How to Cook Diced Bacon Perfectly Every Time

Cooking diced bacon can seem intimidating for home cooks. Unlike cooking bacon strips where you just lay them flat in a skillet, cooking small diced bacon pieces requires a bit more technique to get perfectly crispy bits every time.

But have no fear! With a few tips on how to dice, cook, and store homemade bacon bits, you’ll be a pro in no time. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to make delicious crispy bacon crumbles at home.

Why Make Your Own Bacon Bits?

Before jumping into the how-to, you may be wondering why go through the effort of dicing and cooking bacon yourself? Why not just buy pre-made bacon bits?

Here are a few of the biggest benefits of homemade over store-bought:

• Flavor: Homemade bacon bits taste far superior to packaged crumbs. The flavor is rich, smoky, and porky instead of salty and artificial tasting.

• Texture: It’s easy to get true crispy bits when you cook them yourself. Store-bought bacon pieces often end up chewy or mysteriously soft.

• Customizable You can control the ingredients, size, smokiness, etc Tailor them to your preference!

• Cost: Buying bacon on sale and dicing it yourself saves money compared to those pricey jars.

For all these reasons and more, taking the extra time to DIY bacon bits is well worth it! The process is easy once you know how.

How to Cut Bacon for Bits

The first step in crispy homemade bacon crumbles is proper dicing technique. Here are some tips:

• Use thick-cut bacon Thinner slices will crumble into dust Slices around 1/8 inch thick work perfectly,

• Partially freeze. For easy uniform chopping freeze the bacon for 30 mins before dicing. It firms it up making cutting easier.

• Slice lengthwise first. Cut each strip in half lengthwise so you have longer, thinner pieces to work with.

• Small dices. Finally, slice crosswise into 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch pieces. Smaller = crispier!

Pro-tip: Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears for quick, easy cutting. Stack a few slices at a time while chopping to save time.

Diced bacon pieces chopped small

Dice the bacon into small, uniform pieces for even cooking.

Follow those simple bacon dicing steps for perfect little morsels ready to crisp up beautifully.

How to Cook Diced Bacon

Once your bacon is chopped, it’s time to cook it up. Here is a simple process for crispy, delicious bacon bits:

• Use a cast iron skillet. The thick pan gets hot and retains heat well for crisping.
• No oil needed. The bacon fat will render out and prevent sticking.
• Cook over medium-high heat. You want the pan hot enough to crisp, but not scorch.
• Stir frequently. This allows the bits to cook evenly and prevents burning.
• Cook 15-20 minutes. Cook until deep golden brown and very crispy.
• Drain on paper towels. This soaks up excess grease for crumble perfection.

Be sure to keep a close eye on the bacon and stir it often as the small pieces can burn if unattended. Enjoy your crunchy, flavorful homemade bacon bitsBacon bits cooking in cast iron skillet

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until crispy and golden brown.

Bacon Bits Cooking Tips

Follow these handy tips for perfect texture and flavor every batch:

• Use nitrate-free bacon for fewer preservatives.
• Add black pepper or other spices to the raw bacon before cooking.
• Make big batches and freeze extras to have on hand anytime.
• Cook the diced bacon in the oven instead of skillet for hands-off cooking.
• Mix turkey or chicken bacon with regular pork bacon.
• Try making bacon bits with pancetta, prosciutto, or other cured meats.
• Mix bacon fat into the cooked bits for extra richness.

Now that you’re a pro at crisping up bacon crumbles, get creative with flavors! The possibilities are endless.

How to Use Bacon Bits

Homemade bacon bits are incredibly versatile. Their smoky, salty flavor enhances everything from salads to pastas, sandwiches, potatoes, eggs, and more!

Here are just a few yummy ways to use your fresh bacon crumbs:

• Sprinkle over wedge salads, Cobb salads, or Caesar salad.
• Toss with roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans.
• Fold into egg scrambles, frittatas, or omelets.
• Top baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, or wedges.
• Mix into dips like spinach artichoke dip.
• Add crunch to mac and cheese.
• Use as pizza topping instead of regular bacon.
• Fold into burger mixes or stuff into burgers.
• Sprinkle on nachos, chili, baked beans, etc.

Let your imagination run wild with recipes to sprinkle these bacon bits into! They add great flavor and crunch to so many dishes.

How to Store Bacon Bits

Like regular bacon, homemade bacon bits stay fresh longer when properly stored. Here are some storage tips:

• Room temperature: Keep in a sealed container up to 5 days.
• Refrigerator: Lasts up to 1 week in a sealed container.
• Freezer: Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet then transfer to bags. Keeps 6 months.

Be sure to let frozen bacon bits thaw before using. Re-crisp them in the oven or skillet if needed.Bowl of bacon crumbles

Store cooked bacon bits in the fridge up to 1 week.

FAQs

Here are answers to some common questions on making diced bacon:

Is turkey or chicken bacon better?

Turkey and chicken work fine, but have a milder flavor. Mix with regular bacon for a balance.

What about bacon ends and pieces?

The irregular shapes can lead to uneven cooking. Dicing bacon yourself works better.

Do you rinse the finished bacon bits?

Nope, no need to rinse. Simply draining on paper towels removes excess grease.

Can you bake diced bacon in the oven?

Absolutely! Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

How small should bacon bits be diced?

For crispy bits, dice between 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Smaller = crispier texture.

Have another bacon bits question? Ask in the comments!

Make Delicious Homemade Bacon Bits

While store-bought bacon bits definitely have their place for convenience, nothing beats the flavor and crunch of fresh homemade bacon crumbles.

With this easy tutorial, you can have delicious bacon bits ready in about 30 minutes to sprinkle on anything!

For more homemade recipes and cooking tips, check out the Cooking Tips section of the blog. Let us know if you give this diced bacon method a try!