Full Bacon Rasher Recipe

Bring ingredients to temperature

Remove bacon from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. This helps the bacon cook more evenly.

Preheat pan or oven

Choose your cooking method: stovetop or oven. For stovetop, place a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. For oven, preheat to 200°C (400°F) and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and a wire rack.

Start the pan

If using the skillet, add 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter to the skillet. Heat until the butter melts and begins to foam but not brown, about 1 minute. The oil raises the butter’s smoke point and helps even browning.

Arrange bacon

Lay the 6 bacon rashers in a single layer in the skillet or on the rack-lined sheet without overlapping. Overcrowding will cause uneven cooking.

Cook and render

Stovetop: Cook rashers over medium heat, turning every 2–3 minutes with tongs so both sides brown and fat renders evenly. Total time 8–12 minutes depending on thickness and desired crispness. Oven: Bake on the rack for 12–18 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, until edges are browned and fat is rendered.

Optional glaze (for sweet-savory bacon)

If glazing, during the last 2 minutes of cooking sprinkle 1 tbs brown sugar evenly over the rashers, then drizzle 1 tbs maple syrup. Flip once to coat both sides and allow sugar to caramelize slightly. Watch carefully — sugar can burn quickly.

Season

When rashers reach desired doneness, transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess fat. Lightly crack 1 tsp black pepper over the rashers while hot. (Do not add salt unless the bacon is unsalted; most bacon is already salty.)

Finish and serve

Sprinkle 1 tbs chopped chives or parsley if using. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.

Pan cleanup tip

Allow leftover bacon fat to cool slightly, then pour through a fine sieve into a jar to store in the refrigerator for future cooking (up to 1 month). Wipe remaining residue from the pan once cooled.