How to Cook Bacon Without Smoke? (2 Ways)

Bacon is one of the favorite food items for Americans. According to research conducted at the end of 2020, 268.04 Million people consumed bacon in that year. It is safe to say that Americans love this crispy meat. However, cooking bacon can be a tricky and ‘smoky’ process. It often makes people wonder that is there any way of cooking this meat without turning your house into a smoking chimney?

Yes, there are two ways to cook bacon without filling your house with smoke. If you are cooking on a stove, you need to lower the heat. Secondly, you can cook an entire pound of bacon with minimal splatters and no smoke with the help of an oven.

Both oven and stove cooked styles can provide you with delicious results. However, there are certain tricks and tips that you need to keep in mind while going ahead with these recipes. Continue reading this article to gather all the information you need to cook the perfect smoke-free bacon.

How to Cook Bacon In an Oven Without Smoke

There are many different ways of cooking bacon. Some people like to deep fry it, whereas others cook it on a skillet. However, if you are looking for a large quantity of meat without smoking up your house, using an oven is your best option.

You must keep in mind that using the oven is not the best option if you want to cook for one person or need the bacon grease to cook something else. You can just use a skillet for cooking 2-3 pieces and enjoying your snack if you are cooking for yourself.

With these exceptions aside, let’s look at how you can cook the perfect bacon without producing smoke in an oven.

Step 1: Preheat The Oven and Align The Pan

Getting the oven extremely hot is essential to obtain that desired crispiness from your bacon. For the first step, you need to preheat the oven to 480 degrees. You should also line your oven plate with foil paper as it will make the clean-up process super easy.

Step 2: Use a Cooling Rack

This step might come in as a bonus tip. If you like your bacon extra crispy, you can put a cooling rack on your oven plate. This will result in your bacon being cooked evenly from all sides.

It is not a deal-breaker in any sense. If you don’t have a cooling rack or don’t want that extra crisp from your bacon, you can move ahead and skip this step. It will not make a substantial difference in the final outcome.

Step 3: Put The Bacon in The Oven

Before moving to this step, you need to ensure that the oven is preheated. Once this is done, you can go ahead and lay the bacon strips on the pan or cooling rack. Place the strips closely but make sure that you don’t stack them on top of each other.

Let the bacon cook for 20 minutes. You can go and grab a coffee during this time. But make sure to come and check up on them in 15 to ensure that they don’t get crispier than you like

Step 4: Drain The Extra Fat

Once the strips are cooked, lift them off the oven plate and place them on a bunch of tissues or a paper towel to remove the excess grease. There you go. Your delicious bacon strips are all done!

Step 5: Store The Fat

It’s not only the bacon strips that can make your meal happier. You can store the excess fat in a glass container and use it for cooking eggs, popcorns, and vegetables to get the extra flavor.

How To Cook Bacon On a Stove Without Smoke

Using a stove is probably the most conventional way of cooking bacon in an American household. It is a straightforward method and provides you with even crispiness. It can be the best option if you want to cook for only three to four people.

Here is a step-by-step guide for you to cook bacon on a stove without filling up your house with smoke.

Step 1: Start With a Cold Pan

For the first step, you need to place the bacon strips on a cold pan. You can put them close to each other but avoid overlapping. You can cover the entire pan since bacon shrinks while cooking.

Step 2: Keep The Heat Low and Be Patient

This is the key step. To avoid smoking up your house, you need to keep the stove heat low and allow the bacon to cook slowly. Bacon is best cooked slow since it releases fat and cooks in its own grease.

Flip the bacon to cook on the other side once you realize that the strips are starting to curl. Constantly turn and flip the pieces to make sure they are cooked evenly.

Step 3: Separate The Grease

Once you notice that the strips are just about ready, you need to pour off the excess grease from the pan. You can just use a metal spoon to take out the extra fat. However, if the bacon is extremely fatty, you can use a bulb baster and transfer the grease into a glass container.

Pro Tip: Ensure to turn off the gas before separating the excess fat since it is highly flammable and can cause a grease fire.

Step 4: Wait For The Bacon To be Completely Cooked

Okay, when is the bacon completely done? That depends on how you like it. Some people prefer it to be super crispy, while others like it slightly soft. In general, you should ensure even browning on the stripes and a loss in the raw redness of the meat to declare it as ‘completely cooked’.

Please keep in mind that your bacon will continue to cook for a while after removing it from the stove. It will also tighten up a bit upon cooling.

Step 5: Allow The Cooked Bacon To Drain

Let the bacon drain. You can remove the stripes from the stove and put them on a paper towel with the help of tongs. Wait for the excess fat to get deposited on the piece of towel.

Step 6: Repeat The Cycle for The remaining Pieces

If you have more bacon to tend to, you can cook them in batches by following the same process. If you notice a brown crust on the button of your pan, allow it to cool down and wipe it clean before resuming the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can bacon catch fire while cooking in the oven?

There is a possibility of a mild fire if the batter of your bacon overflows and spills to the bottom. Cooking your bacon with excess fat and grease can in an oven can also cause it to catch fire.

2. Is it necessary to rinse your bacon before cooking?

Yes! Rinse your bacon before putting it on the stove or in the oven. Let your bacon soak in ice-cold water for 3-4 minutes, and then dry it with a paper towel. This will prevent it from spattering and shrinking.

3. What is the nutritional composition of bacon?

The nutritional composition of bacon depends on the type you choose to buy. However, there are 44 calories, including 3.5 grams of fat, in a single piece of baked bacon in general terms.