Makin’ Bacon with an Iron Pig

The Late Night Gourmet

The Late Night Gourmet

Home kook
Joined
30 Mar 2017
Local time
6:54 PM
Messages
5,635
Location
Detroit, USA
Website
absolute0cooking.com
I like my bacon crispy, which takes some time and effort. If it’s an ingredient, I often cut it up first. Bacon strips curl up as they fry...sort of revenge from the piggy for what we do to them.

I bought something recently that is supposed to help with this. I could’ve use the larger pan, but I wanted to give this a real test:

36160


After laying out the bacon, enter the iron pig...a 2-1/4 pound flat iron of sorts:
36162


After a few minutes, I flipped the bacon over and gave it a sizzle on the other side:

36161


In about 10 minutes, I had perfectly crisp bacon. Thank you, iron pig!
 
My mom and dad have always used a bacon press. We were just there over the holidays and as I was boiling water for tea, I noticed a good half-dozen lying around, most made either by my dad or his dad.

I always prefer to bake my bacon on a rack or a sheet pan. Takes bloody forever, but it comes out exactly the way I like it.
 
Late Night, do you start your bacon in a cold pan? That helps with curling, too. I start with a cold cast iron pan, and bring it up to medium-high, and don't touch the bacon until the first side is browned, and it is ready to flip. That always works well for me.

CD
 
morning glory said:
...so its a really heavy thing?
Click to expand...
Yes. I was surprised the first time I picked it up. It definitely keeps the bacon in place.

TastyReuben said:
Bakin' Bacon

Bakin' Bacon

Click to expand...
Awesome. I have done it this way, and I really do like the results. But, I will happily keep using the iron piggy if I am in more of a hurry.
caseydog said:
Late Night, do you start your bacon in a cold pan? That helps with curling, too. I start with a cold cast iron pan, and bring it up to medium-high, and don't touch the bacon until the first side is browned, and it is ready to flip. That always works well for me.

CD
Click to expand...
This is a great idea! Now, I feel like getting two pans started at the same time, one with the piggy and one without, and seeing which one turns out better. Either way, I end up with lots of bacon, and that’s a very good thing.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
Yes. I was surprised the first time I picked it up. It definitely keeps the bacon in place.


Awesome. I have done it this way, and I really do like the results. But, I will happily keep using the iron piggy if I am in more of a hurry.

This is a great idea! Now, I feel like getting two pans started at the same time, one with the piggy and one without, and seeing which one turns out better. Either way, I end up with lots of bacon, and that’s a very good thing.
Click to expand...
I think starting bacon in a cold pan is supposed to render out more grease as well.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
I like my bacon crispy, which takes some time and effort. If it’s an ingredient, I often cut it up first. Bacon strips curl up as they fry...sort of revenge from the piggy for what we do to them.

I bought something recently that is supposed to help with this. I could’ve use the larger pan, but I wanted to give this a real test:

View attachment 36160

After laying out the bacon, enter the iron pig...a 2-1/4 pound flat iron of sorts:View attachment 36162

After a few minutes, I flipped the bacon over and gave it a sizzle on the other side:

View attachment 36161

In about 10 minutes, I had perfectly crisp bacon. Thank you, iron pig!
Click to expand...

I gotta get one of those!:wink:
 
TastyReuben said:
I think starting bacon in a cold pan is supposed to render out more grease as well.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm, I can't say. I've never paid attention to that. I just know that cooking bacon and having it curl up is frustrating.

My ex-wife and her mom used the oven method. It took longer, but worked well. I also have a Lodge cast-iron bacon press, but don't ever use it for bacon.

CD
 
I have a metal pan with a metal grill that sits on top, the fat falls through for collection later, I then put it under the grill/broiler, I get it twisting up as well, but when turned it comes right. No complaints round here. I'm using maple infused bacon ATM. And getting good comments.

Russ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom