once you've helped me cook the bacon, I will no longer be a vegetarian...
I haven't really eaten meat in years (not counting those soup dumplings or slices of wild boar salami at the market), but have been craving some bacon and merguez. Last weekend, I bought 4 slices of smoked back bacon at the farmers market and popped them in the freezer. I think tonight is the night! How do I cook it? My husband is sticking to his vegetarian guns, so I think I will use this bacon as a garnish to whatever is for dinner tonight. (I'm feeling very very lazy, so it might be the raviolis in the freezer with some green peas and fresh basil). I'm imagining it cut into bits, sort of like lardons. Do I defrost my slice of bacon? Cut it up before tossing it in the pan? I have a cast iron frying pan that needs a lil seasoning, would the bacon fat help?
relizabeth
Jul 18, 2008 10:38AM
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Bacon is a perfect thing to cook in a cast iron pan. If you want them in strips, I'd slice them before cooking. However, you can also cook them whole and crumble them up once you are done.
Personally, I often cook bacon strips straight from the freezer -- put them in the pan over med-low heat until the slices "melt" a little and you can separate them. Don't drain the fat until they are done -- the fat will help keep the bacon from sticking in your pan that needs a little seasoning.
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I think DanaB pretty much answered the questions. Only thing I would add is that, as the bacon cooks and the fat in the pan increases, the bacon will cook faster than it did when it was first introduced to the pan. If you want it tender crisp watch it closely and remove it a minute or two before it gets to where you want to serve it. It'll continue to cook for a short time while it's draining on paper towels or whatever else you might use as an absorbent draining surface. When I find a cast iron pan that is close to but not well seasoned I pour off the cooking fat, leaving a film of oil/fat on the surface of the pan. Then, while the pan is warm but not too warm to handle, I use coarse salt to cover the bottom of the pan and a couple of paper towels to clean the pan. The salt acts as a mild abrasive and also absorbs excess oil/fat. My well seasoned pans haven't seen any other cleaning method for the past ten years and they are in perfect condition and a joy to cook with.
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If I imagine not eating meat for years, and then picture bacon frying I start to salivate. Yummmm. Tell us about your experience. Best bacon ever? Feelings?
One of my long-time-vegetarian friends would have cravings for fried fish sandwiches. He ended up going off the wagon on a trip to Brazil where their were few non-meat options.
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If you are feeling really lazy, my MIL cooks her in the microwave, on a plate with several layers of paper towels underneath and on top. It drains away a lot of the fat and creates very crisp bacon. I think she does cooks it for 2-3 minutes at a time until it is cooked to her liking so if you like it less crisp you could pull it out sooner.
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i was just going to say this as well. timing is hard to say because of the varience in power between microwaves a 700 w takes twice as long as a 1400 w (duh)
but i really like MW bacon nice and flat and easy to cook
also when u read "several layers" above - think more than you thought
lol
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Your post mentioned "back bacon". If it is truly back bacon it has less fat than the strips I believe that the other posters are thinking of, which have long sreaks of fat running through them. Back bacon is more like "Canadian" bacon, with a large piece of meat with no fat streaks and maybe just some fat around the edges. If this is what you have it will be delicious but it will never get crisp and will need a bit of cooking fat (like just a spray or super-thin film of oil) and you should be careful not to overcook it or it will turn into shoe leather.
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a dribble of olive oil will help keep the spatter down.
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We've cooked bacon many ways. Frying pan, microwave, broiler and oven. The one we like the best is the following:
Lay strips of bacon out, side by side on the top grate of a broiling pan. Bake in a 350F oven on a middle rack for 20 minutes. Turn over slices of bacon and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. The bacon comes out very crispy.
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but there's a place between crispy and chewy that I can't describe.
I just know it when cooked. micro is just wrong if you're not in a hurry.
Broiling is ok, but I still go with pan.
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hill - why is MW "just wrong?"
it turns out lovely bacon, as far as i can tell - so what makes it wrong?
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it's just me, the texture isn't what I want (but I'm not above it). too chewy, not crispy although I hate total crispy.
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The bacon floats in it's own grease in a pan. Using a broiling pan (that allows the grease to drip away) and BAKING the bacon gives much better results IMHO.
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You have probably eaten your bacon by now, but post back and let us know how it went. Typically, I am preparing 2-3 slices in the morning for me or one of the kids and I don't want to dirty up the stove. We have a convection toaster oven that bakes beautifully and has a broiler/drip pan that fits inside. I spray that with olive oil cooking spray, crank up oven to 400 degrees and lay out the bacon. Usually in 12-15 minutes, it is perfect, just enough time to brew some coffee, crack a few eggs, glance at the morning newspaper headlines. I love it because it doesn't dirty up the house, and the drip pan washes very well in the dishwasher. You could not tell the difference between this and stovetop bacon. Also, maybe I am crazy, but cooking it in a broiler/drip pan yields a lot of melted grease, which I like to think makes it a tad bit healthier. Also, easy clean up, as I can pour out the grease and bag it.
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I personally like your pasta idea, but for three strips of bacon...make pasta carbonara, without pancetta, use your bacon instead. Cut it up and fry in the cast iron pan. Make the dish and use some of the fat. fresh cracked pepper and romano. My kids called it Italian bacon and eggs.
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It was so, so delicious. I still have 3 slices left. I will definitely make a pasta carbonara soon. We don't have a microwave or a toaster oven (alas). My husband remains a bit angsty over the bacon-y skillet, but I think he will get over it. I'm in the UK and I asked the dudes at the farmer's market butcher for some 'back bacon' and I'm assuming that is what they gave me. I feel like this is the tip of the iceberg. Soon to come: ropa vieja, merguez, BLTs, wild boar ragu, etc.
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If you can get some ripe summer tomatoes, and an avocado, that BLT (+A) will be a revelation. With real mayo, some crisp lettuce on toasted wheat bread, I think it's my all-time favorite sandwich :-)
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Pork, there is not a better protein to get back into the game with. Did you have any adverse affect? I know my sister in law a 35 veggie veteran did, The texture thing and then some digestive. She said that flavor overcame it all in the longrun. She is still on fish and some chicken.
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chef c: I've heard others have similar reactions to returning to the world of omnivores. my suspicion is the body adapts to the diet and doesn't produce the enzymes necessary unless it's clear there will be a repeated need.
hence my reaction to a high-fiber meal after a week of crap-food travel.
relizabeth: your husband's angst - just wipe out the pan. I know people who swear never touch it with water. if leaving a trace of animal fat creeps you and you insist on washing, don't use soap and water scrub, dry on the cooktop over a low flame and re-season with a little olive oil rubbed in.
but scrubbing is really not necessary (drain yes, scrub nah). the best skillet is a well used one.
rust is your enemy and time/use is your friend.
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yes, I don't know medically what her problem was, just highly upset stomach for beginners. She is eating fish and chicken now with vigor!
oh dear chowhound team what is going on with the reply and edit buttons?
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