How do you cook your bacon?

MypinchofItaly said:
I’ve never cooked bacon although I eat it when in the UK. The only “bacon” I find and cook here is pancetta, but it’s not the same, I know.
If I’m not wrong I’ve spotted some bacon at the big supermarket where I usually do shopping in Milano, thus as soon as I’ll come back home, I’ll look for it properly and cook it by following this thread 👍
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If it's from a supermarket, beware in case it's wet cured - most supermarket bacon in the UK is, and it's ghastly stuff that will boil in it's own cure instead of frying.
 
epicuric said:
If it's from a supermarket, beware in case it's wet cured - most supermarket bacon in the UK is, and it's ghastly stuff that will boil in it's own cure instead of frying.
Click to expand...

The problem is you can't really tell by looking at it. I always buy bacon marked 'dry cured'. A particular brand I like is Spoilt Pig:

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epicuric said:
If it's from a supermarket, beware in case it's wet cured - most supermarket bacon in the UK is, and it's ghastly stuff that will boil in it's own cure instead of frying.
Click to expand...

I think I can get it only from supermarket (only one by the way), thus I’ll pay lots of attention to your advice, thank you!
 
I toss my bacon onto a cold pan, either my cast iron or a relatively heavy duty no stick one.

I raise the cooking element / hob up to mid-high temperature range, and let 'er cook.

Now, a lot depends on the source and thickness of the bacon I am using. I don't seem to have the same type every time. I use the American bacon, which I believe the Brits here call "streaky bacon"? My best is when I can get it from my pork farm share (it's currently all gone, alas). I'll meander around my kitchen doing other things, and I'll flip it when I get the chance - typically I will flip it four times.

I like my bacon mostly crispy, but NOT burnt. I WILL cook bacon a bit longer if I'm planning to crumble it into salads or something.

I have cooked it in the oven, covering the top lightly with parchment paper so it doesn't splatter everywhere. I haven't done this recently, but I still enjoy it that way.

I WILL NOT cook it in the microwave. A matter of mere seconds can turn good crispy bacon into a burnt slog of disgust. And since I'm not always cooking the same amount of slices, nor the same source or thickness - that's a recipe for personal disaster.

(NOTE that local farmed bacon is sometimes cut to irregular thicknesses anyway.)
 
Although we love it, we rarely eat it. When we do, I start with a warm skillet until it's nice and crisp. Never tried it in the oven although I hear the results are great.
 
Has anyone on here made their own bacon? I did once, and it was quite easy. I still have a bag of Prague powder (the nitrite mix used to cure it) somewhere in the back of a cupboard.
 
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