Grilling vs Frying Bacon
Every bacon fan has a tough dilemma in the heat of summer: “Should I cook it on the stovetop, bake it in the oven, or allow it to sizzle on the grill?” “In a society yearning for togetherness, this quandary has gravely divided Americans.”
On one side are the chefs who swear by their pan- or broiler bacon recipes.
On the other hand, there are others, like myself, who believe that the flavor of bacon, particularly when cooked over charcoal or wood, is not to be matched with any other cooking method.
So, who is correct and who is incorrect?
Many people believe that grilled bacon is the greatest because it is charred, crispy, and smokey. Pan-fried bacon is the nearest thing to grilled bacon. However, it lacks a smokey taste.
Crispy Bacon is great to add soup when feeding a group of people.
Pan-fried bacon is fast and simple to make, but it has one failing in that the grease will make both the burner and the countertop a bit dirty if you are not careful.
There is little difference in nutritional benefits of the different cooking techniques.
If you are in a rush, perhaps only making two or three strips in a big appliance like an oven or grill isn’t practical.
If you want to fry at most a few dozen bacon strips for a big gathering, bacon done in the oven is very efficient.
Grill bacon whenever you can because people will gather around and talk while you are cooking the smoky bacon, and they may even sample a few – so make sure you have some extra.
Sautéing Bacon in the Fry Pan
The quickest method to prepare bacon is to fry it. Pan-fried bacon, on the other hand, can become greasy and may splatter. But you can put a lit on the pan, then remove the pan from the stovetop for 20-30 seconds before removing the lid to check or turn the bacon.
How to Reduce the Greasiness of Pay Fried Bacon
When you cook bacon, the fat renders and melts and drips down off the strips, collecting in the pan before dripping back onto the meat.
The best way to remove the bacon lard is with absorbent paper towels. Gently pat the bacon on both sides with absorbent paper. You should also then let the bacon rest for 1 to 2 minutes sitting on a new piece of absorbent towel.
I find cooking bacon using a frypan, or a skillet that has a ripped bottom rather than a flat bottom produces much crispier and dryer bacon.
Having said that, you can drain the majority of the bacon fat as you cook. Once the strips are cooked, lay slices on top of a paper towel (and press dry with another) to absorb most of the leftover grease.
The fact that frying bacon in a pan may yield a greasy cover on the stovetop is what deters many chefs from doing so. Some chefs use a round splatter mesh or guard to keep the mess to a minimum. However, not everyone has one or wants to purchase one.
Advantages of Cooking Bacon by Grilling
There are different methods of grilling bacon; some involve using a flat hot iron, others cook the bacon on the open grill part of the barbecue, well others will actually smoke it by closing the lid of the grill.
Open of course there are different types of grills, electric, gas, charcoal and wood smoking grills like the tracker.
Don’t get me wrong: bacon barbecued over charcoal is delicious. But nothing beats firewood for flavoring your meal. Always utilize hardwood and, whenever in doubt, use apple, cherry, hickory, or oak.
If your gas grill has a pull-out box for smoking, then employ it to produce smoked bacon by placing wet wood chips in it.
How To Smoke Bacon Using Foil
Build a homemade bacon smoker by
- enveloping some wood chips in aluminum foil
- and punching a few holes into the top.
- then get this hot and smoking on your grill
- Start the bacon cooking and close the lid.
Other Ways to Cook Bacon on The Grill
Using The Grate: As you grill the bacon on the grilling grate, the fat runs out and collects in the fat-collecting pan. When the bacon is done, it’s golden brown, strongly smoked, and extremely tasty—a combination that few eaters can resist.
Grilling bacon, on the other hand, maybe tricky: with such fat, bacon burns rapidly, be it on the BBQ grill, on coals, charcoal, or gas. And, as every father who has ever barbecued knows, flames are really the enemy of well-cooked meat.
Cook your bacon over indirect heat to avoid flare-ups on your grill. There would be no flare-ups if there is no flame right underneath.
Grilled Bacon Tastes Different to Fried Bacon – Why?
Grilling foods like bacon creates a smoky flavor that many people enjoy.
Grilled bacon is delicious because it caramelizes the sugars in the meat. Fried bacon doesn’t caramelize the sugars in quite the same way, so it tends to be drier than grilled bacon.
Finally, serve the bacon with a side dish of mashed potatoes or cornbread to soak up the juices.
Is Grilling and Frying Bacon the Same Thing
Grilling and frying bacon are two different ways to cook bacon. However, when grilling bacon, you’re actually cooking it over direct heat. On the other hand, when frying bacon, you’re cooking it in oil (even its own oil) at a lower temperature.
When grilling bacon, you should use indirect heat (heat source away from food) and keep the grill lid closed. This prevents grease drippings from flaming up.
On the other hand, when fried bacon, you should use direct heat (heat source right next to food) and leave the lid open and using a ribbed pan will allow excess fat to drip out.
Have You Tried Dipping Bacon in Flour Before Cooking It
This tip comes straight out of my own experience. I’ve been making bacon since I was a kid, and I’ve never dipped it in flour before cooking it. But when I did try this trick, I noticed a huge difference in taste. The bacon became crispy and delicious! So now, whenever I’m grilling bacon, I dip it in flour first.
Conclusion:
Which is best when it comes to cooking bacon
- If you’re pressed for time, cook in a pan.
- Grill Bacon for the best overall taste profile
- If you have a big group to feed with bacon, use an oven to render the bacon tasty, and you can do several trays of bacon at one.
- For a Crowd, see our table on how much bacon per person.