Bacon on a Carnivore Plate: Buying, Cooking, and Using Every Bit
Bacon is simple to cook, easy to store, and versatile with almost any animal-based meal. Whether you want crispy slices for breakfast, bacon fat for searing steaks, or economical ways to stock up, a little planning goes a long way. Here is a practical guide to choosing good bacon, cooking it well, saving the drippings, and making the most of your budget.
Start by knowing the main types. The classic in most U.S. stores is streaky bacon, sliced from pork belly and rich in fat. Back bacon comes from the loin and is leaner, sometimes labeled Canadian bacon and cured like ham. Jowl bacon is from the cheek, with a deep pork flavor and more collagen. Cottage bacon uses pork shoulder and tends to be meatier. You may also see pancetta (Italian belly, usually rolled and unsmoked) and guanciale (cheek, usually unsmoked). Pancetta and guanciale typically need cooking just like bacon and are great for dicing into dishes.
Look at the ingredient list and style of cure. Dry-cured bacon is rubbed with salt and seasonings and often tastes more concentrated. Wet-cured is brined and can be a bit milder. If you prefer no sweetness, choose options without sugar or sweeteners and look for simple labels that read pork and salt, with optional spices. Smoked bacon varies by wood: applewood and cherry give a gentle sweetness, while hickory and oak are bolder. None is better by default; pick what suits your taste and your recipes.
Thickness matters. Standard slices are about 1/16 inch and crisp quickly, ideal for piling on a plate or crumbling. Thick-cut is closer to 1/8 inch and stays chewier in the center with a good crust. For recipes that cook longer, like wrapping a roast or weaving around a meatloaf, thick-cut holds up better. If you buy a whole slab (belly or jowl) and slice it yourself, you can choose the thickness you want for each use.
Budget tips start at the meat counter. Compare unit prices across brands and package sizes, not just the sticker price. Ends and pieces are often sold in bulk bags at a lower cost per pound; they are irregularly cut but perfect for dicing, rendering, and mixing into ground beef. Warehouse clubs sometimes carry 3 to 5 pound packs that are easy to portion and freeze. Buying a small whole belly and having the butcher slice it can be cost effective, and you control thickness. If you are strict about ingredients, check labels carefully in the discount bin and watch for added sugars or flavorings you may not want.
Oven baking is the most consistent way to cook bacon hands-off. Set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup, lay the slices in a single layer without overlap, and bake 12 to 18 minutes depending on thickness and how crisp you like it. For extra even results, use a wire rack over the sheet so fat drips away and air circulates around the slices; flip once at the 10 minute mark if needed. To finish with extra crisp edges, switch to broil for the last 1 to 2 minutes and watch closely.
A skillet gives great flavor and control. Use a heavy pan, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Start with the bacon in a cold pan so fat renders gradually. Cook 8 to 12 minutes, turning as needed. For less splatter and more even rendering, try the water method: add enough water to just cover the bacon, bring it to a simmer, and cook until the water evaporates; the fat renders as it simmers and the bacon then crisps in its own fat. Reduce heat slightly once the water is gone so it does not scorch. A splatter screen keeps your stovetop cleaner.
Air fryers and grills also work well. In an air fryer, cook at 360 to 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 12 minutes in a single layer, shaking or flipping halfway. On a grill, place bacon on a griddle plate or foil over medium heat so fat does not drip directly into the fire. Close the lid to maintain an even temperature and cook 10 to 15 minutes, turning once. For a fast single serving, the microwave can help: lay bacon between paper towels on a microwave-safe plate and cook 3 to 6 minutes based on thickness and wattage, checking every 30 to 60 seconds near the end.
Save the bacon fat. It is liquid gold for carnivore cooking and adds flavor to steaks, burgers, eggs, and liver. After cooking, let the fat cool slightly, then pour it through a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter into a clean, dry jar. Bits left in the fat can shorten its storage life, so straining helps. Keep it covered in the fridge for longest life. Use a dry spoon each time; water in the jar can cause popping in the pan. Bacon fat shines when searing steaks, frying burger patties, crisping chicken skin, cooking scrambled or fried eggs, and browning ground meat. A teaspoon in a pan can also help render harder fats from leaner cuts.
Storage and meal prep are straightforward. Unopened raw bacon stores well in the fridge until the date on the package; once opened, plan to cook it within about a week. For longer storage, freeze unopened packs or portion slices into freezer bags with parchment between layers. Cooked bacon keeps its best texture for about 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 to 7 minutes. For travel, pack cooked bacon in a sealed container and keep it cold in a cooler with ice packs. Shelf-stable pre-cooked options exist for convenience; check the ingredients and choose the simplest options you can find.
There are many ways to use bacon beyond strips. Dice thick-cut bacon or ends and pieces and render slowly to make lardons; scatter them over a plate of eggs or mix into ground beef for burgers with a richer fat profile. Wrap bacon around leaner cuts like pork tenderloin, chicken breast, or scallops to add fat and flavor and help prevent dryness; if grilling bacon-wrapped items, use indirect heat so the outside does not burn before the center is done. A bacon weave can blanket a meatloaf or a fatty sausage roll; bake at 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the weave is crisp and the interior meat is cooked through.
If you like projects, making bacon at home is easier than it looks. Buy a 5 to 10 pound pork belly, skin on or off. Weigh the meat and mix a cure at about 2.5 to 3 percent salt by weight. Many people also use curing salt number 1 at about 0.25 percent for traditional color and preservation; follow the directions on the curing salt and measure carefully. Rub the cure evenly over all surfaces, place the belly in a zip bag or sealed container, and refrigerate 5 to 10 days, turning daily. Rinse, pat dry, and rest uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight to form a tacky surface. Smoke at 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit until it reaches about 145 degrees internal temperature, or roast in a 200 degree oven until the same internal temperature. Chill thoroughly before slicing so it cuts cleanly. A long slicing knife or a dedicated slicer helps with even slices.
Regional and style differences bring variety. British-style back bacon eats more like a small chop; cook it in a skillet over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. Pancetta and guanciale are typically unsmoked and saltier; dice and render slowly to avoid burning, and taste before adding extra salt to a dish. Jowl bacon renders a lot of flavorful fat and stays meaty; it is excellent for lardons and for wrapping roasts.
A few small tweaks can improve your results. If slices curl, score the edges lightly with a knife or use a bacon press. If bacon is burning before it crisps, lower the heat or the oven to 375 degrees. If sweet-cured bacon darkens too quickly, cook at a slightly lower temperature and finish under the broiler for a minute. For easier cleanup, line pans with foil or parchment and pour cooled fat into a jar before the pan fully cools, while it is still pourable. If you want exceptionally flat slices for sandwiches or plating, bake between two sheet pans lined with parchment.
Bacon is adaptable, affordable when you shop smart, and easy to batch cook. Choose the cut and thickness that fit your plans, keep a jar of strained bacon fat ready, and use steady heat for crisp results. With a few reliable methods and a couple of cost-saving habits, you can keep bacon on hand for quick meals, flavor boosts, and satisfying add-ons throughout the week.