So, you like your bacon chewy instead of crispy? You’re in the right place as this article will discuss how you can achieve the perfect chewy bacon!
To make bacon cook chewy, you can use meatier bacon like back bacon, Canadian bacon, or rashers. If you don’t have these and only have American bacon, use thicker bacon slices. Another way is by using water.
To achieve that perfectly chewy and enjoyable bacon you want, just keep on reading!
Some people prefer their bacon chewy and not crispy. This can be achieved by using a type of bacon best suited for soft or tender cooking, or by tweaking your bacon cooking method here and there.
Curious which is better, crispy bacon or chewy bacon? Read the pros and cons of both crispy and chewy bacon in our article here.
When it comes to the type of bacon, some bacon types that can be considered best to cook tender or chewy are back bacon, Irish bacon, Canadian bacon, and rashers.
These types are under one classification which is back bacon. They are all made from the loin of the pig, specifically the loin area of the back of the pig. The difference between them can be the region where they come from.
These types have more meat than fat, making them great candidates for cooking tender and chewy bacon. Because they are meaty, they will turn tough or rubbery when cooked for too long, or when attempting to make them crispy as you would American bacon.
How To Make Chewy Bacon in the Microwave
If you need bacon quick, the microwave will do the trick. Wow, that rhymed.
To make chewy bacon in the microwave, line the microwave-safe plate with 3 layers of paper towels. Add your bacon and add another set of 3 paper towels on top. Add a plate the same as where the bacon lies and use it as a cover on top by inverting it.
This will prevent splattering fat all over. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat (source: Real Simple).
How to Make Chewy Bacon on the Stove or in a Skillet
A simple trick to make bacon chewy using a skillet on the stovetop is water.
Water can also be used to make bacon crispy and the two methods are similar to each other, except water has to boil if you want to have chewy bacon.
To do this, line your bacon on a skillet. Add water just enough to cover them, not drown them. Turn the heat on high and wait for the water to boil.
Cook until the water has evaporated, and then continue cooking for a few extra minutes, just enough to brown the bacon. The result is juicy, plump, and chewy bacon (source: Tasting Table).
Remember to watch your bacon and not cook it for too long, otherwise, you’ll still end up with brittle bacon.
If you prefer crispy bacon, learn the secret to achieving perfectly crispy bacon using the oven method, along with other alternative methods in our article here.
How to Make Chewy Bacon in an Oven
Another trick to cooking bacon chewy is to use thicker slices. And if you have a slab bacon, cut it into ¼ of an inch thick. This will help cook the strips of bacon chewy and maintain their tenderness as well whether you cook them on the stovetop, the oven, or the microwave.
To cook chewy bacon in the oven, heat the oven to 275 °F (135 °C). Put boiled water in an oven-safe container (preferably shallow) and place it on the oven’s floor.
On a baking sheet, add a wire rack on top and line it with your bacon. For thin slices, cook for 10 minutes on one side, and turn it after it has browned, cooking the other side for 10 minutes as well.
For thick slices, cook bacon for 20 minutes on one side. When they have browned, turn on the other side and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the excess fat by using sheets of paper towel (source: Live Strong).
How to Make Chewy Bacon in an Air Fryer
An air fryer often crisps things up. But when cooking bacon in air fryer to make them chewy, there are two ways to do this.
The first one involves the thickness of the bacon slices, and the other one will yield a still-crispy bacon, but with a chewy center. The latter is still a good bargain.
First, as mentioned above, thicker slices of bacon will help make them chewier. If you only have regular cut bacon, here’s what you can do:
Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes. Evenly line your bacon inside. Change the cooking temperature to 320 °F (160 °C) and set the cooking time to 10 minutes, flipping the bacon halfway through after 5 minutes (source: Aileen Cooks).
Most people who eat bacon are after its incredible flavor profile and not its nutritive quality. However, you also need to remember that eating too much is never a good thing even if you have back bacon. We recommend not eating it regularly.
Bacon is a beloved meat product enjoyed by millions around the world. The crispy, sizzling texture of bacon is a common preference for many, but what about chewy bacon? Check out our article that explains the safety of consuming chewy bacon and whether it poses any health risks.
So, these are the ways for cooking perfect bacon to achieve a chewy and tender texture. We hope you found this helpful!
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