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Bacon is a salted meat product that producers receive as a result of specific fattening and keeping pigs. It is a product with a uniform combination of meat and fat.
In modern cooking, bacon has become an integral part of many dishes. A distinctive feature is that you can eat bacon as an independent dish and as an additive to others.
How Is Bacon Made?
For the production of bacon, manufacturers use young pork, suitable for some requirements:
- age – from 6 to 8 months
- live weight – 81.9-106.4 kg
- the body is long and not too fat the
- the head is of medium length
- light neck and shoulders
- deep chest with well-rounded ribs
- well developed ham
- long soft bristles
- thin bones
To make bacon of high quality, producers specially fatten pigs. It is necessary so that the meat is juicy and the fat percentage is high enough. Good bacon should have the following qualities:
- the meat of a young animal with a large weight
- tender and juicy meat (the result of fattening)
- meat and lard should be lightly salted, but not bland
- there should be an established normal ratio between the amount of fat
Pros And Cons
Bacon consists of meat and fat, so the question of the usefulness of the product is controversial. Pork meat is famous for its vitamin and nutrient composition.
Among the beneficial properties of pork cuts:
- improving the functionality of the nervous system
- prolonging the youth of the skin
- accelerating metabolism
- increasing the percentage of digestibility of food products additional protection of the heart and blood vessels from possible diseases
- normalization of cholesterol levels
- strengthens the immunity of the muscle corset
- a set of high-quality muscle mass
Fat also makes the product more harmful to the body. Fat increases the caloric content of bacon to 550 calories per 100 grams. Also, the contraindications of bacon depending on the chosen method of heat treatment. Bacon is dangerous:
- high-calorie content
- high concentration of cholesterol
- an abundance of “empty” carbohydrates
- the disproportionate concentration of fatty acids
Who can’t eat meat? Bacon is a prohibited product for young children, just like any other fatty, smoked, and overly seasoned meat. The reason is an increase in the risk of developing cancer.
Scientists record an increase in the number of children suffering from stomach cancer and associate it with the wrong eating habits of the family. The child’s immunity will weaken sharply, and his well-being will worsen after each intake of a heavy fatty product.
Also, bacon is forbidden for patients with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and with individual intolerance to the product or components included in the composition.
Bacon selection and storage
- You have to find the perfect value-for-money ratio for yourself. Get acquainted with the average price, and with the help of simple mathematical manipulations and observation, find the ideal option.
- The next step is to study the composition. The natural composition of bacon is brine and meat.
- Next, pay attention to the color. If you decide to buy a vacuum-packed product, then choose a transparent package to better see the meat. The shade can vary from light to dark brown, red and white inclusions are allowed. Make sure that there is no rot, fungus, and other traces of poor quality of the cut on the surface.
- The texture of the ingredient should be uniform: the meat should exactly alternate with pieces of fat, without being covered with spots or tears.
- Next – the skin. It has absolutely no meaning, and the presence of the skin is dictated only by your preferences. The final step is the implementation period. Choose the freshest meat possible, which is firmly packed.
Using bacon in cooking
Bacon is one of the most popular cuts of pork. You can use it to prepare: minced meat with other types of meat
- pickled snacks
- smoked snacks
- English breakfasts
- first and second courses
- salads
You can also eat bacon as an independent dish.
Will bacon splatter in the oven?
Many novice cooks are wondering: does bacon sprinkle in the oven? Professional chefs claim that you will not encounter such a problem. Bacon in the oven will sizzle, but not splash.
You will encounter the problem of jumping fat only if you want to fry bacon in a frying pan. Take a baking sheet with a side to avoid pouring out the fat. You can also line the mold with foil to make it easier to separate the bacon from the surface.
Will parchment paper catch on fire in the oven?
Instead of foil, you can cover the baking sheet with parchment paper. The parchment paper will darken a little in the oven, but it will not light up. Manufacturers specially produce baking material from heat-resistant substances.
Parchment paper will help the bacon not stick to the surface of the baking sheet. Baking in the oven is not the only way to use paper. You can use the material for baking in the microwave, for serving and serving dishes,
How does Rachael Ray cook bacon in the oven?
You won’t be able to find a recipe easier than Rachel Ray’s. You won’t need anything but an oven and bacon. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
Next, make slits in the bacon and put the bacon on a baking sheet. You can also use a baking tray with a side so that the fat does not spill out. The baking time is 15 minutes. The bacon crust will turn out crispy and delicious.
How does Martha Stewart cook bacon in the oven?
Martha Stewart has developed a method of preparing bacon “without splashes”. Following her advice, you will be able to get crispy bacon quickly and easily. You will need a baking sheet with sides, parchment paper, and bacon.
Then just follow the instructions from Martha Stewart:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place several sheets of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Place the bacon on parchment paper.
- Baking time – 20 minutes.
This method will not take any extra effort from you to flip the bacon. You can also adjust the cooking time yourself.
How does Gordon Ramsay cook bacon?
Gordon Ramsay came up with an unusual way of cooking bacon – caramelization. To repeat the success of the famous chef, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- bacon – 200 gr
- sugar – 3 tbsp
- butter – 50 grams
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Preheat a frying pan, add butter to it.
- Add sugar to the butter and wait until it turns a light brown shade.
- Fry the bacon on all sides.
Caramelization prevents the fat from splashing and spilling out of the bacon.
How to cook bacon in the oven with aluminum foil
An effective way to cook bacon is to use aluminum foil. Prepare the following:
- bacon – 0.4 kg
- foil (several sheets)
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Cut off excess fat from the bacon. Cut the product into slices.
- Turn on the oven and preheat it to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Place the aluminum foil on a baking sheet.
- Spread the bacon slices on the foil.
- Put the baking sheet in the oven. The baking time is 20 minutes.
- Take a plate and put paper towels on it. Spread the bacon there, it will absorb excess fat.
How to cook bacon in the oven without a rack
The rack is not a prerequisite for cooking bacon in the oven. Prepare bacon, foil, or parchment paper. Next, the sequence of actions will be as follows:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). The warm-up time is 10 minutes.
- Wrap the baking sheet with foil. Cover it all, including the sides. It will prevent the bacon from sticking to the surface of the baking sheet and simplify its subsequent cleaning.
- Do not use the shelf, put the baking tray in the oven without it.
- Place the bacon on the foil. Be sure to leave a small distance between the bacon pieces.
- Bake the bacon for 20 minutes. You can adjust the cooking time to make the bacon crispy.
How long do you cook bacon in the oven?
The cooking time of bacon in the oven depends on several factors:
- the thickness of the bacon
- the power of the oven
- the desired degree of crispness
The standard baking time is 15 minutes. However, you can make the bacon softer and put the pan in the oven for 10 minutes. If you want to get a crispy crust, increase the time to 20 minutes.
It is significant not to remove excess fat from the baking tray during cooking, otherwise, the product will turn out dry. It is better to remove excess fat after the baking process. Just put a paper towel on a plate, it will absorb the fat in the bacon.
How to slow cook bacon in the oven
To avoid splashing bacon on the walls of your kitchen, choose a slow cooking method. Also, this method will save you from accidental burning of the product. Despite the slow cooking method, the bacon will turn out crispy and juicy.
You will need:
- a baking tray with sides,
- parchment or aluminum foil
- tongs
- plate
To cook the bacon slowly, follow the step-by-step cooking technology:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Place foil or parchment paper on a baking sheet or grate.
- Place the bacon on a baking sheet.
- Maintain the oven temperature throughout the cooking time. The baking time is 30 minutes.
How to cook bacon in the oven with a rack
Each oven has a cooling grill. It allows you to cook dishes slower, but more efficiently. The rack also reduces the likelihood of burning the dish. This device will help you make bacon crispy, but juicy inside. What is the rack used for?
Many beginners are faced with the fact that their bacon burns or turns out to be too soft. Let’s try another cooking method!
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Take the rack and place the foil on it. Parchment paper is not suitable for interaction with open metal.
- Take the bacon slices and twist them into pigtails.
- Place the rolled bacon on the rack.
- Put the bacon in the oven. The baking time is 30 minutes at the same temperature.
The main feature of this method is twisting into a pigtail. It helps to keep the fat inside the bacon.
How to cook bacon in the oven with parchment paper
Parchment paper is what will help you keep bacon greasy and prevent the dish from burning. Parchment paper is not suitable for contact with the rack, but it will be good to contact with the baking sheet. The cooking process will be as follows:
- Spread the parchment paper on a baking sheet and place it on the central rack.
- Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 20 minutes, until it turns golden brown. The time may vary depending on the thickness of the slices.
- When the cooking time is over, place the slices on a paper towel. They will absorb the leaking fat.
Closing
Bacon is a great snack on your table. You can consume the product both raw and cooked. Canned pork can give a great taste and juiciness to any side dish with which you serve it. You can also use bacon as a layer to roast meat or an element of canape.
Experts cannot call bacon a beneficial product, as it consists of meat and fat. Fat makes bacon very high in calories. Bacon also increases cholesterol levels in the body and contributes to the development of obesity.
However, if you consume the product in limited quantities, it will not harm you. You can choose any cooking method, the main thing is not to cut off fat during cooking. It is better to blot the baked bacon with napkins so that the liquid fat goes away.