Boiled Bacon Recipe

For a classic bacon and eggs breakfast or a refreshing summer BLT, this Boiled Bacon Recipe might transform the way you cook bacon forever.

Best Method for Cooking Bacon

I aim for meaty, barely crispy, tender bacon for my recipes. As yall know, I love bacon for breakfast, lunch, supper, and even dessert.

I have done a survey and find that most of you want some range of bacon that is meaty. A few of you weirdos like it nearly raw and a few others aim for it to be burned. If those kinds of bacon are your preferences, I'm not sure I can help you. LOL!

Picking the best way method for cooking bacon feels like picking my favorite child. (BTW: I love all 3 kids an equal amount--no matter how much they argue with me otherwise.)

My go-to method for cooking bacon had always been frying it in my daddy's iron skillet on the stovetop with no additions. This method makes a bit of a mess on the stovetop and can stink up the house, my hair, and my clothes.

Now, I know some of you probably think smelling like bacon doesn't sound like the worst idea, but still...

Some cooks rave about baking bacon in the oven. If that method works for you, great.

I find the baking method tends to smoke and stink up my house. Also, the hot oven heats up the house in the summer when I'm making BLTs, not ideal year-round. So, baking bacon is not my favorite.

Boiled Bacon Experiment

My new preferred method is BOILING the bacon. WHAT? You might be asking yourself... You might be thinking oil and water don't mix. Oh, my friend, you just wait and see.

Boiled Bacon creates a meaty, crispy, tender bacon -- every time without making a big ol' mess of my stove or stinking up my house, hair, and clothes.

I experimented with boiling bacon with as little as 2 Tablespoons of water and as much as ¾ of a cup.

I found that the amount of water needed depends on how quickly the water evaporated. (Which depended on the heat temperature, pan size, etc). In short, I found that slightly covering the bacon worked well. Adding water or removing water as bacon is cooked was my favorite approach.

For me, boiling is the best method for cooking bacon. Try it and let me know what you think.

Why Boiling Bacon Works

Adding water keeps the initial cooking temperature low, allowing the meat to retain moisture and stay tender as the fat renders.

The water also helps render the fat, reducing splatter in the pan. By the time the water boils, the bacon fat is almost fully rendered, preventing the meat from burning and eliminating the need to wait for the fat to cook off.

A few recipes you can start with other than plain ol' eating bacon include:

• Chicken Bacon Ranch Calzone Recipe
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Potatoes
• Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
• Bacon Grease Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger
• BLT Quesadilla

What to do with Leftover Bacon Grease

I save my leftover bacon grease to add flavor and richness to other recipes and foods. I gave lots of details about how I filter, store, and use this liquid gold, bacon grease on my Bacon Grease Chocolate Chip Cookies post.

But if you're trying to decide if you should keep the bacon grease or not. Err on the side of keep. How else will you make Bacon Infused Banana Bread?

Ingredients for Boiled Bacon Recipe

Not much to this recipe ingredient list. This one is all about the method. But still... here's the ingredient list for you--

• Bacon -- I typically use pork bacon
• Water -- the amount varies, but you can adjust the amount as it cooks. See the photo below for what mine looks like when I start the process. I also add a splash or two to the cooking bacon, as needed.
• Flavorings -- add some course ground pepper or a sprinkling of brown sugar to the finished bacon

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to Boil Bacon

1. Place bacon slices in a COLD skillet. Try not to overlap the slices too much, but it shrinks so no need to worry about the bacon being crowded.
2. Barely cover the bacon with cold water. You can always pour off extra or add more water if needed.
3. On high heat, bring the water to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the bacon is crisp and tender, flipping after crisping the first side. Adjust the amount of water as needed.
5. Drain on paper towels, if desired.

Hint: If you find there is too much water, just pour some off. Likewise, if the skillet is dry and a ways from being cooked through, add a splash of water. Then let the water evaporate to brown your bacon.

Substitutions & Variations for Boiled Bacon Recipe

• Turkey or Beef Bacon - Can also be cooked using this method
• Homemade Peppered Bacon - add course ground pepper to the top of the bacon at the end of cooking
• Bacon Candy - sprinkle cooked bacon with brown sugar and allow it to melt into the bacon before serving
• Sweet Hot Bacon Candy - sprinkle red pepper flakes onto brown sugar for a sweet, hot, and smoky treat

Storing Boiled Bacon

If you have leftovers, you can store cooked bacon in the fridge for 3-5 days.

FAQ for Boiled Bacon Recipe

Related

I use bacon in so many of my recipes. A few to try:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Boiled Bacon:

HAVE A QUESTION? ❤️

Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer you!

And, if you made this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!

And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag @laughingroostereats on Instagram and hashtag it #laughingroostereats! Seeing your photos is our favorite thing!

Food safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.