A viral TikTok video claims that the ‘best’ way to cook bacon is not by frying it in oil, but by using a different ingredient instead – and the results are ‘super crispy’
Cooking bacon might seem like a simple task, but it often ends up burnt and bone-dry. The most common methods of cooking this staple ingredient appear to be in a frying pan with oil, in the oven or perhaps the air fryer – but this genius hack will change the way you cook bacon forever.
Bacon cooked in the frying pan usually yields the best results, but using oil isn’t always the best option. TikTok’s @chefkevin has uncovered the secret to perfect crispy bacon without the burn and has shared his top tips for getting it right every time.
He posted a video claiming that the “best way to cook bacon” is to replace oil with water. Kevin explained: “First you want to make sure that you’re cooking off the fat.”
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He continued: “When the water evaporates, you’re going to get the crispiest bacon ever. In a cold pan, lay the bacon out flat and add a little bit of water. You want just enough water to just cover it. Place your pan on a stove on high heat. This will slowly reduce the water until it completely evaporates – this will take a couple of minutes.
“Once the water has evaporated, your bacon will start to crisp up. Make sure you keep your eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Once the underside has some colour on it, flip your bacon and cook as you usually would on this side for about a minute or two and flip again. You can turn down the heat if you feel it’s cooking too fast.”
Kevin claimed that the bacon is going to be “super crispy” and “beautiful” when using this method “because you cooked the fat first”. He also recommended: “Once you’ve sizzled up your bacon, be sure to give it a chance to drain on some kitchen paper before you dive in.”
Savvy TikTokers are loving this tip, flooding the comments with praise. @rosezeetah chimed in with: “Facts! Best bacon I’ve ever had!,” reports the Express.
Another user shared her own method to cooking bacon, adding: “I boil it off in my cast iron too and it goes perfectly crispy. It makes the best bacon every time!” However one user had a warod of warning about this meethod, they penned: “This worked great for me. Just don’t be dumb and be careful. Don’t put bacon into already boiling water.”
