As a passionate home cook and bacon lover, I’m always looking for new ways to achieve perfectly crispy bacon with ease After getting my hands on a Breville smart oven, I was eager to test out cooking bacon in this versatile appliance With a few trials and tweaks, I’ve dialed in a foolproof method for cooking bacon in the Breville to crispy, mouthwatering perfection every time.
Why Cook Bacon in the Breville Smart Oven?
The Breville smart oven provides a few key advantages when cooking bacon:
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Precise temperature control – The smart oven allows you to set an exact temperature rather than relying on oven or stovetop estimates. This helps prevent over or undercooking.
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Even heating – The convection fan circulates air for even browning and crisping without hot spots
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Less splatter – Containing the bacon in the smart oven cuts down on grease splatters compared to stovetop frying.
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Large capacity – The roomy interior can accommodate a pound or more of bacon at once.
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Versatility – The smart oven pulls double duty for cooking other foods like eggs, toast, or baked goods.
Step-By-Step Method for Cooking Bacon in the Breville
Through trial and error, I’ve landed on a simple process for crispy bacon success:
1. Select the Right Bacon
Opt for high-quality, thick-cut bacon brands. Thinner bacon tends to overcook and burn quickly. Thick slices around 1/4 inch provide the best balance of crispy exterior and tender, meaty interior. My favorites are applewood smoked or peppered varieties for extra flavor.
2. Prep the Bacon and Baking Sheet
Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure slices aren’t overlapping. Parchment prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy.
3. Preheat and Set the Breville Smart Oven
Preheat the smart oven to 400°F in bake mode. I prefer the convection setting for even browning, but regular bake mode works too.
4. Cook the Bacon
Once preheated, place the bacon in the center of the oven. Check frequently and remove the pan when the bacon reaches your desired level of doneness, typically in 8-12 minutes. I cook mine for about 10 minutes.
5. Drain and Crisp the Bacon
Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease. For ultra crispy bacon, return the slices to the baking sheet and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning.
6. Season and Serve
Crumble or slice the drained bacon as desired. Season with a bit of pepper or brown sugar for a sweet and spicy twist. Enjoy right away for maximum crunch!
Tips for Bacon Perfection
Beyond the basic method, a few small tweaks can take your oven-cooked bacon from great to outstanding:
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Rotate the pan halfway – This ensures even cooking and crisping on all sides.
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Add a baking/cooling rack – Elevating the bacon allows fat to drip away for crisper results.
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Brush with maple or honey – For candied bacon, brush with a touch of maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar before cooking.
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Use a bacon press – Weighting down the bacon helps it cook flatter and crispier. A slotted spatula or grill press works great.
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Finish under the broiler – 60-90 seconds under the high heat broiler crisps cooked bacon to perfect frying pan texture. Watch it closely to avoid burning.
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Make bacon bits – Overcooked bits can be salvaged by crumbling into bacon bits to sprinkle on salads, baked potatoes, or soups.
Cooking Other Foods Alongside Bacon
One bonus of using the Breville smart oven for bacon is that you can cook other ingredients at the same time:
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Eggs – Bake eggs right on the bacon grease lined sheet for easy breakfast sandwiches.
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Vegetables – Roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, or asparagus drizzled with bacon fat for flavor.
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Toast – Toast bread or bake biscuits during the last few minutes of bacon cooking time.
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Pizza – Take advantage of the preheated oven to crisp up a frozen pizza or flatbread.
With minimal effort, you can transform bacon into the start of an entire breakfast or brunch menu from the Breville smart oven.
Favorite Bacon Dishes from the Oven
Now that you’ve mastered the basics, here are some of my favorite ways to use oven-cooked bacon:
- BLT sandwiches
- Bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast tacos
- Bacon and blue cheese stuffed mushrooms
- Candied bacon wrapped dates
- Bacon onion jam or bacon fat fried onions
- Bacon fat roasted Brussels sprouts
- Bacon wrapped smoked sausages
- Bacon and cheddar cornbread muffins
- Bacon cheeseburger meatloaf
The possibilities are practically endless when you keep a stash of ready to crisp bacon in the fridge or freezer.
Quick Cleanup for Hassle-Free Cooking
While frying bacon on the stovetop inevitably leads to a grease splattered mess, cleanup is a breeze with the contained smart oven method. Here are my tips for fast, easy post-bacon tidying:
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Line pans and racks with foil or parchment paper for easy disposal.
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Carefully pour hot grease into a heat safe container while liquid. Avoid pouring down drains once cooled and solidified.
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Wipe down oven walls and door with paper towels while still warm. Grease cleans up easily before cooling and hardening.
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Wash racks, pans, and utensils promptly in hot soapy water. Avoid letting grease dry and stick.
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Use a de-greasing oven cleaner and brush for any stubborn residue on oven walls or door.
Get Creative with Leftover Bacon Grease
When cooking large batches of bacon, you can accumulate quite a bit of rendered bacon fat. Avoid wasting this versatile cooking liquid gold! Refrigerate for later use:
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Saute vegetables like Brussels sprouts in bacon grease for a flavor boost.
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Substitute bacon fat for butter or oil when frying eggs, potatoes, or making grilled cheese.
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Mix with bird seed or sprinkle on plants to deter squirrels and other pests.
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Use to grease pans for cornbread, biscuits, or muffins.
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Add to bean dishes like baked beans or soups for a smoky flavor.
Bacon grease adds a welcome meaty, umami richness to all kinds of recipes.
Make Multiple Pounds for Meal Prep
One of the best things about cooking bacon in the oven is the ability to prepare large batches efficiently. I like to spend a Sunday afternoon cooking 2-3 pounds of bacon to stock up for the week ahead.
Here are some of my go-to meal prep and storage ideas:
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Separate cooled bacon slices between layers of parchment paper in a zip close bag. Keeps up to 1 week refrigerated.
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Freeze pre-cooked bacon up to 3 months for grabbing handfuls as needed. Reheat from frozen in the oven or microwave.
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Prepare several pounds of crumbled bacon bits. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
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Mix crumbled bacon into dips, potato salads, or casseroles that will keep all week.
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Cook bacon with breakfast sandwiches and burritos that reheat easily for fast weekday mornings.
With perfectly cooked and crisped bacon on hand, I can quickly elevate soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, and more with the addition of my oven-cooked bacon bits.
Troubleshooting Less Than Perfect Results
Even using the ideal bacon cooking method, you may occasionally end up with less than ideal results:
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Undercooked or limp bacon – Increase temperature or cooking time. Check bacon earlier and cook to just shy of your ideal doneness.
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Burnt or overcooked bacon – Lower temperature and reduce cooking time. Watch closely near the end of cooking time.
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Uneven cooking – Rotate pan and turn bacon slices midway through cooking for even exposure to heat.
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Sticking to the pan – Ensure baking sheet is lined with parchment to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
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Shrinking bacon – Opt for thicker cut bacon which shrinks less. Cook at slightly lower temp for less overall shrinkage.
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Poor grease drainage – Elevate bacon on a rack over a lined pan. Tilt pan slightly to collect grease on one side.
With a few tweaks and tries, you’ll nail down the perfect time and temperature for crispy bacon success in your Breville smart oven.
Get Creative with Leftover Bacon Grease
When cooking large batches of bacon, you can accumulate quite a bit of rendered bacon fat. Avoid wasting this versatile cooking liquid gold! Refrigerate for later use:
-
Saute vegetables like Brussels sprouts in bacon grease for a flavor boost.
-
Substitute bacon fat for butter or oil when frying eggs, potatoes, or making grilled cheese.
-
Mix with bird seed or sprinkle on plants to deter squirrels and other pests.
-
Use to grease pans for cornbread, biscuits, or muffins.
-
Add to bean dishes like baked beans or soups for a smoky flavor.
Bacon grease adds a welcome meaty, umami richness to all kinds of recipes.
Satisfy Your Bacon Cravings with Ease
