Chef's notes:
The first time I heard the words bacon and microwave used in the same sentence I was pretty upset by the idea of it. First of all, what’s easier than frying bacon? Just put it in a pan and turn on the heat until it’s cooked the way you like it. I wasn’t sure what fraction of a second could be of such value that it would warrant cooking the bacon in a microwave instead of a pan. But everyone has their reasons. Maybe it’s for people who like to cook bacon naked, to avoid splattering fat?
My microwave cooked my bacon in about 3 minutes on high, and it came out pretty well, all crispy-like. And while the bacon cooked in the microwave, I fried the French toast on the stove. So it has its advantages. But I gotta say, microwaved bacon isn’t as good as pan-fried bacon—just so you know what to expect when you try it yourself.
Ingredients
- 1 # bacon
Thick-Cut Peppered Bacon Cooked in a Microwave Using a Bacon Microwaving Tray
- Buy good bacon for microwaving. Or, as in my case, get some homemade bacon from your brother who raises pigs and smokes their bellies. Streaky bacon, as how much of the rest of the world knows it, comes from the belly of a pig. There are other types of bacon made from other parts of the pig—the jowl, loin, neck, and so on. Try them if you can find them.
- Use a microwave tray for cooking bacon. The tray for microwaving bacon is pretty easy to find at grocery stores, malls, secondhand shops, and garage sales. This one is made by Nordic Ware, a Minnesota-based company. Their products are made in America, one of the few kitchenware companies to still do so.
- Put the bacon microwaving tray in the microwave. Place the bacon strips on the tray over the elevated ribs. They are there to capture the grease that will come out of your bacon. If you have a plate cover for inside the microwave, make sure to put that on. Otherwise, just drape a paper towel over the top. Start off cooking the bacon for one minute, and then cook it at 30 second intervals until it’s done.
- Remove the bacon from the microwave tray. Be careful removing the tray from the microwave; it will most likely be scalding hot. Also, watch out for the scalding hot grease in the bottom of the tray. If you want to make awesome corn bread, corn cakes, biscuits, scrambled eggs, or many other delicious things, save that grease by putting it in the fridge.
Tips & Tricks
- Thinner bacon will microwave much quicker than thick-cut bacon.
- Check the bacon every 30 seconds if this is your first time microwaving bacon in this microwave.
- Make sure you keep the splattering bacon covered while it’s microwaving.
- Cleaning a microwave sucks. If you don’t have a microwave tray, read below.
- If you don’t have a fancy tray for microwaving bacon, there is another way. All it takes is 3‒4 sheets of paper towel and a plate. Lay three sheets of paper towel down on a plate. Lay a few pieces of bacon in a single layer on the paper towel. Fold in the sides of the paper towel and flip it over. Microwave it using the same advice as above. One minute at first, followed by 30 second intervals until it’s done.
