Baked Thick-Sliced Bacon

From the book The Basic Gourmet Entertains by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart

Introduction

In the United States there is no meat more associated with breakfast or brunch than bacon–slices of cured, smoked pork belly–and no more common method of cooking bacon these days than microwaving. But if a lot of bacon needs to be cooked, the easiest way to get the job done is roasting it in a baking pan in the oven. You may do it hours or even three or four days in advance, and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap. Reheat at the last minute, just as most restaurants do.

Prepackaged bacon found in the deli cases in supermarkets commonly has about eighteen to twenty-two slices per pound. If you buy bacon labeled “thick sliced” or have the butcher slice regular or “pepper” bacon (cured with cracked black pepper as well as the usual sugar and salt), you’ll get fewer slices per pound, but have something more substantial to chew on. So figure out how many slices to buy by deciding how many slices per person you wish to offer for brunch. Three slices per guest will likely be close.

Ingredients

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10-by-15-inch baking pan with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier or use a nonstick pan. The pan should have at least ½-inch sides to contain melting fat. Arrange bacon in tight, nonoverlapping rows in pan. Bake until crisp to your liking, 20 minutes or longer. Use tongs or a metal spatula to transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat, if necessary, to cook all the bacon. Bacon may be reheated in a preheated 200°F oven for 10 minutes, or in a microwave on high power for about 30 seconds before serving.

Notes

• Baking bacon renders fabulously full-flavored cooking fat, which you can save. Pour the hot fat from the pan through a fine strainer into a heatproof storage container. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 months, and use to sauté potatoes or onions.

This content is from the book The Basic Gourmet Entertains by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart.