Most people cook their bacon stove-top. Recently, baking it in the oven has gained popularity.
Now, as the weather warms, we’d like to introduce you to a new cooking method: grilling.
It’s a fantastic way to cook your bacon without heating up your house while infusing extra flavor from the grilling process. Plus, clean-up is a whole lot easier!
But grilling bacon takes a bit more finesse than simply firing up the grill and tossing it over the grates. As the fat renders it can catch fire and cause flare-ups, resulting in hot spots, burnt bacon, and even a grill fire.
Here’s how to grill bacon the right way.
Preheat Your Grill
If you’re cooking with charcoal, light the briquettes and let them burn down. Once they’re pre-heated, spread them out along the bottom of one half of the grill. If desired, place a drip pan on the other side to keep things clean.
If you’re using a gas grill, light all the burners while you allow the grill to preheat to about 400 degrees. Once it’s preheated, turn off one burner.
Oil Your Grill Grates
Use a grill brush or a paper towel held by tongs to oil your grill grates with vegetable oil.
Put Your Bacon on the Grill
Carefully place your bacon on the grill, perpendicular to the grill grates so it doesn’t fall through. To avoid flare-ups, you should place it on the side of the grill that no longer has direct heat.
Close the lid to create an oven-like effect in your grill.
Turn the Bacon
After about 10 minutes, flip your bacon. If it sticks, it’s not quite ready to turn – give it another couple of minutes.
Finish Cooking Your Bacon
Continue cooking until your bacon is done to your desired crispness, turning again as necessary. To crisp it up at the end you may want to place it over the flames when it is nearly done to finish it. If you opt for this, keep a close eye on your bacon and never leave it unattended to avoid a grill fire..
Personalize It
Get creative and make it yours! Some fun ways to personalize your grilled bacon:
– Put wood chips in the grill for some added smoked flavor.
– Thread your bacon onto skewers to make it easier to flip.
– Brush your bacon with a flavorful glaze while cooking.
– Sprinkle it with brown sugar to create a candied bacon.
– Form it into a waffle weave while still raw for a sandwich topping.
– Rub additional seasonings onto your bacon for added flavor.
Since Hempler’s bacon is some of the leanest available on the market, it’s actually perfect for cooking on the grill. And if you haven’t tried our European Style Bacon, consider using it for your burgers and sandwiches. Its round shape will make sure that there’s bacon in every bite of that burger!
Have you ever grilled your bacon? What’s your best tip?
