If you want to cook slices of bacon faster, then the microwave can be the best way for you. You can make soft bacon in the microwave by using items commonly available in your kitchen.
How do you make soft bacon in the microwave? Cook soft bacon in the microwave by retaining moisture and preventing the bacon from crisping in the rendered fat. Layer bacon strips between paper towels on a microwavable plate, nuke on high for 3 minutes or until bacon is soft and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degree Fahrenheit.
You can microwave bacon without splattering your stove with grease, dirtying hot baking sheets, or messing with heavy skillets. The information provided in this article will help you understand how to make soft bacon in your microwave without making a mess and any tips and recommendations that will make the process go smoothly.
What makes bacon soft?
When cooking soft bacon in a microwave or oven, the time is reduced so that the pieces are not allowed to crisp in its own fat. However, when it is cooked on a stovetop, you would use a lid to trap the excess moisture that expels from the slices and boil the strips in their own juices until soft and tender.
There is an art to cooking soft bacon. To get lean and meaty bacon, it must be cooked enough to get a bit crispy without being flabby.
However, making soft bacon is much better with thicker strips instead of thin slices. You should choose bacon with a considerable amount of fat and meat to give a softer texture to the final result.
When you are cooking a larger number of strips, then it is better to use a frying pan on a stovetop or sheet pans in the oven so that you can avoid overcooking while keeping an eye on them throughout the entire process. But, if you have to cook a smaller amount of bacon slices, then you can use the microwave to cook them faster and with much less cleanup involved afterwards.
Consider the thickness of each strip and desired doneness when choosing the cooking technique. You don’t want to fold or overlap any slices because this will cause them to cook with varying results.
Whether you choose to cook in a skillet, oven or microwave, bacon can be made soft by adjusting the cooking time and prevent crisping the pieces in the rendered fat.
Is soft bacon safe to eat? Yes, it is safe to eat soft bacon if it is cooked properly. As long as the bacon is cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, then it is above the temperature danger zone and considered safe to eat.
How to make soft bacon in the microwave
When you are cooking bacon in the microwave, then you do not need any specific equipment to complete the process. Though you can use various microwave settings to make soft bacon, we simply recommend cooking it in a normal microwave on a microwave-safe plate with paper towels between each layer.
The process of cooking bacon on the plate starts with finding a plate that can be used safely in the microwave. Then, line the plate with 3 paper towels.
To avoid the sticking of slices of bacon you separate them. Lay down your bacon on the paper towels without touching each other so that they won’t stick together.
To reduce the mess, cover the bacon with another sheet of paper towel or use a microwave safe lid over the top. Now, microwave your slices of bacon for 3 minutes.
Your slices of bacon will be a bit soft and subtle when you cook them in a microwave. Initially, you can cook the slices of bacon for 3 minutes and then for one more minute if your preferred result it not yet achieved.
Check the slices of bacon for doneness. To cook the bacon a bit more, you can microwave for 30 seconds intervals until it reaches the desired texture.
Microwave for about 4 to 6 minutes if you really want to make crispy bacon. This happened when the cured meat is crisped up in its own rendered fat.
Can you reheat soft bacon in the microwave?
Bacon is definitely a food that tastes better when it is hot rather than cold. Cold fat and meat just doesn’t taste quite the same.
For the quickest and most effective method, reheat bacon in the microwave to fulfill the craving and hit the spot.
To reheat soft bacon in the microwave, wrap the cold strips in a piece of paper towel. Nuke on high for 30 seconds to a minute depending on the number of strips and the wattage of your microwave.
Warm the back to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in accordance with food safety guideline. Microwaving for any longer risks making the bacon crispy, and you don’t want that if you prefer soft bacon.
Tips to Microwave Soft Bacon
Amount of pieces, cooking temperature and microwave wattage will impact the speed in which the bacon is fully cooked with a soft bite. Cook the bacon so that it is tender, but doesn’t start to crisp in its own rendered fat.
Here are a few tips to microwave soft bacon in a matter of minutes:
- Use a microwave–safe plate.
- A microwave bacon cooker will help to render fat away from the bacon strip. However, you will have to watch closely because the soft bacon will cook quickly and become crispy if not stopped in time.
- Line the plate with paper towels to trap moisture and steam the bacon for a soft texture.
- Separate the bacon on the paper towels so thatch piece is not touching each other.
- If you overlap bacon strips while microwaving there is a large chance that they will stick together.
- Reduce the mess by covering the slices of bacon with another sheet of paper towel.
- Microwave for 3 minutes and check the bacon for doneness.
- If necessary, you can always cook them for 30 seconds increments until reaching perfection.
- Use caution when removing the plate from the microwave because fat cooks hotter than water, so the fat from the bacon will be extra hot.
Microwave Soft Bacon
Thick bacon is preferred over thin slices when microwaving softened bacon. Thicker pieces have more moisture, which allows the bacon to cook in its own natural juices rather than frying in rendered fat.
If you’re making a lot of bacon in a microwave at one time, then cook in layers by placing a sheet of paper towel between the strips of bacon. Steam will pass through the layers and cook the bacon with moisture, so you will get the best results.
The method of cooking 4 soft slices of bacon in a microwave is provided here under. Cook fewer number of bacon pieces as on average it takes about one minute to cook one piece.
Increase or decrease the cooking time based on number of bacon pieces and the type of microwave you are using. Start with less time, and then gradually increase in 30 second increments until you become familiar with microwaving soft bacon in your appliance.
Ingredients
- 4 strips of bacon
Instructions
- Use a microwave safe plate.
- Line with 3 sheets of paper towels.
- Lay the strip of bacon on the paper towel so that they are flat, evenly spaced apart and not touching each other.
- Cover the bacon with a sheet of paper towel.
- Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Check the bacon in between to look for preferred doneness.
- If necessary, continue microwaving for 30 second intervals until the bacon becomes soft and tender.
Notes
It may take a more or less time depending upon the wattage of the microwave, thickness of the bacon and the number of pieces you are cooking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
4 stripsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 215Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 775mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 16g