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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

Deep Frying Bacon

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strips of bacon on wire rack over pan lined with aluminum foil

Deep-fried bacon is delicious and so easy to make.

It’s not a surprise that almost all of us love bacon. No matter what day or time it is, week day or weekend, we’re always delighted to see bacon on our table.

The next time you make bacon, if you feel curious and want to experiment with how else you can prepare bacon, why not consider deep-frying it?

I know, that sounds baffling. Can you even deep fry bacon? Well, the answer is a big YES! Deep-frying our beloved bacon always works deliciously well, and it is guaranteed to turn out how we expect the perfect bacon to be—crispy and flaky and delicious.

Keep reading to find out how to deep-fry bacon strips in this article. The process is amazingly easy, so we know you’ll find yourself running to the kitchen to deep fry some bacon for your soon-to-be-famous BLTs.


Looking for information about rendering bacon? That's a different process from cooking bacon for breakfast or to add to recipes.

Rendering bacon means you're cooking the fat out of it.

This means that you want to cook your bacon much differently--you cook it at a much lower heat to expose as much of the bacon as you can to get out as much fat as you can from the meat.

Also, most cooks render bacon by dicing it into small pieces and cooking it in a cast-iron skillet at a medium-low heat, until the bacon has shrunk to about half its size and the pan has a fairly thick layer of melted fat in the bottom. (Save that fat to make your fried eggs in for an even bigger taste treat.)

Bacon fat renders at about 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit and needs to be kept at that temperature until the bacon is fully done.


The Technicalities of Frying Bacon

If you ask a group of people, “who loves bacon?”, you’re guaranteed to hear at least one of them say, “bacon makes everything better.” We agree on this! You can pair bacon with any style of eggs or add a few slices to your favorite burger. You can also probably add this to almost any family-favorite recipe, and the dish will undoubtedly taste better with bacon.

The best thing is, there is no such thing as the right way to cook bacon. Because the truth is, you can cook it however you like. You can deep fry bacon, or cook it in a skillet or microwave, or even bake it. Name a cooking process, and it can give you a rasher of cooked bacon! You can cook bacon whichever way suits your needs and tastes at the moment.

No matter which method you choose, remember to keep the temperature high when you cook bacon. The ideal temperature range to make bacon is between 350-400° F. You can actually choose to fry bacon at a much lower temperature, but if you want to achieve a crispier, less fatty result, a high temperature is what works best.

If you’re wondering whether it is best to pan fry or deep fry bacon, both cooking methods cause the bacon to absorb more fat. Yes, it’s healthier to cook bacon in other ways, but once in a while, deep-fried bacon is a delicious treat. And if you’re in a hurry, rest assured that deep-frying bacon is faster than any other method due to the abundant amount of oil used, so bacon isn’t exposed to air and cooks more quickly.


Different Ways to Deep Fry Bacon

If you want to give deep-frying bacon a try, we’ll help walk you through the process (don’t worry; it’s simple).

You can deep-fry bacon two ways: the deep fried regular bacon (naked method) or deep fried battered bacon (batter method). The naked method is basically deep frying your bacon as it is. There are no more preparations; this method is the simplest one. On the other hand, the batter method involves covering your bacon with your homemade batter. It adds more steps and time to your prep, but oh, wow, the results taste amazing.

I like to have my bacon deep-fried using the naked method when I’m hustling to get ready for work and need to make my breakfast quickly. But if it’s the weekend and I want to be a little bit “extra”, I don’t mind the extra work to make the deep frimentioneed battered bacon. You can achieve deep-fried strips of bacon once you follow our easy steps.

How to Deep Fry Regular Bacon

plate of fried bacon on blue plate on wooden table

Deep fry a batch of bacon for your family and see how quickly it flies off the plate.

If you’re a fan of deep-fried bacon already or are just ready to try this method, here’s your easy-to-follow guide.

What You’ll Need:

  • Deep Fryer
  • Deep Frying Oil (other options: vegetable oil or peanut oil)
  • Bacon
  • Paper Towel

Directions:

  • Before starting, prepare your deep fryer and let it heat to between 350 degrees and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You can fry bacon at a lower temperature, but we recommend the temps mentioned earlier for the best, crispiest results.
  • Lay down the bacon in the basket in a straight position. Make sure they don’t overlap. If you have a bigger deep fryer, it means you can deep fry more strips of bacon at the same time. If you have the smaller one, you can always cut them in half and arrange them accordingly.
  • Submerge the basket in the hot oil. Always be careful in this step, as the bacon being placed in the hot oil can cause a backsplash. Wearing gloves is not a bad idea during this step.
  • The bacon should be deep-fried a bit less than five minutes; however, the cooking time really depends on the thickness of the bacon. Once the strips are darkened, lift the basket carefully and drain as much oil from it as you can.
  • Place the bacon on paper towels to absorb the excess oil before serving.

How to Deep Fry Battered Bacon

slice of deep fried bacon on white plate

Battered and deep-fried bacon is something you need to try at least once in your life. Yum.

First things first, you need to make your batter. You can make it from scratch, and, as we promised, the recipe is very easy to follow. Here’s everything you need:

  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups of whole milk
  • 3 cups of all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper

Directions To Make Batter:

  • Pour the flour into the bowl.
  • Add the milk. Mix the two until they reach a smooth consistency.
  • Add the eggs and whisk one last time.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Once done, place your batter inside the fridge.

To deep fry your battered bacon, this is what you need to do:

  • Cook your bacon first before you apply the batter. This step ensures that your bacon is thoroughly cooked and safe to eat.
  • Use tongs or your bare hands (make sure you wash your hands first) to coat the bacon with the batter. Dip and cover the entire strip.
  • After coating each strip of bacon, arrange them in your basket and start to deep fry them. Leave a bit of room around each piece, as the battered bacon spreads out a bit once it starts to cook.
  • Remember that your bacon is already cooked, so you just need to deep fry the batter. You need to flip each strip so that both sides are fully fried. It takes typically two minutes for each side to cook to the perfect texture and temperature.
  • Once you see that the batter is cooked, take the basket out carefully and drain off as much oil as you can.
  • Place the cooked strips of bacon on a paper towel to absorb extra oil from the deep fryer.

How to Use Deep Fried Bacon

  • Bacon and mushroom toast. Make your morning a little better by adding deep-fried bacon and sautéed mushrooms to your toast. You can up this recipe by adding your favorite cheese too!
  • Bacon-wrapped dates. Bacon and fruit? Well, why not? This commonly prepared Christmas recipe is made even better when you stuff the dates with cream cheese.
  • Deep-fried bacon and tomato salad. If you want a crunchy topping, you can add your deep-fried bacon to your favorite salad with tomatoes. The salty meat and savory vegetable meld together deliciously.
  • Kromeskies. Have you heard of this amazing treat where you wrap chicken and mushrooms with bacon? This recipe is coated with batter and full of flavors you’ll never forget once you try it.
  • Chicken fried bacon. If you are looking for an alternative appetizer or breakfast for lazy mornings, this recipe is your best bet.

bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers in pan on white cutting board on white table

Deep-fried bacon is already a universal favorite to wrap around jalapeno poppers.


Conclusion

With bacon, practically anything is possible–there are no limits. You can experiment and try lots of fun ways to make bacon even more appetizing. You can add herbs or spices to make it flavorful, or you can also try cooking it in different ways. Deep frying is certainly one of them.

Deep-frying bacon is easy, as our instructions demonstrate. Should you try the naked method or the battered method? Well, all I can say is, if you have the time and desire, try both! Always keep upping your bacon experience until you find other delectable ways to make deep-frying bacon exciting.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can you fry bacon in a deep fryer?

Yes, you can deep fry bacon in a deep fryer. Always remember to keep your temperatures high when frying bacon. This helps in achieving crispy and flavorful strips of bacon. Also, you need to find a quality oil that can surely bring the best out of your bacon. Vegetable and peanut oil are recommended. Lastly, arrange the strips in a straight position of the deep fryer’s basket. Avoid strips to overlap from each other to ensure even cooking.

How long does it take to fry bacon in a pan?

If you choose to cook your bacon over a skillet pan, you need to arrange the bacon in a straight position. Avoid overlapping the strips to make sure that each will be cooked properly. Expose the bacon over medium to high heat and cook until it becomes brown. It takes usually 2 minutes for each side to cook. Therefore, expect your bacon to cook for a total of 3 to 4 minutes in a pan.

Can you shallow fry bacon?

First things first, shallow frying is a technique using hot oil to prepare portions of meat and vegetables. This cooking technique can be applied to bacon as well. You can shallow fry bacon. The truth is, no matter what cooking method you use, bacon will be cooked. Adding a bit of oil is enough to fry them as they have fats on their own, released during the frying process. Thus, there is no problem when you choose to shallow-fry your bacon.

Can you deep fry an egg?

As surprising as it may seem, yes, you can deep fry an egg. As a matter of fact, deep frying eggs turn out to be delicious and easy to perform. You may probably think the egg gets cracked when it hits the oil, but once it gets in, it stays as a whole. You can also add bread crumbs as a technique to keep them whole, but most of the time, it works even without one.

What temperature do you deep fry bacon?

To ensure you deep fry your bacon right, you need to set your deep fryer between 350 degrees up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You can set it to a much lower temperature range, but it is best recommended to follow this to ensure a crispier and less fatty bacon. Also, a deep fryer helps in frying the bacon faster than it should than using a regular skillet pan. Precautionary measures should also be in place while deep frying the bacon as the oil may cause backlash due to the heat and the bacon’s oil.

How long does it take to fry thick bacon?

It usually takes 3 to 4 minutes for regular bacon; however, with thick ones, it could take up to 5 minutes. It actually depends on several instances. A good rule of thumb when it comes to knowing when the bacon is done is when you start noticing white foaminess forming. Once you take out the bacon from the deep fryer, it will turn good and crispy for consumption. Yet, if you like it to be less crispy, you can set your temperature low.


Additional Resources



Equipment Used

Lodge 5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Lodge 5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Pre-Seasoned Pot with Lid and Dual Loop Handle

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Max Burton #6450 Digital LCD 1800 Watt Induction Cooktop Counter Top Burner

Max Burton #6450 Digital LCD 1800 Watt Induction Cooktop Counter Top Burner

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Image Credits via Flickr: stu_spivack, Jeff Sandquist