13 Easy Tips To Cooking Bacon on a Griddle or Skillet
Many of us enjoy a few rashers of crispy, flavoursome bacon as a tasty addition to meals. Indeed, many people feel that breakfast just isn't breakfast if there's no bacon. If you have a griddle at home, you may be hoping to use it to cook bacon in your own kitchen. However, you may not know the correct bacon griddle temp, or how long to fry bacon. Also, it can be hard to work out how to know when bacon is done. With this in mind, we've created a helpful guide to tell you everything you need to know about cooking bacon on a griddle.
Bacon On Griddle and Skillet 101
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Can You Cook Bacon on a Griddle?
In a word: yes! Cooking bacon on a griddle is certainly possible. Furthermore, it is a great way to cook really delicious and crispy bacon. Whether you have a regular griddle pan, a skillet, an electric griddle or even a flat top, you're well on your way to perfectly-cooked bacon.
What is the Best Way to Cook Bacon?
This depends very much on how you prefer your bacon and how much you need to prepare. If you are just cooking a few rashers for breakfast and you want your bacon nice and crispy at the edges, frying is probably the way to go. You can do this on a stove-top frying pan or any griddle type you have to hand.
However, if you are cooking bacon for a lot of people, frying this much at once can be a real nightmare unless you are lucky enough to have a flat top. No-one wants their whole stove taken up with frying pans full of bacon. In this case, it will be easier to cook your bacon on a baking sheet in the oven. This still gives crispy results and leaves your stove free for other components of the meal.
If you're trying to lose weight, or want to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet, then the best way to cook bacon is under the broiler. The bacon can be placed on a wire rack over the top of the broiler pan. This allows the fat to drip off into the pan as the bacon cooks. It can then be discarded. However, remember to allow the fat to solidify before disposing of it in the garbage. Never pour liquid bacon fat down the sink, as it will solidify as it cools. This can cause a blockage in the plug or pipes.
How To Fry Bacon Crispy?
For most of us, a crispy rasher of bacon is the holy grail of breakfast foods. However, getting a perfectly crisp result can be harder than it sounds. All too often, we are disappointed by a rasher that is soggy and lacklustre. However, there are some simple things you can do to achieve a more crispy result.
- Make sure your pan or griddle is big enough to accommodate the bacon you are cooking: The whole length of the bacon should be contained. Also, do not be tempted to squeeze in more rashers than your pan can take. If it overlaps, the bacon rashers won't crisp up nicely.
- Cook on a heat slightly above medium: This is the best temperature for a crispy rasher, as it won't cook too fast.
- Turn the bacon in the pan frequently: This allows the bacon to crisp up on all surfaces.
- Bacon swimming in fat will never crisp up properly: So, unless you have a griddle or outdoor griddle that drains fat away for you, drain away about half of the fat halfway through cooking. As we mentioned above, don't pour this down the drain or you risk causing a blockage.
Do You Need Oil to Cook Bacon?
As a rule there's no need to add any extra oil to the pan when you cook bacon. Bacon is a fatty cut, so it will release its own fat into the pan as it heats up. This fat is almost always sufficient for cooking the rasher. Also, adding oil to the pan may actually be counter-productive. That's because too much fat will prevent the bacon from crisping up nicely.
Bacon Griddle Temp: What is The Best Temperature to Cook Bacon on a Griddle?
While it may seem that a higher heat would equal a crispier rasher, this is not the case. In fact, cooking bacon on a fierce heat can cause it to go floppy. Also, the fat that bacon produces as it cooks is more likely to spit from the pan at a high temperature. This can be dangerous.
As a rule, a medium, or slightly above medium, temperature is ideal. Aim for a temperature anywhere between 325-375 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Long do You Cook Bacon On a Skillet, Stove or Frying Pan?
Around 10 minutes should cook a thin rasher perfectly. If you have thicker rashers, increase this time to 15 minutes. Remember to turn your bacon frequently if you want an even and crispy rasher.
How to Know When Bacon is Done?
With most types of meat, the best way to heck it is cooked properly is to insert a food thermometer into the centre. If it is heated to 160 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, it is done. However, this is only possible with very thick rashers of bacon. Therefore, you'll have to check it visually instead. If the bacon is turning brown and is slightly crispy, it's ready to eat.
Can You Eat Raw Bacon?
Just like any raw meat, uncooked bacon can contain potentially harmful bacteria. Even though some bacon is smoked or cured, this does not eliminate all of the microbes that could be lurking. Therefore, we really don't recommend that you consider eating bacon raw. In any case, it's highly unlikely to taste pleasant if it's consumed raw. The only exception is pre-cooked bacon, although this could not really be called raw. Because it's ben cooked previously, it's perfectly safe to eat cold as long as it's in-date.
What will happen if you eat raw bacon?
It's possible that, if you eat a bit of raw bacon, nothing at all will happen. You have an immune system that helps to fight off germs, and you may also have selected a very fresh rasher that doesn't contain much or any harmful bacteria. On the other hand, you're taking a big risk by doing so. If there are harmful microbes in the bacon, these will not be killed as you are not cooking it. Therefore, it's pretty likely that you'll end up with a stomach upset, or even full-blown food poisoning.
Can you get food poisoning from bacon?
Just like any food, if it has gone bad or is undercooked, you can certainly get food poisoning from bacon. The risk is higher in meat products such as bacon than other types of food. However, don't let this put you off enjoying a rasher with your breakfast. There are a few was that you can guard against food poisoning caused by bacon.
- Store your bacon in a cold refrigerator: If the pack is open, wrap it in cling film to keep it airtight.
- Check the dates on the package to find out by which point the bacon is no longer safe to eat. Also, check how long your bacon can safely be kept in an open packet.
- Inspect your bacon for signs that it has gone bad. We'll discuss this more later on. If you are in any doubt about whether your bacon is safe to eat, err on the side of caution and buy a new pack. Food poisoning is too high a price to pay for saving a little money.
- Cook your bacon thoroughly for around 10-15 minutes and check it is done. The bacon should be browning and crispy at the edges.
How Long Can I Keep Unopened Bacon in The Fridge?
This depends in part on how your bacon has been packaged. If your bacon has been purchased fresh from the butcher, it will probably last around 7-10 days in the fridge. However, nowadays bacon often comes in vacuum packs which significantly prolongs the shelf life. In any case, the best thing to do is check the date of the packaging. This will tell you how long your particular product can be safely kept.
How Do You Know if Bacon is Bad?
As we've mentioned above, consuming bad bacon is likely to lead to food poisoning. This can be quite dangerous if you catch a severe bout. So it's really important to be able to recognise the signs of bacon that has gone off. Here are our top tips.
- Take a look at the color of the bacon: Bacon that is safe to eat is pink with white or off-white fat. Any tinge of grey, brown, green or blue is a sure sign that the bacon is off. If it looks like it is coated with liquid, or fluid is gathering in the packaging, it should be discarded.
- Check the use-by date: If it's gone past the time period in which the manufacturer says it's safe to consume, it's probably not worth the risk. This is true even if the bacon looks OK.
- Feel the bacon: Fresh bacon should feel reasonably dry. If it is slimy, this is a sure-fire way to tell it is unsafe to eat.
- Give the bacon a sniff: Bacon that has gone bad usually smells sour, rotten, or has a fish-like odour.
Please remember, if you have been handling bacon that's gone bad, then you should thoroughly wash and disinfect your hands. The same applies to any surfaces that have come into contact with the bacon or its packaging. Other-wise, you risk contracting food poisoning even if you don't consume it directly.
Can Bacon Still Be Pink?
If you've cooked bacon to the required 160 degrees, then it should turn an off-white colour. This applies to all types of pork products. Therefore, we don't recommend eating bacon if there is still pink visible. Just cook it a little longer.
Best Bacon Griddle
There are a lot of griddle models on the market, and which one you choose will be down to factors such as your budget, your required size, and whether you want an electric or stove-top model. In essence, any griddle that heats to the required temperature will cook your bacon just fine.
However, if you are looking for a stainless steel electric griddle that is ideally suited to cooking bacon specifically, then look for one that drains excess fat as you cook. This will save you from the hassle of draining the fat by hand as you cook, as bacon swimming in fat won't crisp up nicely.
Bacon Griddle Recipes
If you really love the flavour and texture of griddled bacon, you'll be pleased to know that it can be added as an ingredient for many of the recipes you already cook. Here are our favourite classic dishes that can be jazzed up with a little bacon:
- Chicken and bacon are a classic combination. Adding some chopped bacon to a chicken salad or sandwich can really elevate the dish to a new level.
- Make vegetable dishes more interesting with some griddled bacon lardons can add a delicious touch. Also, the saltiness of the bacon can even act as a seasoning. This trick works particularly well with cabbage or Brussel sprouts.
- Add bacon lardons to your traditional Mac'n'Cheese for a delicious, meaty take on a classic.
- If you're going low-carb, lining your pie dish with bacon instead of pastry is an unusual and delicious way to cook a quiche.
However, when it comes to griddled bacon recipes, we have a clear favourite. This is a really fun and unexpected way to cook bacon on a ceramic electric griddle.
Bacon Avocado Griddle Pizza
As combinations go, not much beats bacon and avocado. So, why not combine these awesome flavours with pizza, another family favourite? This recipe makes one 10-inch pizza, but you could scale up if you're cooking for a crowd.
Ingredients
- Store-bought ready made pizza dough
- 3 medium fresh tomatoes, cut into eighths
- 1 thinly sliced shallot
- 1/2 a medium, ripe avocado, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 rashers of streaky bacon
- A handful of arugula
- 40g feta cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- 1. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, shallot, oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cover. Allow it to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
- 2. On a floured surface, roll out a thin round of about 10 inches. Any extra dough can be wrapped in cling film and stored in the fridge for another day.
- 3. Heat your griddle to a medium setting and brush with olive oil. Transfer your pizza base to the griddle and cook for around 6 minutes on each side. Check regularly to ensure it isn't burning.
- 4. Once the base is done, wrap it in foil to keep it warm. On the same griddle, cook your bacons rashers for 10 minutes, turning with a spatula every minute or so to achieve a crispy result.
- 5. Chop the cooked bacon into small chunks.
- 6. Top the base with the tomato and shallot mixture, then add the arugula, bacon and avocado. Finish by crumbling the feta over the top, add a drizzle of olive oil and serve.
The Final Word
Hopefully, having read this article, you now know all there is to know about cooking bacon on a griddle. You now know how long to fry bacon, the perfect griddle bacon temp, and how to know when bacon is done. Now you're ready to add delicious griddled bacon into a wide variety of delicious dishes at home. Happy griddling!
Improve Your Cooking With a Griddle Upgrade:
Here is a list of our recommendations and buying guides to help you:
