven on baking paper. No splatter mess. Easy to do, and works great! It’s the only way I do it anymore. You can also cook heaps at one time and don’t have to babysit it. You can cook it to your desired doneness. I can’t ever cook just 1 pan or 4-5 pieces of bacon, because I need that many just for tasting my bacon to make sure it’s not poisonous. I’m bravely being the bacon taster to the queen (my wife/ IE the boss) to keep her safe.

[@Beatle4]

One chef will tell you how something should be cooked so it comes out right while another chef will tell you the opposite. I say cook it the way you like it, what works best for you. You'll be happier in the long wrong. P.S. Chef Proto... As a Canadian, I must agree. That Canadian bacon is not bacon. What happened to peameal bacon?

[@CanadianN1NJ4]

American's block everything else out that isn't American. They're very self centric.

[@billweirdo9657]

@@CanadianN1NJ4 It literally is not bacon.

[@CanadianN1NJ4]

@@billweirdo9657 Yeah, I know. We don't call it bacon, and if we do, we'd call it back bacon, not just bacon

[@billweirdo9657]

@@CanadianN1NJ4 no its literally not bacon. And btw America is the melting pot of the world. It's a massive place that houses many different cultures with an underlying pride in the freedom to practice cultural and religious beliefs without persecution. America openly embraces everyone. See your original comment is a prime example of the rest of the world not being open to others and an prime example of the ignorance of most of the world. The United States is far from perfect but its also far from the picture many draw of it. Someone really needs to tell you this... " excluding in the name of inclusion is still exclusion "

[@CanadianN1NJ4]

@@billweirdo9657 I think you miss an important point and that is that America thinks it's the center of the world. Most American's don't know much about their neighbours to the North at all. They could MAYBE tell you who the PM is, but other than that, they don't know basically anything. Actually, Canada is VERY open to others. We even have a higher proportion of our population as immigrants compared to the US. What does that last point have to do with anything? I'm not excluding everyone, I'm just stating why the US calls something "Canadian bacon" when Canadian's don't call it bacon. It's like calling ham "American bacon". It doesn't make any sense since nobody in the US says that ham is bacon.

[@AmazingChinaToday]

Microwave bacon FTW. Crispy, no mess, and no babysitting while preparing other items. Press start button and done.

[@ThePdxster]

I used to use an oven rack on a sheet pan but a few years ago switched to parchment paper and yes it makes the best bacon ever! I do use aluminum foil underneath the parchment so I don't have to clean the sheet pan. Especially good if you make a sticky/candied bacon with brown sugar or maple syrup, it won't stick to the parchment.

[@joncarbone]

Pro tip: make sure to not over heat the pan. This will cause bacon to curl up. Cook over medium heat, turn it a couple times so each side cooks evenly. You’ll get nice, evenly cooked bacon. Not pieces with burnt and chewy parts.

[@freeman10000]

Superb advice. I love my cast iron and I love my bacon.

[@Val_Halla777]

If you haven’t tried this, I highly recommend it.. Add 1/2” of water to the frying pan and place slices from the whole package in. Once water boils for a bit..reduce to medium heat and keep frying . When water’s gone, lower heat again and flip bacon..cooked to tender and crisp perfection every time. Cheers

[@pb68slab18]

About a year ago I started using my Air-Fryer for bacon. Thick sliced, smoked bacon. 6 slices, 15mins at 350 non-pre-heated. Perfection.

[@hawaiidispenser]

I've been trying microwaving bacon just recently and was surprised with how good it comes out once you find the right time. It came out crisp and flat (not all curled up and weird like the pan frying method). It also is the fastest method by far. I'm sold!

[@TIMEtoRIDE900]

Hanging - flat - paper towels - ?? You gotta elaborate !

[@panthermodern64]

I always use my Ninja Foodie Grill to cook my bacon. Enclosed, no mess outside the machine to clean, comes out perfectly crispy every time with very little cleanup.

[@MamaKalash]

Since bacon is SO expensive now, I now make it half & half, turkey bacon and pork bacon, every time I make bacon now...and after many years of frying in a pan, having to watch it the whole time, making a huge mess, I finally discovered that it is far quicker, easier, and even easier to clean up, when I make it in my convection oven! I know it doesn't taste like the bacon shown in this video, but it's SO much easier than it used to be!

[@EnycmaPie]

What about the 'cooking bacon in water' method by America's Test Kitchen. Also using frying pan, but you put just enough water to cover the bacon and cook until the water evaporates. The water renders more fat out of the bacon and makes it crispy. The water also reduces splatter as the temperature is lowered by the evaporation of water.

[@freppie_]

imma try this 1

[@richwiebe8084]

Additionally water helps the bacon cook more evenly. Keep an eye on it and start to remove it as the water evaporates.

[@lilitharam44]

I used to deep fry bacon, when I was cooking a lot of it for sandwiches for the family. The bacon does curl more that way but it cooks evenly and quickly. With the deep fryer, it had a top on it so no popping and you should taste fries that are cooked in the oil after bacon!

[@wpattison]

I woke up today without planning on buying a deep fryer, but now...

[@dovkushnir7808]

Bacon fried fries?! Uhhh, sign me up.

[@lilitharam44]

@@wpattison You should try it! I got the idea from a restaurant that specializes in bacon sandwiches, that's how they cook so much fast.

[@lilitharam44]

@@dovkushnir7808 Yep, when you're done with the bacon, drop in the fries!

[@kalenorchard1729]

I was feeling "good for you!" until I read the whole bit about the fries afterward, and now I want home fries made after deep-fried bacon...bravo!

[@dylanpenney6910]

2:50 "Most people fuss with it, don't fuss with it". 3:21 "So I'm just going to start shuffling them around a little, you really have to tend to it right".

[@tanner6446]

Hahahaha

[@jtrain9926]

Tips for pan frying: start it in the pan cold and heat it covered to medium low with a few oz of water. Once it's come to a low boil let it go for a couple of mins, then remove the bacon and drain, then return bacon to the pan and let it crisp up. This stops the splatter by removing the water from it while covered.

[@saltydog4787]

I discovered this method a while back & it is still my favourite method. Yum!

[@ZepG]

I switched to baking bacon in the oven over 10 years ago and never went back to the cast iron skillet. I line a sheet pan with foil up and over the sides and can cook a whole 16 oz pack in one shot and get absolutely perfectly cooked bacon every time. There is no splatter and after the pan cools just roll up the foil and throw away, no washing greasy bacon pans or skillets!

[@The063091]

How dare you THROW AWAY that delicious bacon fat! Jar it, fridge it, remember it when you run out of butter, hell give it to a friend as a present! Never disrespect the bacon fat like that lol

[@lolia6832]

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮👎👎👎👎👎👎👎🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@lolia6832]

@@The063091 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@willhooke]

Baking 5:50 350°F about 175°C

[@gorkeyozkul9004]

I checked my oven and then I realized that :)

[@djanime317]

I remembered doing the frying pan method all the time until one of my friends came over to make dinner for all of us and she baked her bacon, ever since then, I’ve baked my bacon and haven’t looked back 😊

[@frankthetank1369]

Oven method is good if you're cooking a whole pack of bacon. I'm cooking bacon today only 4 strips for baked potato. So I'm using stovetop.

[@lolia6832]

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮👎👎👎👎👎👎👎

[@Bepmup]

When he said that the bacon would taste like crayons I was hoping he would say "And that is only reserved for my Titan mains".

[@Essenkiller]

I remember when my parents went to the states for vacation in their newly built house in Cape Coral, FL . They brought two things for us children from walmart. For each of us a cereal bowl with a built in straw for the milk (now I know they're called "sip a bowl" and a device for cooking bacon in the microwave. Both of the devices are still in use over 27 years later. Now im living in the US and always my friends ask me how cool those gadgets from Germany are. When I tell them they're from Walmart in the US they don't believe me.

[@stickinug]

Baking bacon is definitely my fav method too! Easy, it's not very messy at all, and it's really easy to manage the crispiness of the strips

[@silentjay01]

As a person living alone, I often cook my bacon in the microwave except I use a paper plate so the cooking time is lower. 3 to 4 regular cut slices are usually done in 2:30 to 2:45 minutes. His were in WAY too long.

[@mmmbbq]

@@jaspering88 That's why texture is pretty much everything with bacon.

[@1956tojo]

Been a bacon freak/lover all my life.......... Been cookin my own for over 50 years easily.... The best and fool proof way to make perfect bacon EVERY time, and I ALWAYS do a pound pack at a time.... For those who think cooking bacon a pound at a time is too much? Bacon stores very, very well (at my house a pound might last into a 2nd day) in the fridge...

[@candel8]

Another method of cooking bacon in a pan is putting a small amount of water first. You cook it till the water has fully evaporated. This gets all the parts not touching the pan to cook too. It starts to get crispy when the water has evaporated.

[@robertmcelfresh1031]

Love the "I dont like the rack" but I always start in a COLD oven. Bacon has a lot of water and you want the rise-time of the oven to help evaporate the water. (Splattering is the water coming out of the bacon in the hot fat - not fun.) I actually cook at 250 for 20 minutes, then bump to 350 for another 20.

[@FUGP72]

Who the hell wants to sit and wait for 40+ minutes for some bacon?

[@postmodernrecycler]

@@FUGP72 Okay, but who the hell's oven takes 30 minutes to heat up?

[@FUGP72]

@@postmodernrecycler Nobody's. But this OP claimed he cooks it at such a ridiculously low temperature that it takes 40 minutes.

[@voxac30withstrat]

I prefer butchers smoked bacon to supermarket bacon. No water in the butchers bacon and much smokier.

[@foxtailedcritter]

Thanks for helping me out. At age 28 I'm finally learning how to cook instead of ordering maccas. Your video helped me learn the basic. Didn't even knew you could throw bacon in an oven.

[@CannabisTechLife]

"Most regular cut bacon is a little too flimsy" Well YEAH! The industry has been charging the same and giving us less and less. Now they charge even more for "thick cut" which used to be regular cut...

[@episodesglow]

Huh? Who is buying bacon priced per slice, I always buy it by weight

[@squeektheweek6949]

@@episodesglow ^ this

[@thehighpriest360]

"I'm lazy, and I don't want to clean anything" finally, someone gets my cooking style.

[@eriklarson4082]

For the microwave, the bacon hanger cookers without the cup around it work much better. The brand "mak'n bacon" or similar ones to that are what you want to use.

[@bogroll1881]

Wow never tried the microwave until I saw this and it worked great, saves clean up and easy when doing breakfast for one

[@michaelgordon3552]

I started cooking bacon in the oven about 6-7 years ago and never looked back. You can prepare everything else for breakfast while it's cooking away on its own down there. Total game changer!

[@gardenphoto]

The only very considerable down-side to OVEN-FRYING bacon is that - contrary to what's being said here - is that it DOES splatter in the oven, coating the inside walls with a very difficult to clean layer of burnt-on bacon fat... that takes (literally!) an our of hard work to clean out. Cleanup after pan-frying bacon is so quick and easy that it completely outshines any of the supposed "advantages" of oven-frying... period! Mike D.

[@Nate6981]

If I have to make a lot of bacon, I definitely do the oven method so it's all done at once. For just myself, I actually use my Foreman grill. Very similar to pan frying, but any splattering is contained and the grease is all contained in that little tray.

[@mynamewhatis7254]

Don't burn your foot!

[@douglas60040]

I’ve been having great success with my panini press…quick and easy, with no mess.

[@kristiankopera]

And it rhymes !

[@stargazer1998]

Someone turn this into a poem

[@pxraas_mm]

my boyfriend and my friend called me crazy for cooking bacon in the oven. they thought it was poisonous and i thought i was going crazy and tried to prove them wrong, this video is my proof. thank you.

[@TheHumanFlag]

I love Frank. All of his words are great. But I gotta admit his number rating might need some work if he’s putting microwave bacon at a 4 and regular skillet bacon at a 2.

[@floopyboo]

It's accurate though. Once you know how to microwave bacon, it's quick, easy, and you can guarantee perfect doneness to your own liking. Plus clenaup is the easiest thing ever.

[@Jakespectrums]

Well this is not the Skyrim compilation I was expecting..

[@Eztoez]

I have always used the baking method. Its far superior to messy frying. I do mine slightly differently. Place your bacon on aluminum foil in a tray. In an oven that has NOT been pre-heated (repeat - a cold oven) place the tray. Set the oven temp to 200°C (392°F), and walk away. Come back in 18 minutes. Job done.

[@filipburic5194]

"I think bacon is that gateway drug into meat" - Frank Proto

[@user-ov7su1lg3h]

You are actually a fun guy to watch! Informative, too! Thank you for the bacon tutorial! I LOVE BACON!!!!!

[@grxy5924]

W video, W chef, W commentary, just a W all around. Oh and can’t forget the bacon! W bacon 🔥

[@ConniMiller]

Airfryer does an incredible job in 9-10 minutes. I tend not to like the taste of oven baked bacon. It also usually has a flabby texture. Cast iron pan is my favorite method.

[@alistairs8495]

100% agreed.

[@trippasnippaz]

I love the parchment paper method in the oven only thing I don't like I don't have that leftover rendered down fat. Personally the slow cook pan method works better for me only because I have that leftover fat which mushrooms and eggs love let's be honest

[@stan_doucet]

Bacon juice is great for cooking greens or green beans!

[@SleepySkullhead]

I'd love to see Frank replicate home recipes that get sent in. The kind of stuff you only see you parent/grandparent make.

[@HyuugaTora]

Every time I hear an American call back/peameal bacon "Canadian bacon" I just 🙃 We definitely differentiate it from 'regular' bacon. If you order a burger here with bacon or eggs with bacon, you are going to get the same thing Americans consider bacon (at least where I live in S. Ontario). Just because your country has labelled it as [country/culture/region name] [food] doesn't mean that it's actually the standard in that country.... or do y'all also think that Hawaiian pizza is from Hawaii too? 😂

[@Y0utube5ucks]

Same lol. I'm from Halifax, When me and anyone I know say bacon we are referring to "streaky bacon" from the belly. Back bacon is just that, back bacon lol. And I just tried pea meal bacon for the first time a couple months ago, it's fantastic!

[@methyod]

Do you think that Americans think you don't have regular bacon in Canada? Why are you so butthurt about the name "canadian bacon"? I don't see french people freaking out at "french fries" and insisting "no, actually you have to call them fried potatoes".

[@HyuugaTora]

@@methyod you say this but I literally have a discord server full of Americans who thought "Canadian bacon" is what I thought bacon was until I explained what I posted to them so, yeah, I do think that there is a reasonable amount of Americans that think back bacon is just called bacon here.

[@johnleake5657]

I don't get the problem with back bacon. It's the standard bacon in the UK. It's delicious. It's no good it you like crispy bacon, but personally I _loathe_ crispy bacon. I'd rather streaky bacon (what you'd call bacon) byt I'm absolutely happy to eat back bacon, and it's much better in bacon sandwiches than streaky.

[@declinedalsodeclined5258]

If your not too concearned about perfect uniform slices that are all exactly the same, buy the bits and peices in the vacuum packed block. They are nearly half the price of standard sliced bacon. What I do is arrange the pieces pressed into a loose pattie on a cold basic George Forman grill and plug it in. The excess fat drips into the tray and in about 11 minutes you have a really delicious chunk of bacon. Afterwards pour the drip tray into a jar and refridgerate for lard to be used for other things and after cooling wipe down the George Forman grill with a paper towel. I have done this for many years and is my favorite method.

[@shabzone]

I think the pan fry method can be very hands free if you go with low heat for about 20 mins, flip once at 10 min. You don't even need to preheat. Works especially well with regular thin sliced bacon, they will just melt in your mouth. I also feel like the baking method Frank showed is closer to the shatter side than "crispy on the edges"