While most home cooks typically fry bacon in a skillet, did you know you can also cook it in a pot? Pot-cooked bacon turns out consistently crispy without the splattering mess of pan frying. With just a few extra minutes hands-on time, you can churn out perfectly cooked bacon in a covered pot.
Follow this simple step-by-step tutorial to learn how to cook bacon in a pot to crispy, mouthwatering perfection.
Benefits of Cooking Bacon in a Pot
Cooking bacon in a covered pot offers several advantages over the traditional stovetop skillet method
- Less splattering – the lid contains hot grease splatters
- More even cooking – bacon is fully submerged to cook evenly
- Hands-free – no need to constantly flip and watch the bacon
- Easy batch cooking – fit more strips in a pot than a skillet
- Crispy texture – bacon comes out crispy, not limp
By trapping steam inside the pot produces crispy bacon without the need for constant watching and flipping.
Equipment Needed
Cooking bacon in a pot requires just a few basic pieces of equipment:
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Heavy pot with lid – Use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel or enameled cast iron pot with a tight-fitting lid. This helps retain heat and moisture.
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Bacon rack or steamer basket (optional) – A rack or steamer basket keeps the bacon from sitting in grease, allowing it to cook evenly.
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Tongs – Use tongs to transfer cooked bacon from the pot to paper towels.
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Paper towels – For draining excess grease after cooking.
Ingredients
To cook bacon in a pot, you’ll need just two ingredients:
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Bacon – The best cuts for pot cooking include slab bacon, thick-cut bacon, or regular sliced bacon. Avoid ultra-thin bacon which overcooks easily.
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Water – About 1/4 cup of water provides steam inside the covered pot. You can also use apple cider, beer, broth or other liquids.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these simple steps for perfect pot-cooked bacon every time:
1. Prepare the Bacon
Cut slab bacon into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices across the slab. For sliced bacon, leave whole or cut in half crosswise for shorter strips.
2. Add Water to Pot
Add 1/4 cup water to a heavy pot. The water should just cover the bottom, about 1/8 inch deep. This provides steam to cook the bacon.
3. Place Bacon in Pot
Add the sliced bacon pieces to the pot in a single layer without overlapping. Use a bacon rack if you have one.
4. Cover and Cook Over High Heat
Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and set over high heat. Bring the water to a boil.
5. Reduce Heat and Continue Cooking
Once the water starts boiling, reduce heat to medium. Let bacon cook for 5-10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
6. Check Bacon and Flip Occasionally
Lift lid briefly to check doneness after 5 minutes. Use tongs to flip bacon and ensure even cooking.
7. Cook Until Desired Doneness
Continue simmering over medium-low heat until bacon reaches desired doneness, 10-15 minutes total. Check often near the end.
8. Remove Bacon and Drain
When done, use tongs to transfer bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Let cool for a few minutes before serving for perfectly crispy, evenly cooked bacon!
Tips for Crispy, Perfect Bacon
- Chill the uncooked bacon in the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes before cooking. Colder bacon crisps up better.
- For crispiest texture, cook over medium rather than high heat and avoid overcrowding the pot.
- If bacon starts browning too fast, turn down heat. For limp bacon, increase heat slightly.
- Cook times vary depending on cut thickness. Regular sliced bacon takes less time than thick-cut.
- For extra flavor, substitute apple cider, beer, broth or bourbon for the water.
Common Pot Bacon Questions
How long does it take to cook bacon in a pot?
Cooking times range from 10-18 minutes depending on cut thickness. Thin sliced bacon may take only 5-8 minutes. Cook to your desired doneness.
Should you use water when cooking bacon in a pot?
The small amount of water creates steam to cook the bacon. You can also use broth, cider, beer etc. The liquid should just cover the pot bottom.
Is bacon cooked in a pot healthy?
Bacon is high in saturated fat and sodium regardless of the cooking method. Pot cooking uses less added oil than pan frying though.
Can you cook bacon from frozen in a pot?
Yes, add a couple extra minutes to the cook time. Make sure frozen bacon is fully thawed before cooking.
Can you oven bake bacon in a pot?
Absolutely! Cover the pot and bake at 400°F for 15-25 minutes until crispy.
Cooking bacon in a covered pot is an easy, splatter-free method for getting consistently crispy bacon every time. With the right thick-cut bacon and a few trial runs to perfect the technique, you’ll never go back to messy skillet cooking again!
Step 1: Slow Down… How Do You Store 36lbs of Bacon Wihout Ruining It?
I freeze it. Do you think it will ruin the bacon? No, it won’t. What goes wrong with frozen meat is that the water in the cells expands and breaks the cell walls. This changes the texture and allows everything to flow through all over the place. Cooked bacon, on the other hand, is crispy precisely because it has very little water left in it. Once you warm it up, it is like it was freshly cooked.
At all costs avoid plastic in this endeavour. Some plastics will melt in hot fat, and greasy plastic is so much harder to clean than greasy metal or glass.
Step 5: Cooking the Bacon
I cook about 1-2 lbs of bacon at a time in the large pot. A pan would work, but the pots walls catches much of the splatter.
After a batch is cooked, you empty it into the other pot. As it drains and drips, add a new batch of bacon into the pot. By now, the pot has grown bacon crumbs stuck all over the bottom.
Dr. Ken Berry’s method of cooking bacon in a pot and what we discovered. #carnivore #animalbased 
How to cook bacon in a pot?
So, let’s dive into the steps of cooking bacon in a pot! Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the bacon slices to the pot, ensuring they are in a single layer. Cover the pot with a lid to help trap the heat and cook the bacon evenly. Allow the bacon to cook for a few minutes, checking periodically to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Can one eat bacon with diverticulosis?
You can eat bacon with diverticulosis, but it is not the most recommended. In a person with diverticulosis, it is recommended to consume foods with soluble fiber such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
How do you cook bacon in a crock pot?
Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the bacon slices to the pot, ensuring they are in a single layer. Cover the pot with a lid to help trap the heat and cook the bacon evenly. Allow the bacon to cook for a few minutes, checking periodically to ensure it doesn’t burn. After a few minutes, use tongs or a fork to flip the bacon slices.
How do you cook bacon on a stove?
Place the bacon strips in a cold pan. Cook the bacon low and slow, flipping and turning to help it brown evenly. When the bacon is crisped to your liking, transfer to paper towels to drain. Why Cook Bacon on the Stove?
How do you cook bacon in water?
You cook over high heat until the water boils, lower the heat to medium until the water evaporates, and then cook over medium-low heat until the bacon is done. The theory here is that the water “keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender.”
Can you cook bacon in Instant Pot?
This Instant Pot Bacon is perfectly crispy, done in less than 10 minutes, and will save your stovetop from the normal grease splatters and mess. Heat the Instant Pot using the saute function. While the Instant Pot is heating, cut the bacon sliced into halves. Add the bacon to the bottom of the pressure cooker.