Unless you live in the South, you might not be able to find pork jowl bacon at the store near you. If you do find this tasty piece of meat, though, you can cook it pretty much the same way you would bacon.
You can cook pork jowl bacon on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave, just like you would use any other bacon.
Jowl bacon, also known as hog jowl, is a unique cut of pork that comes from the cheek area of the hog. It has a high fat content which results in crispy, flavorful bacon when cooked properly. Jowl bacon is not as readily available as regular bacon but it’s worth seeking out for its distinctive taste and texture.
Cooking jowl bacon in the oven is one of the easiest methods for achieving perfectly crisped results The dry environment of the oven allows the fat to render out slowly while the meat cooks evenly Using a few simple tips will ensure your jowl bacon turns out with a nice balance of chewy meat and crunchy fat.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Oven-Baked Jowl Bacon
Follow these steps for foolproof oven-baked jowl bacon:
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. This relatively high temperature helps render out the fat and crisp the bacon.
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Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper The parchment prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy,
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Slice the jowl bacon 1⁄4 inch thick. Cutting uniform slices allows even cooking. Buy presliced jowl bacon to skip this step.
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Arrange the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet Leave at least 1⁄2 inch between slices so the fat can render and the bacon can crisp
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Bake for 18-20 minutes. After 18 minutes, check the bacon and continue cooking if needed for desired crispness.
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Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Blot gently with additional paper towels to absorb excess grease.
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Let the bacon cool slightly before serving. This helps it become perfectly crisp.
The oven baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the slices and your desired level of crispness. Thinner slices may take only 15 minutes while very thick jowl bacon may need 25-30 minutes.
Tips for the Best Oven-Baked Jowl Bacon
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Use a broiler pan. The slotted design allows more even cooking than a flat baking sheet. The built-in tray catches grease drippings too.
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Rotate the pan midway. Rotating the pan 180 degrees partway through baking prevents uneven cooking.
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Cook extra. Jowl bacon shrinks significantly when cooked. Make more than you think you’ll need.
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Bake uncovered. Uncovered baking helps excess fat render out for crisper texture.
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Pat off grease. Blotting gently with paper towels removes surface grease without squeezing out the crispness.
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Bake before serving. Let just-cooked jowl bacon rest a minute or two out of the oven so the fat firms up.
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Cook thicker slices longer. Adjust bake times up for extra-thick jowl cuts to ensure even cooking.
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Use metal tongs. Plastic utensils can stick to the hot cooked bacon. Sturdy metal tongs make lifting easy.
Pairing Other Flavors with Jowl Bacon
The rich pork flavor of jowl bacon pairs wonderfully with sweet and savory seasonings. After baking, toss the crispy bacon in:
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Brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey for sweetness
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Cayenne, paprika, or black pepper for heat
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Rosemary, sage, or thyme for herbaceous notes
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Bourbon, whiskey, or beer for boozy flavors
Jowl bacon also shines in recipes like:
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Cobb salad with blue cheese and hard-boiled egg
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BLT sandwich with fresh tomatoes and lettuce
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Potato hash with sautéed onions and peppers
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Creamy potato soup topped with crumbled bacon
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Baked beans or collard greens for soul food flair
With its unique taste and texture, jowl bacon is worth seeking out from specialty grocers or online meat purveyors. Follow this simple oven-baked method for achieving the perfect balance of chewy meat and crispy fat in every slice. Proper baking renders out just enough fat to get crispy results without overcooking the meat.
What Is Pork Jowl Bacon?
According to the USDA, bacon typically means cured pork belly. However, bacon can come from other parts of the pig, including the jowls, which you may know better as the cheeks.
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Pork jowl may be available fresh. But, just like regular bacon, pork jowl bacon needs to be cured and smoked before it can be called bacon. After the meat has been skinned and trimmed, the pork jowls are cured with salt and nitrites. Then the meat is heat processed and smoked to add flavor.
Like regular bacon, jowl bacon is high in calories and fat and not a very good source of protein. A 0.5 ounce serving of pork jowl bacon has 100 calories, 1 gram of protein, 10 grams of total fat, 3 grams of saturated fat and 125 milligrams of sodium. Because bacon contains more fat than protein, the National Institutes of Health classifies bacon as a fat on their food exchange list.
You can prepare jowl bacon on the stove or in the oven or microwave. Most people cook bacon on the stove, but you might find that it cooks more evenly in the oven. Cooking jowl meat in the oven may take a little longer than on the stove.
If its not already sliced, first slice the hog jowl into the desired thickness for bacon. If you are making it on the stove, heat the griddle pan over medium-low heat until it is 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the slices of pork jowl bacon in your pan, being sure not to overcrowd it. Cook it for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning the jowl meat frequently to prevent burning.
For oven cooking the jowl bacon, bake in a preheated 350 F oven. The USDA says that how long you need to bake your jowl bacon in the oven may depend on how thick the meat is, but you should cook it until it’s crispy.
For crispy jowl bacon in the microwave, Purdue University recommends cooking the bacon in between sheets of microwave-safe paper towels on a microwave-safe plate for 4 to 6 minutes.
The USDA says it’s too hard to get an accurate reading on bacon’s cooking temperature with a meat thermometer, but it’s possible for other types of meat. As long as you cook your pork jowl bacon until its crispy, the meat is considered safe.
However, the USDA warns against partially cooking bacon as it may increase the risk of foodborne illness. Before taking bacon off the heat, you should always make sure it’s fully cooked. You can keep bacon in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you have any extra pork jowl bacon, add it to bacon and egg salad or Cobb salad to make them taste better.