A few people ask me – do you need oil to cook bacon?
You may have been dreaming of sinking your teeth into those sizzling and crispy bacon slices for breakfast. To do so, do you cook bacon with oil?
Or is it not necessary at all?
If you are looking to find the right way to cook bacon and achieve the right texture you have always wanted, then stick around. We talk about the best way to cook bacon and whether you need oil for it or not. Let’s go right into it.
Do You Cook Bacon With Oil?
Bacon generally cooks quite well in its fat. Thus, there is no need to add more oil to do so. This is why it is not necessary to cook bacon with oil. As you cook this food, the fat it naturally contains simply melts. This is why it should not stick at all on your pan.
When you are done cooking bacon, you can then add in the eggs and fry these using the bacon’s melted fat. This way, you can achieve a bacon-flavored egg, as well as other dishes you might want to cook.
In other cases, there are those who prefer to bake their bacon. If this is the cooking mode you prefer, then you also do not need to add in some oil to cook it.
Whether you are frying or baking bacon, you only need to cook it in its own fat. You should also make sure that the pan you use is the right size. Since the fat melts as the bacon cooks, you do not want the liquid fat to spill out of the pan and make a huge mess.
Do You Need Oil To Cook Lean Bacon
So, perhaps you are wondering – what about with lean bacon? Do you need to add oil to cook it?
Well, there is definitely much less fat in this type of bacon since there is hardly any white stuff on the meat, which is the fat. Hence, you may want to add some oil before you cook this.
However, American or British bacon that comes with streaks of fat don’t need additional oil. Just put them into the pan, cook as usual, and it should not stick at all.
Bacon typically has fat. That’s what makes it unique with other types of meat. If your pan is non-stick, a little bit of extra oil should not hurt. But if you have a non-stick pan, then it should be good to go without pouring in additional oil.
But at the end of the day, this is a matter of personal preference. There are simply some people who would rather cook bacon with oil because of the extra crispiness that it gives to the dish.
Moreover, there are some oils that enhance the flavor of the meat such as sesame oil or some other oil with a neutral flavor.
Cooking Bacon Without Oil
Now, let us talk about how to cook bacon without oil.
To begin with, you want to make sure that the pan is non-stick. But if you are using a different kind of pan, then at least make sure it is a cold frying pan. This way, the entire cooking process will go as smoothly as possible.
Next, grab a piece of bacon and rub it gently on the interior portion of the pan. By doing so, you are rubbing the fat on the pan’s surface, which helps to grease it before you even start cooking. When you turn the stove on, the fat will quickly melt and help to prevent the meat from sticking to the pan.
Before you turn the heat on, be sure to place the bacon in your pan. Light up the stove to heat the pan up. At this point, this also heats up the bacon. It takes only a few minutes before the bacon fat begins to melt. Hence, the pan gets the necessary amount of grease needed to cook the meat.
Always start with a medium heat, then eventually set it on low as the fat starts to melt. A lower heat is best to make sure the meat does not burn while getting the inside cooked through.
There are different thickness of bacon slices. Some may be thick or thin, which is why the cooking time can go from a couple of minutes up to around 10 minutes. The length of cooking time also depends on how you want your bacon to turn out.
If you like the edges to get slightly crispy, then you can cook longer. For softer and more tender bacon, you should get it done in two minutes.
Extra Tips When Cooking Bacon Without Oil
Even without adding oil, the entire process of cooking bacon can be rather messy. The fat melts and leaves a greasy kitchen counter, so you will have to be careful.
Also, there are instances when the grease tends to putter right out of your pan. The stovetop and everything else nearby can get some of this mess, so you need to do some clean up after.
But be sure to never throw in water on the pan after cooking. The water will cause grease to sputter and eventually spread. Either put a lid on the pan or turn the gas right away.
Then, be sure to wipe the kitchen counter with damp cloth and some liquid soap to remove the grease. Dry the surface with a clean towel to make sure there is no more grease or marks left from the fat that sputtered out of the pan.
Final Words
These are just some things you might want to know about cooking bacon without oil. We hope this has been helpful, and now you can cook your favorite breakfast dish without the extra fat and ensuring the right texture and flavor you’ve always wanted.
