You Can Cook Bacon In A Toaster, But There's A Catch
When it comes to putting together the perfect brunch spread, one protein that's rarely missing from the table is crispy bacon. It's salty and pairs well with everything from eggs to pancakes and maple syrup, and is a side that's sure to please a crowd.
While most people make oven-baked bacon or cook it up in a frying pan or skillet, there's another way to cook bacon, and all it requires is a kitchen appliance you probably already use daily: your toaster. The toaster can help you avoid dealing with baking trays and piles of dishes that the other methods of making this side often involve. Plus, it's extremely easy to adjust how crispy you want the bacon to be since you can change your toaster's cooking time.
The only catch is if you make bacon in the toaster, you'll need to use a toaster bag. Otherwise, you may wind up with a bit of a fire hazard when trying to make this breakfast dish.
Why a toaster bag is so important for making bacon in the toaster
Bacon is a fatty meat, and when you cook it, that fat drips off it. As it melts in the oven or the skillet, the liquid will get caught in the pan. You can then scoop it out and throw it away (or use it in other recipes) once you're done cooking.
In the toaster, however, the fat drips into the machine as it cooks. This can cause a fire hazard, with the grease having direct contact with the heat source within the appliance. Toaster bags, on the other hand, catch the dripping as the bacon cooks, preventing this issue from arising at all. They're also reusable, so you can wash them and use them again to make more bacon or other recipes in your toaster later.
To make your bacon in the toaster, slip the strips into the toaster bag and then place the bag in the slots on your toaster. This will cook the bacon vertically, leading to crispy, crunchy, and evenly cooked strips without any mess or hassle.
Other surprising appliances for cooking bacon
If your toaster is already in use crisping up bread to pair with your savory side, there are other appliances you can use to cook bacon instead. One such appliance is a waffle maker. All you have to do is preheat the device and then place a strip of bacon inside it — fold it up if necessary. Close the lid and let the device work its magic. In just a few minutes, your bacon should be crispy and you can remove it from the machine.
Another option is to use your microwave. Just layer the strips of bacon between paper towels, pop them on a microwave-safe plate, and zap them on high for around three minutes. From there, if your bacon is still too soft, you can continue cooking it in 30-second bursts until it's got the crispy consistency you're after.
You could also make bacon in your air fryer. All you have to do is lay the strips in your air fryer basket and cook them for between seven and nine minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how crispy you want them to be. There's no preheating required and you'll get a tasty breakfast side in no time. So, next time you go to make bacon, know that there are plenty of ways to cook it without having to use your oven or break out a skillet!