14 Surprising & Easy Ways To Cook Perfect Bacon!

cooking bacon 10

Vegetarians beware….I am talking bacon today. Nothing but bacon. I promise I will do a post about nothing but veggies SOON!  Pinkie swear! But today I’m all about bacon.  Because my 17 year old son Kell has celiac disease, we tend to eat a lot of protein around here. One of our favorite “dinners” is BREAKFAST….and breakfast to us always means BACON.

Over the years I’ve tried out a couple of different ways to cook bacon. Obviously pan-frying is one of them, but I get so tired of the grease splatter mess (not to mention the painful grease splatters on your hands!) Even with a splatter guard, grease seems to get everywhere! Then I saw Ina Garten from the Food Network cook bacon in the oven and I was SOLD! No more grease splatters! Unfortunately, my family was NOT sold, because it takes a LOT longer and they are an impatient bunch when they are hungry!

So when I saw another Food Network celebrity, Alton Brown, making bacon in a waffle maker I was intrigued! Could this be the best of both worlds?? No splatter? Fast cooking? I decided to give it a try because I was really craving a good BLT Sandwich!

Bacon in the Waffle maker

First, drag out the ol’ waffle maker. This one is ancient and very basic, but it’s all you need to get the job done. Preheat your waffle iron.

Bacon in the Waffle maker

Cut the strips of bacon in half, and put two 1/2 strips on each square of your waffle iron. Close the waffle maker and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes then check on their doneness.

Bacon in the Waffle maker

This is what they looked like about halfway through. If they aren’t done, close the waffle maker and check again in another 2 to 3 minutes.

Bacon in the Waffle maker

When the bacon is the color your like it, drain it on a towel.

The thing I really liked about cooking the bacon this way was how the grease drained right down into the waffle iron nooks and crannies and the bacon was pressed nice and flat so it all cooked very evenly.  Oh yeah…and no grease splatters!

Personally I think this is the perfect way to cook bacon! I mean look at that sandwich…only perfectly cooked bacon could make a sandwich that good lookin’! :-)

Bacon in the Waffle maker 5

My sandwich

Bacon in the Waffle maker

My son’s sandwich.

If you’re still unconvinced, or you just don’t like the idea of waffle-pressed bacon…here are some more ways I found people cooking their bacon:

In The Oven – Method #1

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a jelly roll sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Evenly space 6 slices of bacon in it.
  • Place an upside-down cooling rack over the bacon to keep them flat (as long as the cooling rack is slightly smaller than the sheet pan).
  • Roast for 6 minutes, turn pan 180 degrees, roast for another 6 minutes. The result: flat, and evenly cooked bacon!

In The Oven – Method #2

  • Same as above but put the bacon on TOP of the cooling rack, rather than under it. The fat will drip off, making your bacon super-crispy and lean.

In The Oven – Method #3

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with crinkled aluminum, lay the strips of bacon over that and cook for about 15-20 minutes. This makes clean up easy, and by crinkling the foil you allow the grease to pool away from the bacon.

In The Oven – Method #4

  • Put bacon in a cold oven. Once it gets to 350 degrees, turn the bacon over. Set the timer for 4 minutes exactly and once it beeps it’s done.

In The Microwave

  • Flip a bowl upside down on a plate. Lay the bacon over the bowl. Cook for approximately 1 minute per piece of bacon. The plate catches the grease that drips down the bowl. Since the grease runs away from the bacon, it results in crispy, slightly “drier” bacon.

On The BBQ Grill

  • If you are making bacon burgers…cook your bacon right on the cooler part of the grill for about 5-7 minutes.

In The Smoker

  • Smoke bacon slowly (30 minutes plus) over hickory in a smoker or grill using rib racks to drape the bacon strips over.

In The Deep Fryer

  • One of the ways the pros do it….use a deep fryer. You can cook 5 or 6 strips of bacon in about 5 minutes without a big mess. Great if you like curly, chewy bacon.

In Bacon Fat

  • Every time you cook bacon, save the fat in a plastic container in the freezer. When you want to cook bacon, take the fat out of the container and melt in a cast iron frying pan over medium heat.
  • Once the fat is liquid, add your bacon strips. Cook to desired degree of crispness.
  • Blot with paper towels and eat! Once the bacon grease has cooled slightly, pour it back into its container, and freeze for next time. The bacon fat does not add any more grease to the finished bacon, but does add flavor, especially after several uses.

In A Cast Iron Skillet, In The Oven

  • Put about 10 pieces of bacon in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and place it into a cold oven set to 425 degrees.
  • Once the oven is hot, it will take about 7 minutes to cook. No need to flip, just cook to desired doneness and remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Total time from fridge to eating, about 25 minutes.

In A George Foreman Grill (or Panini Press)

  • A slight variation on the waffle maker. Use a George Foreman grill. No splattering, perfectly cooked on both sides and all the grease drains aways.

In A Wok

  • Same rules for pan frying apply. Put your bacon (12-18) slices in a cold pan set to medium heat.
  • Arrange the bacon strips in a circular pattern around the pan.
  • As the bacon at the bottom of the pan finish cooking, move them to the sides to drain and replace them with the strips arranged on the sides. 
  • Place the bacon on a wire rack over paper towels to drain and straighten the strips to get the nice even shape you want. (NEVER place directly on the paper towels)

And as if that weren’t enough information about BACON….just a little more.  Here are some additional tips and tricks to get you to your bacon “happy place”:

  • To keep the bacon flat in the pan, run it under cold water first.
  • Par-cook a large batch of bacon when you have some extra time. Once the bacon has cooled, toss it in the freezer inside a plastic container. Then when you have a hankering for bacon but are short on time, a perfectly cooked strip of bacon is only 20 – 30 seconds away in the microwave. Finishing the last bit of cooking in a toaster oven on some foil works well too.
  • Add some fresh ground black pepper to your bacon while it’s cooking.
  • And last but not least……..DON’T THROW AWAY THE BACON FAT!

Some things to use your bacon fat for:

1) Seasoning your cast iron skillet
2) Making cornbread
3) Making collard greens
4) Any recipe that calls for butter or oil to grease a pan
5) Seasoning your grill

There you go…..more than you ever wanted to know about cooking the perfect piece of bacon!

You can thank me by inviting me over for breakfast! :-)

Read This Next


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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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132 Comments

  1. One more tip to add, dredge bacon in flour, shake off excess and cook in your regular skillet and drain on a paper towel. I promise that it will be crispy and bonus is that it will not shrink.

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  2. When I was a kid, my grandmother always saved bacon fat, but just in a ceramic mug, right next to the stove. I don’t think I’d do that now. But it’s maybe better in the freezer? What about the fridge.

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  3. I wore out two small electric grills, Foreman’s and another, cooking bacon. It is quick, easy, and the grease runs into the little dish. Loved it.

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  4. I just started reading “One Good Thing” and am really enjoying it. Next time I cook bacon, I’m going to try the panini press. Another tip for using bacon fat is fry your bread cubes in the fat to make perfect and flavourful croutons for your caesar salad. You have to use the croutons the same day as they get soggy quickly.

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  5. Thanks for sharing all the bacon tips!
    My daughter is a Pampered Chef Consultant and sold me on putting our bacon on stoneware and cooking in 400 degree oven for 12 – 15 minutes, depending upon the kind and thickness of bacon. Easy cleanup! Just another way to prepare! Enjoy!

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  6. I love this tip! I tried my George Foreman tonight it worked great, no greasy mess (just poured the grease from the tray into a jar to safe for later). The bacon was crispy. I do have to clean my George Foreman though, but is far less clean up. The bacon was never sitting in the grease and I think the taste was better because of that.

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  7. Hello Jillee,
    I enjoy your posts and like the new format change. Thanks for sharing with us some of your life’s journey and successes. Your Pinterest pins were one of my favorites because of clean pages, no hassle pop-ups and not too much selling. We like it because you keep it real!
    I’m not a blogger, but occasionally want to share useful tips I have learned along the way. Can I send ideas to you and you can post them if you like?
    All the best to you and family

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  8. What kind of bread is that? I have a daughter with Celiac and finding a decent sandwich bread seems to be a never-ending quest!

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  9. Great post! Who doesn’t love bacon? I have a few more yummy uses for the bacon fat that you should try:
    1) green beans cooked with bacon, bacon fat, and onions…..delicious!
    2) pan fry your eggs in bacon fat in a skillet (I use a cast iron skillet, but any will do.)
    3) pan “fry” your pancakes and French toast in bacon fat…..oh my!!
    4) pan fry potatoes in bacon fat.
    5) roast all kinds of veggies in the oven in bacon fat.
    There are so many other yummy ways to make great use of your bacon fat.
    Enjoy!!
    I enjoy your posts. Thank you!

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  10. I have a Pampered Chef stone sheet pan that I use to cook my bacon in the oven. It cooks it crispy on both sides without turning and it will hold a 16 oz. package of bacon, depending on the thickness of the slices

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  11. I am really amazed about all these ways to cook bacon! I LOVEEEEEE bacon and so does my family, wait until I share all these methods with them. TFS.

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  12. There’s a few methods that seem reasonable enough depending on how much bacon you need and how much time you have on your hands. I’ve cooked bacon just about every way possible. If you have a family of four or more, take a close look at the new bacon cooker called the Bacon Pro. It cooks 20+ slices of bacon all at once in the microwave. It is amazing. It is clean and easy. You’ll never go back to cooking it in the oven or on the stove-top or any other method for that matter. Bacon Pro. Watch the video.

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    • The price is outrageous! Two or more at $29.95! I’d rather clean up a mess.

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  13. Love the idea of foil lined George Foreman grill! I always cook the whole package of bacon, let cool and freeze. So handy. Zap a few seconds in microwave and you’re set.
    Love your emails jillee. Lynell British Columbia Canada.

    Ps Canadian bacon is the best but soooo expensive lol

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  14. I usually buy 4 little boxes of corn bread mix at Aldis. It is really good when made in a preheated 16 inch cast iron skillet. It calls for 1 egg and 1/3 cup of milk per box. My question is, how much bacon grease do you think I can add to bring this recipe up a notch? How about crumbling up the cooked bacon and adding it to the mix?

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    • Put 2-4 tablespoons of bacon fat into the cast iron skillet and put in the oven to heat up. Then add the corn bread batter to the skillet and bake. The crust will be so crispy and yummy! Adding bacon crumbles will be tasty, as well as adding shredded cheese and thinly sliced jalapenos, with or without seeds depending on how hot you want it. Now that’s cornbread!

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      • Great tips Bookworm, that sounds delicious!

  15. I found a tip about cooking bacon on a George Forman and that is now my favorite way. Then found another tip to make clean up a little easier, line the Forman with aluminum foil! I just take a sheet large enough to fold over, lay the bacon on the bottom then fold the top over the bacon, close the lid and you are good to go, clean up is sooo easy and I can get several uses of the foil to cook bacon.

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  16. Wow… and now that we all need a BLT… : ) Great ideas here, thanks!

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  17. Thank you for all the wonderful NEW ways (to me) for cooking bacon. I have usually put bacon on foil and baked in the oven or cooked on a paper towel lined plate in the microwave. I love the waffle iron cooking tip. Now I just need to go to the grocery store and buy more bacon!

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  18. Great ideas. We usually just cook our bacon on the electric griddle. It’s fast and the griddle has a little plastic box to collect the grease. We also after its cooked put it on a plate with paper towels underneath.

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  19. I think some of these responses are spam, generated by computers, not people. That’s why they don’t make sense.

    My aunt’s way of cooking bacon is to lay the pieces crossways in both directions in a large skillet, (think lattice pie crust) then when the bottom is done she flips the whole thing at once. She stores in her fridge or freezer for wonderful BLT’s.

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  20. I make mine in the oven using two sheet pans. Line the first with parchment, place as many strips of bacon that fit, usually half to 3/4 the package. Then cover with a 2nd sheet of parchment followed by a 2nd sheet pan. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Check for crispness. If needed bake some more. Pour off the grease and put bacon on paper towel. Enoy

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  21. The waffle iron and foreman grill are new ideas for me. I will have to give them a try. Thanks as always Jillee!

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  22. I’ll try out a few of these tips if you will try mine…simply dredge your bacon in flour, shake off the excess and cook as usual. I promise you will be surprised.

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  23. Thank you for the good writeup. It actually was once a leisure
    account it. Look complex to more added agreeable from you!
    However, how could we communicate?

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  24. What about clean up? What’s the best way to clean the waffle iron after cooking the bacon?

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  25. Pingback: Things To Cook In A Waffle Iron | My Little Hippie
  26. I almost never comment, but i did a few searching and wound up here 14 Ways To Cook
    Bacon! Including My Favorite – In The Waffle Maker | One Good Thing by Jillee.
    And I actually do have a few questions for
    you if you do not mind. Could it be only me or does it look as if like a
    few of the remarks appear like written by brain dead individuals?
    :-P And, if you are posting on additional places, I’d
    like to keep up with everything new you have to post.

    Could you make a list of all of your communal sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?

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  28. Pingback: 15 + Waffle Iron Recipes | Mother's Home
  29. You can use Bacon Grease for popping popcorn in a cast iron skillet then wipe skillet clean to season it. That is what we call a 2 in 1. Thanks for a great site full of great information and ideas I really enjoy.

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  30. Bacon info is wonderful..just what I was
    Looking for on this Saturday Morning.
    Sooo now I have lots of options to fix my bacon. ..im sooo excited to try the waffle msker as u do. Awww love love love your blog
    Mz. Jillee…..thanks so much for all the terrific ideas. .recipes…tips…tricks..diy…etc….u share
    Each day. You’re such a Gem to the blogging world. I’m always a fan & look forward to your post! God bless u and your amazing ability to
    Keep us all informed with really super ideas that make life easy in such a busy world! Thanks Again. :0)

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  31. How about putting the pieces into a deep fat fryer. Cook like you do anything else. Add the grease and then put in the bacon cook to your liking.

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  32. It’s actually very complex in this active life to listen news on Television, thus I just use web for that purpose, and get the newest information.

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  33. Pingback: Cocinando tocino en el horno de microondas — Tecnoculto
  34. Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon (also known as green bacon). Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, or it may be boiled or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon is typically cooked before eating. Boiled bacon is ready to eat, as is some smoked bacon, but may be cooked further before eating.’

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  35. Pingback: Unusual methods to cook BACON
  36. We make “Wilted leaf lettuce” salad for holidays and special occasions.
    Cut bacon into bits, fry in cast iron frypan, remove bacon and add chopped up green onions, a little salt & pepper, then 1/2 cup (more or less depending on how much salad) seasoned rice wine vinegar. The vinegar will deglaze the pan, then add back the bacon bits and pour over romaine lettuce. Best salad eveh.

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  37. Pingback: 14 Ways To Cook #Bacon | Rob's Personal Aggregator
  38. Pingback: Use A Bowl To Cook Crispy Microwave Bacon | Lifehacker Australia
  39. Pingback: 14 Ways To Cook Bacon | The Not Big Anymore, Formerly Fat Guy
  40. Pingback: Use a Bowl to Cook Crispy Bacon in the Microwave
  41. Pingback: Use a Bowl to Cook Crispy Bacon in the Microwave - IT Clips
  42. Pingback: Use a Bowl to Cook Crispy Bacon in the Microwave | Tips for the Unready
  43. I use the George Foreman method myself. I have found that it takes quite a while though. I wonder if the waffle maker gets hotter than the GF?

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  44. I use the waffle iron to make the cinnamon rolls that come from market — you know, the 8 package rolls with yummy icing?

    I cook two at a time – fast easy and look cool — something different but still easy

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  45. I looooove all the great ideas on how to cook bacon- tonight’s dinner will likely be breakfast! I think what I loved most about this post was not the numerous ways to cook the bacon, but the reminder of keeping the grease for so many great uses! I remember my mother keeping the grease when I was younger, but I also remember being grossed out by the jar I saw sitting on the stovetop after she finished cooking. Since I started cooking to feed my own family, I have never saved the grease because of that ‘yuck’ factor when I was young. Now you’ve got me rethinking it! And since I’m such a clean freak and clean everything after cooking because the food splatters drive me nuts anyway, I might actually change my mind about the yuck factor!

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  46. I really like the oven method as, I’m usually also making pancake or waffles or something else and this generally is just the right amount of time for me to get everything ready at once. Plus, the oven is already hot so toast or waffles (I need the iron for those too) go right in there beside the bacon to keep warm. Nom…bacon. As for the waffle iron trick, that IS genius for sandwiches when time is at a premium.

    Dad gum it, now I have to go buy bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Drat.

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  47. Another great way to cook it in the oven is on a broiler pan…grease drains underneath. I will have to try the George Forman or Waffle Maker idea. Thanks for the ideas!

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  48. Good Morning Jillee! You mentioned, “NEVER place directly on the paper towels” but didn’t say why. I use paper towels all the time to absorb some of the grease.

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  49. I’ve seen an idea on Pinterest where you cook hashbrowns in your waffle maker. How amazing would that be to cook your hashbrowns in the bacon grease left behind from this method! I must try this soon! Maybe the hashbrowns would make cleanup easier?

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  50. I am cooking 6 slices of bacon in my CROCKPOT right now as we speak, which I greased first with unclarified ghee. I imagine I could have placed some crumpled up tinfoil in there to allow the bacon grease to pool away from the bacon, so I may try that next time. I will keep the old grease to do many things, like pan-fry hash browns or country potatoes or baby portabello mushrooms, or stir-fry egg fried rice like my mom used to do with bacon grease, or grease my waffle iron. I want to try that waffle iron idea. I usually cook anything outside that emits grease! so it doesn’t get all over everything!

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  51. Awesome tips from everyone but the most exciting part of today’s blog is all positive comments! I guess bacon really brings out the best in people! Honestly, reading nothing negative is so encouraging! :)

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  52. I have a little thing called Making Bacon that you hang your slices of bacon on. Put paper towel over top and pop in microwave for 3 min or so. No mess, no splatter and bacon grease goes into bottom of it as it cooks so you can save the grease or pitch it! It comes apart and goes in dishwasher. Love it!

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  53. I’m a regular & avid reader of your posts, And the comments that experienced followers add !

    My question is regarding Washing / Cleaning the waffle maker. I have an Electric Nonstick panini maker & have constant inklings that the odors remain or that the grill is not clean after use.

    Jillee, could you Please help out with suggestions, advice or a full post on this topic –
    How to keep Nonstick/Teflon-coated pans & cookware clean, without damaging the teflon coating, for a longer life?

    Thanks a heap.
    Your blog has made my life so easy, my chores so pleasurable, & my house squeaky clean [I’m still in the process, though], & mind stress-free :-)

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    • I sprinkle baking soda on mine to soak up any leftover grease/residue and then scrub any troublesome spots with a clean, soft toothbrush that’s slightly damp. Then I just wipe the goo off with a damp paper towel. Ours has been going strong for about 7 years.

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      • great idea Rachel! I usually pour the grease out into another container and put it in the fridge then lay a wet dish towel on the waffle iron and close it while it’s still hot. When it’s cool I just come back and wipe it all off.

      • Thank you Rachel & Jillee :-)

        I, too, put a piece of damp scrap cloth over the hot grill & shut. However, some odor [probably Before I started this wet cloth cleaning] still remains.
        This time I’ll sprinkle some baking soda as well.

        Have a nice day !

  54. Thanks for all that great info Jillee and yes, you’re invited for breakfast………in Australia any time you would like. :)

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    • How wonderful would THAT be! Australia is definitely on my “bucket list” so I’ll be sure to drop by Rob! :-) Thanks!

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  55. We also love bacon ….Cut bacon in half, put one sheet of paper towels on a paper plate, line your bacon on the paper towel, cover with another paper towel. Place in microwave about 2 minutes, it comes out very crispy and well cooked. The time depends on how many pieces of bacon you are cooking. We do around 4 slices that has been cut in half. Two minutes is great.

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    • I forgot to mention, cleaning is a breeze, just through away paper plate and paper towels!

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  56. Haven’t tried it yet, but was told to use bacon grease to pop popcorn. This person said it is the best ever popcorn. I bought bacon today-to try it.

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  57. I like crisp bacon anyway you want to prepare it. My most loved bacon yummy is a bacon sandwich made by spreading grape jelly on toast with several slices of bacon. Toast,jelly,bacon, then toast.
    No need for butter.

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  58. that is a neAT IDEA. WE USE THE MICROWAVE – oven also. we have used cast iron but this is even better. sue

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  59. WE TRY (OPERATIVE WORD IS TRY ) to eat “clean” and as such, I keep away from butter or “fake” spreads. When we make bacon, which is a lot of the time< I save the rendering and use that to saute my proteins—yum. Thanks for all of your great ideas. Jeannie

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  60. I use the stir-fry method on top of the stove, but in bite-sized pieces! I take the whole slab and slice it through in about 2-3″ pieces, starting at the ends. Then I stir-fry what I want and freeze the rest. It’s always easy to pull out 1-2 servings to cook and much easier to bite into BLTs!

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  61. Have you tried the Nu Way countertop oven? It is amazing for bacon. Fries it up nice and the grease drips down into the bottom. You do have to turn it but it works great for bacon and I use it nearly every day to cook something.

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  62. If you cook on stoneware, you can put a pound of bacon on your large stoneware with a lip (Pampered Chef sells a Large Bar Pan that is perfect for this) and put it in the oven @ 350, no turning required…25-28 minutes…while it’s baking, you can fix the rest of your meal (eggs, pancakes, etc). Everything gets done at the same time and you are good to go!

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  63. addition to Oven Method #2: After placing bacon on top of a cooling rack, place a second cooling rack upside down on the bacon. This prevents the bacon strips from curling up.

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  64. You can also make Bacon Fat Cookies with left over grease.
    Just google to find several recipes to experiment with!

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  65. What a GREAT idea! I never thought of trying that before.

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  66. My mom made an awesome side dish with bacon; Fry a skillet full of bacon, add 1/2 cup each vinegar and sugar and cook until combined. Add 3 cans green beans and let simmer. Yum!

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  67. I learned years ago from Navy cooks that they cooked bacon in the oven…cookie sheet cover with foil and mold it so none of the grease goes into the pan but stays in the foil. Lay out the bacon strips, put in a cold oven 375º for 30 mins, check for your degree of doneness, remove from oven, prop up on side so grease pools in one half of sheet on foil…move bacon away from grease…put it on paper towels to absorb grease…wrap it in clean paper towels and place in container or plastic bag and FREEZE…you can nuke it when ready or just place in hot griddle for a few seconds and you’re DONE. that foil can be molded to one corner with a “pouring spout” and into your bacon drippings container it goes… If the drippings are hot and you’re container is glass, then place a spoon in the container first and then pour…glass will not break!

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  68. Thank you so very much for the info. When I get home I will surely try it. Blessings and smiles, Emilou :-)

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  69. Unfortunately, my waffle iron is small and round. Don’t think it would work very well. And I gave my George Foreman away because I never used it. I was trying to get rid of so much stuff on my countertop. I do have one of those new Ninja cookers. I might have to try using that.

    Sometimes I get the bacon that is pre-cooked if it’s on sale. It’s fast, easy, and less messy. Otherwise, I put up with the mess and burn a candle to get rid of the smell. I have to cook it on the stove once in a while to get my bacon fat. I always keep some in the refrigerator. I use in most of my veggies — beans, corn, potatoes, cabbage, etc. It’s the GRITS (girl raised in the south) in me!

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  70. I have done this for years.. however. .you have left out the BEST!! . .When the bacon is done.. (cook it in the morning .. reheat later).. leave a piece on each side of the waffle iron.. pour over with waffle batter.. close and bake!.. OH. the waffles with bacon are GRRRRR eat!.. don’t miss this one!.. LOL..

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    • That is DEFINITELY happening next time!!! Thanks Jimbo!

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  71. Bacon grease is wonderful to cook up some spinach! I usually cook some onions in the grease first then toss in a few handfuls of spinach for a quick side dish.

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    • Oh my goodness. That sounds AMAZING! I’m going to have to try that — soon! haha. I’ve been trying to find ways to “spice up” my side salads lately. Thanks for sharing! :)

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      • What Michelle said!

    • To the hot grease, add a bit of apple cider vinegar, a couple of pinches of sugar and a pinch of salt and you have a wonderful hot dressing for fresh spinach/leaf lettuce (I always slice green onions and crumble some bacon into the greens). Let it simmer for a minute or two and then pour over the greens. It wilts the greens so nicely. For a full meal salad I sometimes add sliced mushrooms and diced hard boiled eggs. YUMMMMM!

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      • Wow, I never thought I’d like hot bacon dressing but THIS sure sounds good!!! I know my mom does, so I will definitely share it with her! Thanks Sharon.

        P.S. I also do a whole pack of bacon in the oven, cover it with tinfoil and turn it all over with tongs. I used to make sure they were all flat but not anymore!
        Thanks Jillee, my son will reap the benefits of this post.

  72. Jillee–I think you are causing a run on bacon.
    Waffle Iron method sounds good- but what is clean up like. When I had a Forman grill I used that.
    So on line I found a Trick for BLT’s etc–Tried it and have mixed reviews– Weave strips together to form a woven square & then cook. I did this in my large skillet to keep an eye on it. Some pros are that the bacon stays put on the sandwich–no escapees–bacon in every bite; easy to flip: low maintenance to cook & then to drain–(didn’t really need my eye on it) I liked the concept. Made a great Turkey Club sandwich. Filled me up and super satisfied my craving. Cons: Overlap spots were not as crispy as I like; took longer to cook; uses way more bacon this way; takes time to weave. Next time: cut strips in half before cooking, try it in my cast iron grill pan & press in the oven, weave right in the pan. Would be good to make a head for BBQ’s–then just heat on grill. I can already see my glassy eyed boys building their bacon cheeseburgers.
    Don’t see why the waffle iron or panini maker wouldn’t work. I may try the Dutch oven stove top method too.

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  73. Similiar to Crystal’s. Lay bacon slices on a layer of paper towels on a paper plate. put another layer of paper towels and more slices going crosswise. Do thisas many time as you need to. Cook 1 min per slice. Quickest in the west for a hungry group!
    *hugs*deb

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  74. OMG! Now I want bacon! LOL! I have been using the oven method ~ you can cook a large amount of bacon at one time and either freeze some or just eat it all! LOL! Especially good when cooking for a crowd! But I’m liking the grill method. Another use for my grill! Thanks Jillee! P.S. I love your blog – I look forward to it each and every day! And I share it with everyoone I know! :-)

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  75. Jill, come on over for breakfast! Or dinner if that is when you have more time. I bake my bacon on a rack, never turn it over and like the way it comes out so crispy. Sometimes I even sprinkle it with a tiny bit of brown sugar. I also bake eggs in muffin cups to go along with the bacon. Hey, if the oven is on and I want a full breakfast, including biscuits, why not? So, come!

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    • On my way!!! I’m DYING for a big breakfast right now! These granola clusters I’m eating just aren’t cutting it while I’m reading about all these delicious ideas for bacon! lol

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      • I used my left over bacon fat in your granola recipe. In place of the butter. All I can say is OMG!!! Not one complaint from family or neighbors. YUM!

    • Now that’s interesting! I’m going to try it tomorrow. Thanks for posting.

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    • Just tried it – doesn’t work very well at all :P

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  76. We cook bacon on the BBQ on a double layer tin foil sheet with the edges rolled up. We usually don’t reuse the bacon fat, so once the bacon is done we leave the tin foil on the BBQ to cool and just roll it up with the fat and discard. We like this the best as then you don’t have lingering bacon smell in the house long after.

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    • Great suggestion Deb! The hubster LOVES bacon but HATES the lingering smell. Tough to deal with that! lol.

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  77. I don’t eat pork but one of the things I love about your daily post, Jill, is that even when it doesn’t apply to me, I know someone who will love it! I’m linking to this one for an all-things-bacon loving friend. Shabbat Shalom!

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    • That’s the spirit Gail!!! I’ve come to accept I’m not going to be able to please all the people, all the time….but I love that you recognize that too and are willing to think about someone ELSE who might appreciate it. Bless you. :-)

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  78. Ok–don’t kill me, but I wonder if you could do turkey bacon that way? It doesn’t have as much grease, and we’re trying to be healthier.

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    • We only eat turkey bacon and have never had a problem cooking it any way that you cook regular bacon. It does cook up much faster. We put ours in the oven on broiler pan with the oven on a high broil and in 3-4 minutes, we have perfectly cooked bacon that we did not have to flip over.

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    • I use my George Foreman grill to cook turkey bacon and it comes out perfect.

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  79. I cook mine in the oven all the time but never turn it over. It works just fine that way too.

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  80. I detest the flavor of microwaved bacon; oven is too messy; have burned through several George Foreman’s and Cuisinart’s; used a panini grill for a while which works great but again hard to clean. If you are the lucky owner of a NuWave, it is PERFECT and easy to clean–win, win!

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  81. Great Idea I have a George F grill that should work too…. If now I have been looking at waffle makers,
    Ooo and I thought I would share a couple of other uses for Bacon fat it makes the best roasted potatoes nice & brown & crispy. also mix some bird seed it it feed your outside pets.( as I dont have inside pets) I do enjoy watching the birds. I even leave treats for the squirrels. I use the tree by the creek for that family :-) dont really want then too close.
    Have a good one Ann/alba

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  82. I cook mine in the oven but don’t turn it and have never had a problem.If I need to fry it, I sprinkle a dab of salt in the pan to stop the popping and splattering.

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  83. I add bacon drippings and brown sugar to make my baked beans. That way you don’t have to buy the more expensive pre-seasoned beans, but come out with a more flavorful dish anyway.

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  84. I have another microwave method – place layer of paper towels on microwave safe plate. Lay bacon out on paper towels. Cover with another paper towel and cook til done. Towels absorb grease and bacon is able to crunch up

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    • I used the paper towel method for years when microwaves first came out. Works well. But I switched to a neat little plastic rack device invented by a Minneapolis teenager years ago and love it. Same idea as the bowl, which I will keep in mind for the future.
      BTW, bacon fat for potatoes is superb. Only thing better is duck fat ;-)

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  85. I am going to have to try this method. I have been baking it in the oven but it does take longer. Saw something on Pinterest for making BLT sandwiches that I used last time I cooked bacon in the oven – you kind of weave 4 pieces of bacon together and cook it that way. Fits perfectly on the bread.

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  86. I’ve been using a George Forman for quite some time now and just love how it cooks the bacon. Now I’m going to share another way to cook bacon that my mother and grandmother used that gives it a whole new taste. Two ways to do this: 1st. is dip bacon strips in beaten egg, drain, then into seasoned flour then fry in a skillet. 2nd. just dip in cold water then the seasoned flour and fry. This is a good way to use some of your reserved bacon grease as it needs a “glob” in the skillet to fry as the bacon just doesn’t give up the grease cooked this way. Either way the bacon doesn’t shrink, it stays flat so it’s easier to eat or use on a sandwich. This sure stretches the bacon by not shrinking and we love the flavor the seasoned flour gives.

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  87. My brother found himself share-parenting 4 growing boys who love bacon. For some reason his share of the kitchen gear included a large Dutch oven pot, but no frying pan. Being the resourceful guy that he is, he dumped the pound of bacon into the Dutch oven and turned on the heat.

    The high sides of the Dutch oven contained all the grease spatters and he ended up with perfectly cooked bacon.

    Our whole family has been using this method ever since.

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  88. oh, this is SO NOT FAIR—no bacon in the house, and now i’m craving it!!
    bacon is one of THE MOST delicious foods—i think i could eat it every day.
    i’m going to try the oven method next. i’ve read that to cook more at once, you can put bacon on two cookie sheets, top each with foil to catch grease splatter, and stack one sheet on top of the other—i can’t wait to try it!

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  89. My father-in-law uses the bacon grease to fry breakfast potatoes. It is wonderful!! They come out with intense flavor and a crisp that is unmatchable. I highly recommend trying it out next time you cut up potatoes for breakfast.

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  90. I will have to try the waffle iron idea. I hate pan frying and I have given up on the oven because I got sick of having to scrub it after all the grease splatters..

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  91. http://img0.etsystatic.com/013/0/7223935/il_fullxfull.424640280_3van.jpg

    I bought my sister something similar to the link (if it worked) in a pottery shop in Asheville and she uses it every day. She is a bacon fiend and requires and she loves the piece I dubbed the baconater. You drape the bacon over the sides of the “mug” and it cooks up crisp. Meanwhile the grease drips down to the “saucer portion”. And the the”gravy boat” style end makes forceasypouring into your grease container.

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    • I have a similar “bacon mug” that I bought in a pottery near Asheboro, NC. You microwave the bacon. It works great.

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  92. I love the George Forman grill idea (I don’t have a waffle maker) -I usually make it in the oven but that is still messy and we love bacon! Thanks for the ideas!

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  93. I love bacon and pecans in my waffles. You just gave me a short cut. Cook the bacon in the waffle maker and no need to grease it again, just add batter and pecans and cook. Yum!

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    • oh that sounds soo good Invite me over please lol :-)

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Leave a Comment

132 Comments

  1. One more tip to add, dredge bacon in flour, shake off excess and cook in your regular skillet and drain on a paper towel. I promise that it will be crispy and bonus is that it will not shrink.

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  2. When I was a kid, my grandmother always saved bacon fat, but just in a ceramic mug, right next to the stove. I don’t think I’d do that now. But it’s maybe better in the freezer? What about the fridge.

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  3. I wore out two small electric grills, Foreman’s and another, cooking bacon. It is quick, easy, and the grease runs into the little dish. Loved it.

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  4. I just started reading “One Good Thing” and am really enjoying it. Next time I cook bacon, I’m going to try the panini press. Another tip for using bacon fat is fry your bread cubes in the fat to make perfect and flavourful croutons for your caesar salad. You have to use the croutons the same day as they get soggy quickly.

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  5. Thanks for sharing all the bacon tips!
    My daughter is a Pampered Chef Consultant and sold me on putting our bacon on stoneware and cooking in 400 degree oven for 12 – 15 minutes, depending upon the kind and thickness of bacon. Easy cleanup! Just another way to prepare! Enjoy!

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  6. I love this tip! I tried my George Foreman tonight it worked great, no greasy mess (just poured the grease from the tray into a jar to safe for later). The bacon was crispy. I do have to clean my George Foreman though, but is far less clean up. The bacon was never sitting in the grease and I think the taste was better because of that.

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  7. Hello Jillee,
    I enjoy your posts and like the new format change. Thanks for sharing with us some of your life’s journey and successes. Your Pinterest pins were one of my favorites because of clean pages, no hassle pop-ups and not too much selling. We like it because you keep it real!
    I’m not a blogger, but occasionally want to share useful tips I have learned along the way. Can I send ideas to you and you can post them if you like?
    All the best to you and family

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  8. What kind of bread is that? I have a daughter with Celiac and finding a decent sandwich bread seems to be a never-ending quest!

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  9. Great post! Who doesn’t love bacon? I have a few more yummy uses for the bacon fat that you should try:
    1) green beans cooked with bacon, bacon fat, and onions…..delicious!
    2) pan fry your eggs in bacon fat in a skillet (I use a cast iron skillet, but any will do.)
    3) pan “fry” your pancakes and French toast in bacon fat…..oh my!!
    4) pan fry potatoes in bacon fat.
    5) roast all kinds of veggies in the oven in bacon fat.
    There are so many other yummy ways to make great use of your bacon fat.
    Enjoy!!
    I enjoy your posts. Thank you!

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  10. I have a Pampered Chef stone sheet pan that I use to cook my bacon in the oven. It cooks it crispy on both sides without turning and it will hold a 16 oz. package of bacon, depending on the thickness of the slices

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  11. I am really amazed about all these ways to cook bacon! I LOVEEEEEE bacon and so does my family, wait until I share all these methods with them. TFS.

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  12. There’s a few methods that seem reasonable enough depending on how much bacon you need and how much time you have on your hands. I’ve cooked bacon just about every way possible. If you have a family of four or more, take a close look at the new bacon cooker called the Bacon Pro. It cooks 20+ slices of bacon all at once in the microwave. It is amazing. It is clean and easy. You’ll never go back to cooking it in the oven or on the stove-top or any other method for that matter. Bacon Pro. Watch the video.

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    • The price is outrageous! Two or more at $29.95! I’d rather clean up a mess.

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  13. Love the idea of foil lined George Foreman grill! I always cook the whole package of bacon, let cool and freeze. So handy. Zap a few seconds in microwave and you’re set.
    Love your emails jillee. Lynell British Columbia Canada.

    Ps Canadian bacon is the best but soooo expensive lol

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  14. I usually buy 4 little boxes of corn bread mix at Aldis. It is really good when made in a preheated 16 inch cast iron skillet. It calls for 1 egg and 1/3 cup of milk per box. My question is, how much bacon grease do you think I can add to bring this recipe up a notch? How about crumbling up the cooked bacon and adding it to the mix?

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    • Put 2-4 tablespoons of bacon fat into the cast iron skillet and put in the oven to heat up. Then add the corn bread batter to the skillet and bake. The crust will be so crispy and yummy! Adding bacon crumbles will be tasty, as well as adding shredded cheese and thinly sliced jalapenos, with or without seeds depending on how hot you want it. Now that’s cornbread!

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      • Great tips Bookworm, that sounds delicious!

  15. I found a tip about cooking bacon on a George Forman and that is now my favorite way. Then found another tip to make clean up a little easier, line the Forman with aluminum foil! I just take a sheet large enough to fold over, lay the bacon on the bottom then fold the top over the bacon, close the lid and you are good to go, clean up is sooo easy and I can get several uses of the foil to cook bacon.

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  16. Wow… and now that we all need a BLT… : ) Great ideas here, thanks!

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  17. Thank you for all the wonderful NEW ways (to me) for cooking bacon. I have usually put bacon on foil and baked in the oven or cooked on a paper towel lined plate in the microwave. I love the waffle iron cooking tip. Now I just need to go to the grocery store and buy more bacon!

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  18. Great ideas. We usually just cook our bacon on the electric griddle. It’s fast and the griddle has a little plastic box to collect the grease. We also after its cooked put it on a plate with paper towels underneath.

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  19. I think some of these responses are spam, generated by computers, not people. That’s why they don’t make sense.

    My aunt’s way of cooking bacon is to lay the pieces crossways in both directions in a large skillet, (think lattice pie crust) then when the bottom is done she flips the whole thing at once. She stores in her fridge or freezer for wonderful BLT’s.

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  20. I make mine in the oven using two sheet pans. Line the first with parchment, place as many strips of bacon that fit, usually half to 3/4 the package. Then cover with a 2nd sheet of parchment followed by a 2nd sheet pan. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Check for crispness. If needed bake some more. Pour off the grease and put bacon on paper towel. Enoy

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  21. The waffle iron and foreman grill are new ideas for me. I will have to give them a try. Thanks as always Jillee!

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  22. I’ll try out a few of these tips if you will try mine…simply dredge your bacon in flour, shake off the excess and cook as usual. I promise you will be surprised.

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  23. Thank you for the good writeup. It actually was once a leisure
    account it. Look complex to more added agreeable from you!
    However, how could we communicate?

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  24. What about clean up? What’s the best way to clean the waffle iron after cooking the bacon?

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  25. Pingback: Things To Cook In A Waffle Iron | My Little Hippie
  26. I almost never comment, but i did a few searching and wound up here 14 Ways To Cook
    Bacon! Including My Favorite – In The Waffle Maker | One Good Thing by Jillee.
    And I actually do have a few questions for
    you if you do not mind. Could it be only me or does it look as if like a
    few of the remarks appear like written by brain dead individuals?
    :-P And, if you are posting on additional places, I’d
    like to keep up with everything new you have to post.

    Could you make a list of all of your communal sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?

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  27. You will carpeting feels neat and neat. Looking at the pre and post shots, I
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  28. Pingback: 15 + Waffle Iron Recipes | Mother's Home
  29. You can use Bacon Grease for popping popcorn in a cast iron skillet then wipe skillet clean to season it. That is what we call a 2 in 1. Thanks for a great site full of great information and ideas I really enjoy.

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  30. Bacon info is wonderful..just what I was
    Looking for on this Saturday Morning.
    Sooo now I have lots of options to fix my bacon. ..im sooo excited to try the waffle msker as u do. Awww love love love your blog
    Mz. Jillee…..thanks so much for all the terrific ideas. .recipes…tips…tricks..diy…etc….u share
    Each day. You’re such a Gem to the blogging world. I’m always a fan & look forward to your post! God bless u and your amazing ability to
    Keep us all informed with really super ideas that make life easy in such a busy world! Thanks Again. :0)

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  31. How about putting the pieces into a deep fat fryer. Cook like you do anything else. Add the grease and then put in the bacon cook to your liking.

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  32. It’s actually very complex in this active life to listen news on Television, thus I just use web for that purpose, and get the newest information.

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  33. Pingback: Cocinando tocino en el horno de microondas — Tecnoculto
  34. Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon (also known as green bacon). Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, or it may be boiled or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon is typically cooked before eating. Boiled bacon is ready to eat, as is some smoked bacon, but may be cooked further before eating.’

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  35. Pingback: Unusual methods to cook BACON
  36. We make “Wilted leaf lettuce” salad for holidays and special occasions.
    Cut bacon into bits, fry in cast iron frypan, remove bacon and add chopped up green onions, a little salt & pepper, then 1/2 cup (more or less depending on how much salad) seasoned rice wine vinegar. The vinegar will deglaze the pan, then add back the bacon bits and pour over romaine lettuce. Best salad eveh.

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  37. Pingback: 14 Ways To Cook #Bacon | Rob's Personal Aggregator
  38. Pingback: Use A Bowl To Cook Crispy Microwave Bacon | Lifehacker Australia
  39. Pingback: 14 Ways To Cook Bacon | The Not Big Anymore, Formerly Fat Guy
  40. Pingback: Use a Bowl to Cook Crispy Bacon in the Microwave
  41. Pingback: Use a Bowl to Cook Crispy Bacon in the Microwave - IT Clips
  42. Pingback: Use a Bowl to Cook Crispy Bacon in the Microwave | Tips for the Unready
  43. I use the George Foreman method myself. I have found that it takes quite a while though. I wonder if the waffle maker gets hotter than the GF?

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  44. I use the waffle iron to make the cinnamon rolls that come from market — you know, the 8 package rolls with yummy icing?

    I cook two at a time – fast easy and look cool — something different but still easy

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  45. I looooove all the great ideas on how to cook bacon- tonight’s dinner will likely be breakfast! I think what I loved most about this post was not the numerous ways to cook the bacon, but the reminder of keeping the grease for so many great uses! I remember my mother keeping the grease when I was younger, but I also remember being grossed out by the jar I saw sitting on the stovetop after she finished cooking. Since I started cooking to feed my own family, I have never saved the grease because of that ‘yuck’ factor when I was young. Now you’ve got me rethinking it! And since I’m such a clean freak and clean everything after cooking because the food splatters drive me nuts anyway, I might actually change my mind about the yuck factor!

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  46. I really like the oven method as, I’m usually also making pancake or waffles or something else and this generally is just the right amount of time for me to get everything ready at once. Plus, the oven is already hot so toast or waffles (I need the iron for those too) go right in there beside the bacon to keep warm. Nom…bacon. As for the waffle iron trick, that IS genius for sandwiches when time is at a premium.

    Dad gum it, now I have to go buy bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Drat.

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  47. Another great way to cook it in the oven is on a broiler pan…grease drains underneath. I will have to try the George Forman or Waffle Maker idea. Thanks for the ideas!

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  48. Good Morning Jillee! You mentioned, “NEVER place directly on the paper towels” but didn’t say why. I use paper towels all the time to absorb some of the grease.

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  49. I’ve seen an idea on Pinterest where you cook hashbrowns in your waffle maker. How amazing would that be to cook your hashbrowns in the bacon grease left behind from this method! I must try this soon! Maybe the hashbrowns would make cleanup easier?

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  50. I am cooking 6 slices of bacon in my CROCKPOT right now as we speak, which I greased first with unclarified ghee. I imagine I could have placed some crumpled up tinfoil in there to allow the bacon grease to pool away from the bacon, so I may try that next time. I will keep the old grease to do many things, like pan-fry hash browns or country potatoes or baby portabello mushrooms, or stir-fry egg fried rice like my mom used to do with bacon grease, or grease my waffle iron. I want to try that waffle iron idea. I usually cook anything outside that emits grease! so it doesn’t get all over everything!

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  51. Awesome tips from everyone but the most exciting part of today’s blog is all positive comments! I guess bacon really brings out the best in people! Honestly, reading nothing negative is so encouraging! :)

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  52. I have a little thing called Making Bacon that you hang your slices of bacon on. Put paper towel over top and pop in microwave for 3 min or so. No mess, no splatter and bacon grease goes into bottom of it as it cooks so you can save the grease or pitch it! It comes apart and goes in dishwasher. Love it!

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  53. I’m a regular & avid reader of your posts, And the comments that experienced followers add !

    My question is regarding Washing / Cleaning the waffle maker. I have an Electric Nonstick panini maker & have constant inklings that the odors remain or that the grill is not clean after use.

    Jillee, could you Please help out with suggestions, advice or a full post on this topic –
    How to keep Nonstick/Teflon-coated pans & cookware clean, without damaging the teflon coating, for a longer life?

    Thanks a heap.
    Your blog has made my life so easy, my chores so pleasurable, & my house squeaky clean [I’m still in the process, though], & mind stress-free :-)

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    • I sprinkle baking soda on mine to soak up any leftover grease/residue and then scrub any troublesome spots with a clean, soft toothbrush that’s slightly damp. Then I just wipe the goo off with a damp paper towel. Ours has been going strong for about 7 years.

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      • great idea Rachel! I usually pour the grease out into another container and put it in the fridge then lay a wet dish towel on the waffle iron and close it while it’s still hot. When it’s cool I just come back and wipe it all off.

      • Thank you Rachel & Jillee :-)

        I, too, put a piece of damp scrap cloth over the hot grill & shut. However, some odor [probably Before I started this wet cloth cleaning] still remains.
        This time I’ll sprinkle some baking soda as well.

        Have a nice day !

  54. Thanks for all that great info Jillee and yes, you’re invited for breakfast………in Australia any time you would like. :)

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    • How wonderful would THAT be! Australia is definitely on my “bucket list” so I’ll be sure to drop by Rob! :-) Thanks!

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  55. We also love bacon ….Cut bacon in half, put one sheet of paper towels on a paper plate, line your bacon on the paper towel, cover with another paper towel. Place in microwave about 2 minutes, it comes out very crispy and well cooked. The time depends on how many pieces of bacon you are cooking. We do around 4 slices that has been cut in half. Two minutes is great.

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    • I forgot to mention, cleaning is a breeze, just through away paper plate and paper towels!

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  56. Haven’t tried it yet, but was told to use bacon grease to pop popcorn. This person said it is the best ever popcorn. I bought bacon today-to try it.

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  57. I like crisp bacon anyway you want to prepare it. My most loved bacon yummy is a bacon sandwich made by spreading grape jelly on toast with several slices of bacon. Toast,jelly,bacon, then toast.
    No need for butter.

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  58. that is a neAT IDEA. WE USE THE MICROWAVE – oven also. we have used cast iron but this is even better. sue

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  59. WE TRY (OPERATIVE WORD IS TRY ) to eat “clean” and as such, I keep away from butter or “fake” spreads. When we make bacon, which is a lot of the time< I save the rendering and use that to saute my proteins—yum. Thanks for all of your great ideas. Jeannie

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  60. I use the stir-fry method on top of the stove, but in bite-sized pieces! I take the whole slab and slice it through in about 2-3″ pieces, starting at the ends. Then I stir-fry what I want and freeze the rest. It’s always easy to pull out 1-2 servings to cook and much easier to bite into BLTs!

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  61. Have you tried the Nu Way countertop oven? It is amazing for bacon. Fries it up nice and the grease drips down into the bottom. You do have to turn it but it works great for bacon and I use it nearly every day to cook something.

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  62. If you cook on stoneware, you can put a pound of bacon on your large stoneware with a lip (Pampered Chef sells a Large Bar Pan that is perfect for this) and put it in the oven @ 350, no turning required…25-28 minutes…while it’s baking, you can fix the rest of your meal (eggs, pancakes, etc). Everything gets done at the same time and you are good to go!

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  63. addition to Oven Method #2: After placing bacon on top of a cooling rack, place a second cooling rack upside down on the bacon. This prevents the bacon strips from curling up.

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  64. You can also make Bacon Fat Cookies with left over grease.
    Just google to find several recipes to experiment with!

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  65. What a GREAT idea! I never thought of trying that before.

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  66. My mom made an awesome side dish with bacon; Fry a skillet full of bacon, add 1/2 cup each vinegar and sugar and cook until combined. Add 3 cans green beans and let simmer. Yum!

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  67. I learned years ago from Navy cooks that they cooked bacon in the oven…cookie sheet cover with foil and mold it so none of the grease goes into the pan but stays in the foil. Lay out the bacon strips, put in a cold oven 375º for 30 mins, check for your degree of doneness, remove from oven, prop up on side so grease pools in one half of sheet on foil…move bacon away from grease…put it on paper towels to absorb grease…wrap it in clean paper towels and place in container or plastic bag and FREEZE…you can nuke it when ready or just place in hot griddle for a few seconds and you’re DONE. that foil can be molded to one corner with a “pouring spout” and into your bacon drippings container it goes… If the drippings are hot and you’re container is glass, then place a spoon in the container first and then pour…glass will not break!

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  68. Thank you so very much for the info. When I get home I will surely try it. Blessings and smiles, Emilou :-)

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  69. Unfortunately, my waffle iron is small and round. Don’t think it would work very well. And I gave my George Foreman away because I never used it. I was trying to get rid of so much stuff on my countertop. I do have one of those new Ninja cookers. I might have to try using that.

    Sometimes I get the bacon that is pre-cooked if it’s on sale. It’s fast, easy, and less messy. Otherwise, I put up with the mess and burn a candle to get rid of the smell. I have to cook it on the stove once in a while to get my bacon fat. I always keep some in the refrigerator. I use in most of my veggies — beans, corn, potatoes, cabbage, etc. It’s the GRITS (girl raised in the south) in me!

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  70. I have done this for years.. however. .you have left out the BEST!! . .When the bacon is done.. (cook it in the morning .. reheat later).. leave a piece on each side of the waffle iron.. pour over with waffle batter.. close and bake!.. OH. the waffles with bacon are GRRRRR eat!.. don’t miss this one!.. LOL..

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    • That is DEFINITELY happening next time!!! Thanks Jimbo!

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  71. Bacon grease is wonderful to cook up some spinach! I usually cook some onions in the grease first then toss in a few handfuls of spinach for a quick side dish.

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    • Oh my goodness. That sounds AMAZING! I’m going to have to try that — soon! haha. I’ve been trying to find ways to “spice up” my side salads lately. Thanks for sharing! :)

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      • What Michelle said!

    • To the hot grease, add a bit of apple cider vinegar, a couple of pinches of sugar and a pinch of salt and you have a wonderful hot dressing for fresh spinach/leaf lettuce (I always slice green onions and crumble some bacon into the greens). Let it simmer for a minute or two and then pour over the greens. It wilts the greens so nicely. For a full meal salad I sometimes add sliced mushrooms and diced hard boiled eggs. YUMMMMM!

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      • Wow, I never thought I’d like hot bacon dressing but THIS sure sounds good!!! I know my mom does, so I will definitely share it with her! Thanks Sharon.

        P.S. I also do a whole pack of bacon in the oven, cover it with tinfoil and turn it all over with tongs. I used to make sure they were all flat but not anymore!
        Thanks Jillee, my son will reap the benefits of this post.

  72. Jillee–I think you are causing a run on bacon.
    Waffle Iron method sounds good- but what is clean up like. When I had a Forman grill I used that.
    So on line I found a Trick for BLT’s etc–Tried it and have mixed reviews– Weave strips together to form a woven square & then cook. I did this in my large skillet to keep an eye on it. Some pros are that the bacon stays put on the sandwich–no escapees–bacon in every bite; easy to flip: low maintenance to cook & then to drain–(didn’t really need my eye on it) I liked the concept. Made a great Turkey Club sandwich. Filled me up and super satisfied my craving. Cons: Overlap spots were not as crispy as I like; took longer to cook; uses way more bacon this way; takes time to weave. Next time: cut strips in half before cooking, try it in my cast iron grill pan & press in the oven, weave right in the pan. Would be good to make a head for BBQ’s–then just heat on grill. I can already see my glassy eyed boys building their bacon cheeseburgers.
    Don’t see why the waffle iron or panini maker wouldn’t work. I may try the Dutch oven stove top method too.

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  73. Similiar to Crystal’s. Lay bacon slices on a layer of paper towels on a paper plate. put another layer of paper towels and more slices going crosswise. Do thisas many time as you need to. Cook 1 min per slice. Quickest in the west for a hungry group!
    *hugs*deb

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  74. OMG! Now I want bacon! LOL! I have been using the oven method ~ you can cook a large amount of bacon at one time and either freeze some or just eat it all! LOL! Especially good when cooking for a crowd! But I’m liking the grill method. Another use for my grill! Thanks Jillee! P.S. I love your blog – I look forward to it each and every day! And I share it with everyoone I know! :-)

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  75. Jill, come on over for breakfast! Or dinner if that is when you have more time. I bake my bacon on a rack, never turn it over and like the way it comes out so crispy. Sometimes I even sprinkle it with a tiny bit of brown sugar. I also bake eggs in muffin cups to go along with the bacon. Hey, if the oven is on and I want a full breakfast, including biscuits, why not? So, come!

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    • On my way!!! I’m DYING for a big breakfast right now! These granola clusters I’m eating just aren’t cutting it while I’m reading about all these delicious ideas for bacon! lol

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      • I used my left over bacon fat in your granola recipe. In place of the butter. All I can say is OMG!!! Not one complaint from family or neighbors. YUM!

    • Now that’s interesting! I’m going to try it tomorrow. Thanks for posting.

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    • Just tried it – doesn’t work very well at all :P

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  76. We cook bacon on the BBQ on a double layer tin foil sheet with the edges rolled up. We usually don’t reuse the bacon fat, so once the bacon is done we leave the tin foil on the BBQ to cool and just roll it up with the fat and discard. We like this the best as then you don’t have lingering bacon smell in the house long after.

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    • Great suggestion Deb! The hubster LOVES bacon but HATES the lingering smell. Tough to deal with that! lol.

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  77. I don’t eat pork but one of the things I love about your daily post, Jill, is that even when it doesn’t apply to me, I know someone who will love it! I’m linking to this one for an all-things-bacon loving friend. Shabbat Shalom!

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    • That’s the spirit Gail!!! I’ve come to accept I’m not going to be able to please all the people, all the time….but I love that you recognize that too and are willing to think about someone ELSE who might appreciate it. Bless you. :-)

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  78. Ok–don’t kill me, but I wonder if you could do turkey bacon that way? It doesn’t have as much grease, and we’re trying to be healthier.

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    • We only eat turkey bacon and have never had a problem cooking it any way that you cook regular bacon. It does cook up much faster. We put ours in the oven on broiler pan with the oven on a high broil and in 3-4 minutes, we have perfectly cooked bacon that we did not have to flip over.

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    • I use my George Foreman grill to cook turkey bacon and it comes out perfect.

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  79. I cook mine in the oven all the time but never turn it over. It works just fine that way too.

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  80. I detest the flavor of microwaved bacon; oven is too messy; have burned through several George Foreman’s and Cuisinart’s; used a panini grill for a while which works great but again hard to clean. If you are the lucky owner of a NuWave, it is PERFECT and easy to clean–win, win!

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  81. Great Idea I have a George F grill that should work too…. If now I have been looking at waffle makers,
    Ooo and I thought I would share a couple of other uses for Bacon fat it makes the best roasted potatoes nice & brown & crispy. also mix some bird seed it it feed your outside pets.( as I dont have inside pets) I do enjoy watching the birds. I even leave treats for the squirrels. I use the tree by the creek for that family :-) dont really want then too close.
    Have a good one Ann/alba

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  82. I cook mine in the oven but don’t turn it and have never had a problem.If I need to fry it, I sprinkle a dab of salt in the pan to stop the popping and splattering.

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  83. I add bacon drippings and brown sugar to make my baked beans. That way you don’t have to buy the more expensive pre-seasoned beans, but come out with a more flavorful dish anyway.

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  84. I have another microwave method – place layer of paper towels on microwave safe plate. Lay bacon out on paper towels. Cover with another paper towel and cook til done. Towels absorb grease and bacon is able to crunch up

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    • I used the paper towel method for years when microwaves first came out. Works well. But I switched to a neat little plastic rack device invented by a Minneapolis teenager years ago and love it. Same idea as the bowl, which I will keep in mind for the future.
      BTW, bacon fat for potatoes is superb. Only thing better is duck fat ;-)

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  85. I am going to have to try this method. I have been baking it in the oven but it does take longer. Saw something on Pinterest for making BLT sandwiches that I used last time I cooked bacon in the oven – you kind of weave 4 pieces of bacon together and cook it that way. Fits perfectly on the bread.

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  86. I’ve been using a George Forman for quite some time now and just love how it cooks the bacon. Now I’m going to share another way to cook bacon that my mother and grandmother used that gives it a whole new taste. Two ways to do this: 1st. is dip bacon strips in beaten egg, drain, then into seasoned flour then fry in a skillet. 2nd. just dip in cold water then the seasoned flour and fry. This is a good way to use some of your reserved bacon grease as it needs a “glob” in the skillet to fry as the bacon just doesn’t give up the grease cooked this way. Either way the bacon doesn’t shrink, it stays flat so it’s easier to eat or use on a sandwich. This sure stretches the bacon by not shrinking and we love the flavor the seasoned flour gives.

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  87. My brother found himself share-parenting 4 growing boys who love bacon. For some reason his share of the kitchen gear included a large Dutch oven pot, but no frying pan. Being the resourceful guy that he is, he dumped the pound of bacon into the Dutch oven and turned on the heat.

    The high sides of the Dutch oven contained all the grease spatters and he ended up with perfectly cooked bacon.

    Our whole family has been using this method ever since.

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  88. oh, this is SO NOT FAIR—no bacon in the house, and now i’m craving it!!
    bacon is one of THE MOST delicious foods—i think i could eat it every day.
    i’m going to try the oven method next. i’ve read that to cook more at once, you can put bacon on two cookie sheets, top each with foil to catch grease splatter, and stack one sheet on top of the other—i can’t wait to try it!

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  89. My father-in-law uses the bacon grease to fry breakfast potatoes. It is wonderful!! They come out with intense flavor and a crisp that is unmatchable. I highly recommend trying it out next time you cut up potatoes for breakfast.

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  90. I will have to try the waffle iron idea. I hate pan frying and I have given up on the oven because I got sick of having to scrub it after all the grease splatters..

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  91. http://img0.etsystatic.com/013/0/7223935/il_fullxfull.424640280_3van.jpg

    I bought my sister something similar to the link (if it worked) in a pottery shop in Asheville and she uses it every day. She is a bacon fiend and requires and she loves the piece I dubbed the baconater. You drape the bacon over the sides of the “mug” and it cooks up crisp. Meanwhile the grease drips down to the “saucer portion”. And the the”gravy boat” style end makes forceasypouring into your grease container.

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    • I have a similar “bacon mug” that I bought in a pottery near Asheboro, NC. You microwave the bacon. It works great.

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  92. I love the George Forman grill idea (I don’t have a waffle maker) -I usually make it in the oven but that is still messy and we love bacon! Thanks for the ideas!

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  93. I love bacon and pecans in my waffles. You just gave me a short cut. Cook the bacon in the waffle maker and no need to grease it again, just add batter and pecans and cook. Yum!

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    • oh that sounds soo good Invite me over please lol :-)

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