Makin’ Bacon with an Iron Pig

The Late Night Gourmet

The Late Night Gourmet

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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
 
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