How to Microwave Bacon
Believe it or not, your microwave is capable of making crispy, delicious bacon. Using the microwave to cook bacon avoids all of the mess that comes with frying bacon on the stovetop or baking it in the oven. Fair warning — once you learn how easy bacon is to cook in the microwave, your bacon consumption may go up! And, you may not go back to using your stove or oven. Add a satisfying and salty crunch to baked potato, give texture to a creamy soup, or even top a cupcake for a salty-sweet treat if that’s your thing.
Important Note: When taking the Anyday dish out of the microwave, carefully place it on a dry kitchen towel or trivet. Placing the Anyday onto a cold counter or in the sink may cause the dish to crack when it’s holding hot bacon fat.
Why Use An Anyday? Anyday shallow dishes are great for fitting as many as 4-5 strips of bacon in the dish at one time — and you can layer even more strips separated by paper towels. The silicone-lined lid traps all of the grease in the dish, keeping it off the walls of your microwave.
What You’ll Need
What You’ll Need
The Medium Shallow Dish
The Large Shallow Dish
The Anyhand Mitts
Ingredients
- 2-4 strips bacon
Preparation
- In a single layer, add as much bacon as you can fit in the Anyday shallow dish. Cut the bacon strips in half to fit more in the dish.
- Cover with lid (knob lifted) and cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, or until bacon is as crispy as you like. Add more time in 30-second intervals as needed.
- Remove bacon from the Anyday dish, allowing excess bacon grease to drip off, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Discard or save the remaining bacon grease. Bacon will crisp slightly as it cools.
Serving suggestions & tips
- Sweet and Spicy: Drizzle some chili crunch and a sprinkle of brown sugar over cooked bacon for a sweet and spicy touch.
- Miso Tahini Bacon: Brush the raw bacon with a paste of equal parts miso and tahini dissolved in warm water, then cook until crispy. (This miso and tahini paste after would also make a delicious sandwich spread or ramen topping.)
- Quick Flavor Cubes: Chop the cooked bacon and pack into a silicone ice cube tray. Pour melted butter or extra virgin olive oil and freeze. Use these frozen cubes as a quick sauce base, or add to mac and cheese, baked potatoes, and more.
- Bacon Chili Crisp: Chop leftover crispy bacon and add to our homemade chili crisp for a major flavor boost. (This will keep in the refrigerator up to one week.)
- Bacon and Apple Vinaigrette: Chop extra crispy bacon and combine with a 1:2 balsamic vinegar to olive oil mixture. Add diced apple and honey for a delicious salad dressing.
Recipe notes
- The bacon fat that is collected at the bottom of the dish can be stored in the fridge and saved for another use. Whisk leftover bacon fat into vinaigrettes, toss with potatoes for roasting, and sauté veggies.
- For chewier bacon, start by cooking the bacon for 5 minutes and add 30-second intervals as needed . For crispier bacon, cook for an additional 15-30 seconds to achieve the desired doneness.
- To make bacon bits for a salad topping, cook the bacon and then chop or crumble.
- Microwave ovens vary, even with the same wattages. Adjust cooking times as needed.
Microwave Match Up: Bacon
See for yourself— microwaving bacon is simply faster, start to finish.
| Appliance | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| Microwave in an Anyday dish | 4-6 mins |
| Oven* | 25-30 mins |
| Stovetop | 15 mins |
| Air Fryer | 10 mins |
Step-by-Step: Bacon
All You Need to Know About Microwaving Bacon
How long does bacon take to cook in the microwave?
| Ingredient | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| 2-4 strips bacon | 4-6 mins |
Cooking bacon in the microwave is a quick, easy, and foolproof. Depending on the thickness of the bacon slices and the wattage of your microwave, cooking time can vary between 4-7 minutes. We recommend cooking 2-4 strips of bacon in an Anyday dish for about 4-5 minutes, and then adding additional cooking time 30-second increments if needed.
Do you need paper towels to microwave bacon?
While you do not need paper towels to cook bacon in the microwave, you may use paper towels to blot excess fat from the cooked bacon. If you don't need to save the bacon fat, lining the Anyday with a paper towel makes clean up a breeze. The towel will soak up all the excess grease and make your bacon extra crispy.
Do you need to flip bacon in the microwave?
You do not need to flip bacon halfway through cooking in the microwave. Unlike cooking on a stovetop, the microwave cooks the bacon evenly on both sides without the need to flip it.
How to freeze microwave bacon?
While you can freeze cooked bacon, it won’t retain much of its crispiness after its thawed. This bacon is best for soup or sauce recipes, when you want the flavor but not the work. To prepare bacon for freezing, cook it for 4-5 minutes, or until rendered but not totally crisp. Allow it to cool completely and place the bacon in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least one hour. Once frozen, transfer the bacon to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to six months.
How to render bacon fat in the microwave?
When cooked properly, bacon can offer an exciting bonus use— bacon fat! When you use an Anyday to microwave bacon, you capture all of that liquid gold (aka bacon fat/grease) once the bacon's done cooking. To store bacon fat, run it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any extra pieces. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week. You can use the bacon fat to cook pancakes, toss with roasted potatoes for a meaty flavor, or fry an egg!
How to make pre-cooked bacon in the microwave?
You can cook raw bacon in the microwave, but you can also crisp up pre-cooked bacon! Microwave pre-cooked bacon for 15-30 seconds per slice, checking frequently to avoid overcooking. For larger portions, it may be necessary to heat the bacon in batches. Once heated, carefully remove the plate from the microwave using oven mitts or a towel, and let the bacon cool for a few seconds before serving.
How to cook turkey bacon in the microwave?
Turkey bacon contains less fat compared to pork bacon, making it a popular option for those seeking pork alternatives or a leaner option. Because turkey bacon contains less fat, it takes less time to cook in the microwave. Add as many slices of turkey bacon as you can fit in a single layer in the Anyday dish, and cook for 4-6 minutes or until heated through and crisp to your liking. Turkey bacon can overcook quickly and become leathery and unappetizing — we recommend starting with less time, checking the bacon, and adding more cooking time if desired.
How do you know when bacon is properly cooked?
You can tell when bacon is properly cooked when when it turns from light pink to golden brown and the fat has rendered out. Most bacon found in the grocery store comes pre-smoked or cured, making it very easy to cook at home. It simply comes down to preference— do you like your bacon crispy? Soft? Maybe you like a combination of both.
Do you need oil or butter to cook bacon?
We do not recommend using oil or butter to cook bacon in the microwave, as bacon already contains enough fat to cook properly. Adding oil or butter adds unnecessary fat, and may result in burned or unappetizing bacon.
