Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Makin' Bacon

For the past six years I've worked in education, and had the days between Christmas and New Years off.  Not so this year.  I had to work shifts at the mall Customer Service desk yesterday and today.  The mall was packed both days, with people returning things and picking up after-Christmas bargains.  We answered a lot of questions about the location of stores, gave out quite a few wheelchairs and electric scooters, and sold a handful of gift cards.

I didn't mind working, but Hubby Tony's been off, and all the kids are only going to be in town for a couple of days.  I felt like I wasn't seeing them much, so before I left for work this morning everyone graciously rolled out of bed and we had a big breakfast...eggs, french toast with warm maple syrup, bacon, fruit, and assorted leftover breads and pastries.

I was in charge of the bacon.  We all love bacon, so frying it for six people can take a long time, and it leaves a greasy mess all over the stove.   Some time ago I discovered Alton Brown's never-fail method for cooking bacon.  He bakes it.  The "recipe":
Arrange strips of bacon on a sheet pan fitted with a rack and place the pan into a cold oven. Turn the oven to 400° and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon. Remove and drain on paper towels.
It takes my oven a long time to preheat, so I have to cook the bacon an extra five minutes, but I'm rewarded with crisp, perfectly flat strips of porky goodness.  The perfect compliment to a meal.

5 comments:

  1. LOVE.....alton and bacon.....smiles

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  2. yum...I always make it like this! So easy! Glad they all got up to eat with you before you went to work!

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  3. love that bacon idea, thanks! that's too bad you have to be at work while everyone's around though.

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  4. Mmmmm.... I love bacon. I shouldn't have too much of it, but I do like it. Thank you for this wonderful hint. Sounds like a GREAT way to prepare it because I hate frying bacon!

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  5. I do bacon that way too. Line the pan with foil (make sure it goes up and over the edges of the baking sheet). After you take out the bacon, let the grease cool on the counter (or someplace protected if your kitties, like mine, will get into it...) The leftover bacon grease will solidify and most of the cleanup is foldin the grease-filled foil and throwing it away.

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