For bacon lovers, cooking bacon in an air fryer is a game-changer. It is a simple method that produces flawlessly crisp and flavorful bacon without the mess and grease splatters often accompanying stovetop preparation. Whether you want a few strips for breakfast or need bacon for a recipe, using an air fryer simplifies and expedites the process. This article, will explain how to cook bacon in an airfryer.
Ingredients
- Bacon strips (as many as you’d like)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
- Hands-Free Cooking (No Grease Splatters!). In contrast to preparing bacon in a skillet on the stovetop, air fryer bacon can be prepared entirely without using hands. You need not even to turn it!
- It is Rapid. From Air Fryer French Fries to Air Fryer Chicken Wings to Air Fryer Potato Chips, the air fryer crisps food in a fraction of the time required by a conventional oven. This is a significant benefit if you have a table full of hungry people or want to make a BLT.
- It is incredibly crispy! Our household prohibits soggy bacon, so whenever I discover a new method for cooking bacon, I must ensure that the bacon is always crispy. This air fryer bacon will always be crispy and delectable, just like my Brussels sprouts!
- Useful for both thin and thick-cut bacon. Use whichever you prefer or have on hand, as the air fryer is excellent at preparing both.
- Simple cleanup. One of the greatest aspects of cooking bacon in an air fryer is how simple the cleanup is. No grimy stovetop.
How To Cook Bacon In An Airfryer?
1. Preheat The Air Fryer
To make sure even cooking, the air fryer needs to be fired up first. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and give it two to three minutes to heat up.
2. Prepare The Bacon
While the air fryer is preheating, remove and separate the bacon strips from their packaging.
If you have a smaller air fryer, you can choose to cut the bacon slices in half so that they fit more easily in the basket.
3. Arrange The Bacon In The Air Fryer
Place the bacon segments in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Ensure they do not overlap so that heated air can circulate freely around each strip for uniform cooking.
As overcrowding the air fryer can result in uneven cooking, it is often preferable to cook large quantities of bacon in segments.
4. Cook The Bacon
Return the air fryer receptacle to the heated air fryer and set the timer for 8 to 12 minutes. The precise cooking time is contingent on several variables, including the thickness of the bacon and the type of air fryer used.
After eight minutes, check to see if the bacon is done. You’re looking for the amount of crispiness you want. If it’s not crispy enough, keep cooking it for one minute at a time until it’s the right texture.
Keep in mind that bacon will continue to firm up slightly after you remove it from the air fryer, so remove it from the air fryer when it is slightly less crispy than desired.
5. Drain And Serve
As the bacon cooks, you will observe that the excess fat drips into the air fryer’s base. This makes the bacon crispier and reduces its grease content.
Take the bacon out of the air fryer using tongs or a fork and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra grease.
6. Enjoy
Your bacon is now precisely cooked and ready for consumption. It can be served as a traditional breakfast side dish, added to sandwiches and salads, and used as a flavorful ingredient in various recipes.
Tips
- Use Quality Bacon: For the greatest flavor and texture, begin with quality bacon. Choose bacon with the ideal proportion of lean flesh to fat.
- Check Your Air Fryer’s Size: The scale of your air fryer is important. Larger air fryers can accommodate more bacon segments without overlap, resulting in improved air circulation and more uniform cooking.
- Cut Strips in Half: If your bacon strips are too long for your air fryer, you might want to trim them in half. This makes it simpler to fit them without overlap into the basket.
- Monitor the Cooking: Keep closely watching the bacon as it cooks, particularly in the final minutes. Bacon can rapidly go from perfectly crisp to overcooked.
- Adjust the Temperature: If you prefer extra-crisp bacon, you can slightly increase the cooking temperature (while keeping a close eye on it). However, don’t overuse it, as higher temperatures can result in burning.
- Paper Towels or Rack: To place cooked bacon helps absorb excess oil. Alternately, you can elevate the bacon on a wire rack, enabling the grease to drip for a crispier result.
- Save the Bacon Fat: Don’t dispose of the bacon fat that accumulates in the air fryer. It is a flavorful ingredient used for frying or flavoring various dishes. Put it in a container and refrigerate it.
- Experiment with Spices: Be inventive with spices. Before cooking, bacon can be seasoned with black pepper, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, or even a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Use Bacon Ends and Pieces: Due to their irregular shapes, bacon ends and pieces can be a more cost-effective option for air frying. These are ideal for small air fryers, and their irregular shapes make for a delightful presentation.
- Regularly Clean Your Air Fryer: Bacon grease and residue can accumulate in your air fryer over time. Regularly sanitize the air fryer’s basket, tray, and interior to avoid potential problems.
Using an air fryer to cook bacon is an easy and quick way to get crispy, evenly cooked bacon without using a lot of oil or cleaning up a lot. This method is very flexible and can be used in many different bacon-based recipes or enjoyed on its own. Therefore, if you want an easy and enjoyable way to cook bacon, give your air fryer a try and enjoy the tasty results.
Read More: How To Cook Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast In Air Fryer?