Mastering the Art of Cooking Bacon Ends to Crispy Perfection

As an avid home cook and bacon enthusiast, I’m always on the hunt for great deals on quality bacon One of my best bacon finds is snagging up packages of chopped up bacon ends for a fraction of the price of regular slices But cooking irregularly shaped bacon ends can prove tricky, especially achieving crispy, evenly cooked results. Through plenty of trial and error, I’ve honed my technique for oven-baking bacon ends so they come out perfect every time. Read on for my tips and step-by-step method to take your bacon end cooking skills from greasy to glorious!

What are Bacon Ends?

For those unfamiliar, bacon ends are the irregularly sized leftover pieces trimmed from whole pork belly slabs when cutting standard rectangular bacon slices. Rather than discarding these flavorful scraps, many major bacon producers gather up and package the mix of small chunks, strips, and ends to sell at a discount.

While less uniform in size and shape than typical bacon slices, these meaty bits are every bit as tasty when cooked right. Their irregularity just means you have to adjust a few techniques to achieve evenly cooked and crisped bacon end perfection.

Why Cook Bacon Ends in the Oven?

Cooking bacon of any kind in the oven provides a few advantages over stovetop frying

• No splatter to clean up
• Ability to cook large batches
• Consistent results with less burning
• Easy to achieve crispy bacon without overcooking

For tricky-to-cook bacon ends, the oven is by far the best route for achieving crunchy, browned bits without under or overcooking. The relatively low and steady heat browns the bacon gradually without scorching it before the fat renders.

Step-by-Step Method for Oven-Baked Bacon Ends

Through much greasy trial and error, I landed on a method for ultra crispy, evenly cooked bacon ends every time I bake them. Here’s my simple oven bacon end process.

1. Prep the Baking Sheet

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. For especially fatty bacon ends, I also set a cooling rack over the parchment for better heat circulation and fat drainage.

2. Spread Out the Bacon Ends

Dump the package of bacon ends out onto the prepared pan. Use tongs or a fork to spread them out evenly over the surface of the pan. Try to avoid big piles or overlaps.

3. Bake Low and Slow

Bake at 375°F, which is lower than typical bacon temp, for about 30 minutes, gently stirring every 10 minutes. The irregular sizes mean you have to cook low and slow to crisp up the small bits without burning the longer strips.

4. Drain and Crisp

Remove from oven and transfer bacon ends to a plate lined with paper towels. Let drain briefly then return to pan and bake 5 minutes more to recrisp.

5. Blot and Enjoy

Remove from oven, blot excess grease, let cool slightly, and enjoy your bacon end bounty! The mix of crunchy end bits, chewy chunks, and tiny crispy strips is bacon heaven.

Handy Tips for Bacon End Perfection

Beyond the basic method, a few small tweaks can take your bacon ends from great to glorious:

• Use thick, heavy duty foil to avoid leaks
• Elevate bacon on a cooling rack for better airflow
• Rotate pan and stir bacon for even browning
• Brush bacon with maple syrup for candied flavor
• Finish under broiler if needed for extra crispness

Don’t be afraid to experiment with temps, times, pans, and prep until you dial in your ultimate bacon end formula!

Creative Ways to Cook Up Bacon Ends

Once you’ve mastered the oven cooking method, here are some tasty ways to put those delicious bacon ends to use:

• Crumble into salads, soups, baked beans
• Mix into dips and spreads for a smoky twist
• Skewer for bacon end bruschetta
• Top baked potatoes, pizza, and nachos
• Fold into omelets, frittatas, and quiches
• Sprinkle over roasted veggies
• Wrap around scallops, shrimp, chicken, and more
• Bake into cornbread, biscuits, scones, and muffins

With some seasoning or extra ingredients, the bacon end possibilities are practically endless!

Satisfying Recipes to Use Up Leftovers

Looking for some drool-worthy ways to polish off any leftover bacon ends? Here are a few of my favorite recipes for using every last bit:

• Bacon end loaded baked potatoes – Top russet potatoes with crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions.

• Bacon end Brussels sprouts – Roast halved Brussels with bacon ends, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

• Bacon end clam chowder – Simmer chopped bacon ends in the cream base for a smoky twist.

• Bacon end omelets – Sautee onions, peppers, and bacon ends to fill up a fluffy egg omelet.

• Bacon end mac and cheese – Toss bacon rubble into everyone’s favorite comfort food macaroni and cheese.

With some creative use of seasonings and mix-ins, you can transform those bacon end leftovers into craveworthy meals.

Save and Reuse Your Bacon Fat

One boon of cooking mass quantities of bacon ends? You’ll stockpile loads of rendered bacon fat for reusing in other recipes! Here are some tasty ways to put that liquid gold to work:

• Saute potatoes, Brussels sprouts, onions, etc for flavor.

• Grease pans for frying eggs, making grilled cheese, searing steaks.

• Use in place of oil for cornbread, biscuits, pancakes.

• Roast vegetables like green beans, asparagus, broccoli.

• Flavor soups, stews, bean dishes, greens.

• Create creamy bacon dressing for spinach and wedge salads.

Don’t let that bacon fat go to waste! Store cooled grease in the fridge or freezer and use for all kinds of savory recipes.

Plan Ahead for Perfectly Cooked Bacon

One great thing about cooking bacon ends in the oven is the ability to bake big batches for meal prepping and stocking the fridge or freezer. Here are some storage tips:

• Let cool completely before storing.

• Separate slices between parchment or wax paper in a sealed container.

• Freeze smaller portions in bags for quick grab-and-go use.

• Refrigerate cooked bacon 7 days; freeze up to 2 months.

• Reheat chilled bacon in the oven or microwave before serving.

With a stash of ready-to-eat oven baked bacon ends on hand, I can quickly elevate all sorts of dishes from breakfast tacos to dinner salads.

Troubleshooting Guide for Bacon End Cooking

Even with proper technique, bacon ends can occasionally prove tricky. Here are some common issues and fixes:

Undercooked bacon – Increase oven temp 25 degrees or cook time by 5-10 minutes. Ends take longer than typical bacon.

Burnt or overcooked bacon – Lower oven temp 25 degrees and reduce cook time. Watch closely toward end.

Uneven cooking – Stir and rotate pan frequently for even heating of irregular bits.

Excess grease – Use foil-lined pan and elevated cooling rack to allow grease to drain off.

Sticking to pan – Make sure pan is lined with parchment paper to reduce sticking.

With a little experimenting, you’ll get the oven temp and time just right for perfectly cooked, crispy bacon ends every batch.

Enjoy the Flavor for Less

Now that you’ve got the method down, you can stop wasting money on pricier bacon packs. Buy bacon ends in bulk for all your breakfast, brunch, soup, salad, and sandwich needs. Getting the most out of these flavorful fatty scraps takes your cooking skills up a notch while keeping money in your wallet. Once you master the art of baking up crispy, crunchy bacon ends, you’ll never overpay for bacon again!