Cooking Bacon

Cook a whole pound of bacon at once in the oven. Preheat oven to 375° F setting a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange bacon in a single layer. Bake. Begin checking for doneness after 15 minutes, but expect about 20 to 25 minutes for crispier bacon.

In smaller amounts, pan fry bacon with water: pour over just enough to almost cover a single layer. The theory is that water holds the temperature at the boiling point until it evaporates, rendering more fat (starting at 130° F) and collagen (starting at 160° F) before progressing to browning (the Maillard reaction, starting at 280° F). The bacon turns out crispy with a little more chew and tenderness, and there’s less spatter.