Best Air Fryer Bacon – How to

Cooking bacon in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to enjoy crispy, delicious bacon without the mess of other frying methods.

The air fryer’s high heat and circulating air cooks the bacon evenly in 10 minutes or less. Resulting in perfectly crispy slices every time. Air fryer bacon is also a healthier alternative to traditional frying methods as it requires less oil. As well as creating less mess.

This article will show you how to cook the best bacon in an air fryer step-by-step, including tips for achieving perfect crispiness. If you are looking to understand how to cook bacon in your air fryer this is the article for you.

You’ll love the convenience and delicious results of cooking bacon in an air fryer. It is my new favorite way to cook bacon and I bet it will be yours as well.

Why cook bacon in an air fryer?

Cooking bacon in an air fryer has several advantages over other cooking methods. By cooking bacon in your air fryer, you will find it…

Crispier – Air-fried bacon is the crispiest bacon. The combination of the heat from the heating element and the circulated hot air will crisp your bacon to perfection. If you want your bacon more or less crispy than this recipe produces, play around with the timings to serve up your bacon how you want it.

Healthier – You do not need to add any additional oil to the air fryer when cooking bacon. Unlike frying it on the hob. Air-fried bacon as a result contains fewer calories.

Produces less smoke – With an air fryer you can use the timer to avoid overcooking the bacon and by adding a little bit of water to the basket reduce the amount of smoke generated.

Is faster to clean up – By cooking the bacon in an air fryer, you will not need to worry about cleaning up fat splatters across your counter or stove top.

How long does it take to cook bacon in an air fryer?

Cooking bacon in an air fryer will take less than 10 minutes. The 10 minutes includes the pre-heating time for the air fryer.

Cooking time does vary slightly depending on the type of bacon you are cooking and how crispy you want it to be.

Thick-Cut Bacon – 8 to 10 minutes, no pre-heating needed.

Bacon Medallions – 6 to 8 minutes, no pre-heating needed.

Streaky Bacon – 8 to 10 minutes, best to pre-heat the air fryer first.

Turkey Bacon – 8 to 10 minutes, no pre-heating

How to cook bacon in an air fryer?

To cook perfect bacon every time in an air fryer, follow these simple steps…

Step 1 – Pre-Heat (optional)

If you want extra crispy bacon pre-heat the air fryer to 400 F (200 c)

Step 2 – Add oil if the air fryer basket is not non-stick (optional).

Spray or brush on one or two teaspoons of oil to the air fryer basket if it is not a non-stick one.

Step 3 – A single layer of bacon

Arrange the bacon in a single layer, making sure it is not overlapping. The bacon will cook faster this way. You might not be able to cook it all at once, so cook the bacon in batches.

Step 4 – Air fry

Depending on the type and thickness of the bacon, cook for between 6 to 10 minutes.

Step 5 – Check

Check the bacon halfway through the cooking time. You might need to re-arrange the bacon as it does shrink down as it cooks. Use tongs to avoid getting burnt.

You don’t need to turn the bacon but you can if you want.

Step 6 – More time

As all air fryers produce different results, you may need to cook the bacon for a little longer or less to crisp it to how you like your bacon.

Step 7 – Paper towels and serve.

Once your bacon is cooked to the state of crispiness you are after, use tongs to remove the bacon.

If you want to soak up any excess grease, put the bacon on paper towels before plating it.

Variations

If you want to mix it up and make your air fryer bacon stand out, add some seasoning to the bacon before you cook it.

Candied bacon is a favorite, add some brown sugar.

If not feeling that adventurous just add some black pepper. If you want a bit of spice in your life add some chili flakes or Cajun spices. Feel free to experiment.

Serving suggestions

The possibilities are endless, as bacon is so versatile you can use it far beyond a simple quick breakfast. Put it with…

• Pasta and some pesto
• Scrambled eggs or mix the bacon into an omelette
• Some bread for a classic bacon sandwich
• Add it to the top of some soup or make lentil and bacon soup with it

Those are just a few ideas off the top of my head. As I write up more recipes I will come back and update this section.

Top tips

When cooking bacon here are my top tips to help you cook perfectly crispy bacon every time.

No overlap – Try to avoid the bacon overlapping. Organize the bacon in a single layer this will allow the hot air produced by the air fryer to cook all bacon slices evenly. Reducing the total cook time.

Cooking times vary – The thickness of your bacon will determine the length of time you need to cook it for. You may need to add extra time to cook the bacon to your required crispiness.

Pre-heat – If you want extra crispy bacon, pre-heat your air fryer. This is key when cooking streaky bacon, but not necessary when cooking turkey or bacon medallions.

No oil – If you have an air fryer basket that is non-stick, you do not need to add oil to your air fryer to cook bacon. Only use oil if the air fryer basket is not non-stick, this will stop the bacon from sticking to the basket.

No need to use a liner – Due to the fat content of bacon you do not need to use an air fryer liner. In my experience bacon is too light to hold down parchment paper liners, risking a fire. Liners also disrupt the airflow in an air fryer, even if they do have holes, impacting the cooking process.

Drain – If you are having to cook more than one batch of bacon. Remove the bacon grease that has dripped to the bottom of the air fryer from the first batch. If you do not the grease from the first batch will likely burn off during the cooking of the second batch and create smoke.

Paper towels – After cooking, use paper towels to soak up the excess grease on the bacon. Reducing your calorie intake.

Common questions

How do I store leftover cooked bacon?

Before you store any leftover cooked bacon soak up any excess grease using paper towels.

Once the bacon has cooled to room temperature place the bacon in a freezer bag or airtight container.

The bacon can now be put into the fridge or the freezer for later use.

You can store leftover bacon in the refrigerator for three days. If though it starts to smell or changes color, don’t be tempted to eat it, dispose of it.

In the freezer, leftover bacon will keep for one to two months.

How do I reheat leftover cooked bacon?

To reheat your air-fried bacon, you can either…

• Place it in an air fryer at 375 F (190 c) for two to three minutes
• Warm it using a microwave for 30 seconds. It might not be as crispy if reheated this way.

If the bacon has been frozen, defrost it first before reheating.

How to stop the air fryer from smoking?

To stop an air fryer from producing smoke, especially when cooking food with a high-fat content like bacon I use one of two methods…

Water Method – add two to three teaspoons of water to the bottom of the air fryer. This water cools the excess fat that collects at the bottom of the air fryer. This reduces the amount of smoke produced as less of the fat burns off.

Bread Method – This is where a piece of bread is added to the bottom of the air fryer. The bread soaks up the excess fat as it drips to the bottom. This stops the fat from burning off and generating smoke.

If you are still finding your air fryer is producing lots of smoke, use a lower temperature when cooking. I suggest going down to 350 F (176 c).

Can I cook bacon in any make of air fryer?

Yes, you can use any air fryer to cook bacon. I use my Tower air fryer, but it can be cooked in any of the big brands.

How much bacon can I cook at once?

It depends on the size of your air fryer. As I have a smaller air fryer, I can only fit 4 rashers of bacon in it. If you have a large air fryer you will be able to fit more bacon in.

Don’t be tempted to squeeze more in by overlapping the bacon or doing more than a single layer. If you do this the bacon will not cook as fast or be as crispy. Do more than one batch if you cannot fit all the rashers in one go.

Related articles

Amazing Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes – List of great air fryer breakfast recipes to help you serve up wholesome breakfast options when short of time.

Best Air Fryer Turkey Bacon – If looking for an alternative to traditional pork bacon, turkey bacon is a good option.

Frozen Bacon – If short of time and not taken the bacon out of the freezer day before. Do not despair, you can cook bacon in an air fryer from frozen.

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