How to Use the Bacon Boss for Perfectly Cooked Bacon Every Time

As a bacon lover, I’m always looking for tools and techniques to make crispy, delicious bacon easily and cleanly Recently, I came across the Bacon Boss – a silicone baking mat designed specifically for cooking bacon in the oven I decided to give it a try and test out the best way to use the Bacon Boss for perfect bacon every time.

What is the Bacon Boss?

The Bacon Boss is a flexible silicone cooking mat with raised ridges to keep bacon strips separated while baking. The ridges allow fat to drain away from the bacon for crispier results without sitting in grease. It’s also reusable and dishwasher-safe.

The mat measures 16.5 x 11 inches and fits nicely on a large rimmed baking sheet. It’s made from food-grade silicone that can withstand oven temps up to 440°F. The Bacon Boss comes in fun bacon-themed packaging making it a great gift idea for the bacon enthusiast in your life.

Benefits of Using the Bacon Boss

I found several advantages to using the Bacon Boss over traditional stovetop bacon cooking:

• Even cooking – No need to constantly flip and watch the bacon The strips cook evenly on both sides

• Less splattering – Baking contains the grease for neater cooking with less mess.

• ** Crispier texture** – The ridges elevate the bacon from grease, leading to crispier results.

• Easier cleanup – The mat contains grease drippings for quicker cleanup. No need to scrub the stovetop or deal with a greasy frying pan.

• Versatile – It can be used for other foods like chicken strips, fish fillets, or fries.

• Safer – Oven bacon cooking reduces the risk of grease splatter burns.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Bacon Boss

After testing different bacon brands, cook times, and oven temps, I came up with a foolproof method for cooking perfect bacon on the Bacon Boss every time. Here’s my step-by-step guide:

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet

• Preheat oven to 400°F.

• Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup.

• Place the Bacon Boss mat on top of the lined baking sheet. The mat should lay flat without curling at the edges.

2. Arrange Raw Bacon Strips

• Lay raw bacon strips widthwise across the mat, aligning them in the grooves between the ridges.

• Make sure the strips aren’t overlapping each other.

• Space them about 1/4 inch apart to allow for even cooking.

3. Bake the Bacon

• Put the loaded baking sheet with the Bacon Boss into the preheated 400°F oven.

• Set the timer for 8 minutes initially. cooking time can vary based on bacon thickness.

• After 8 minutes, check the bacon. At this point, it should be sizzling with some browned areas but still look slightly undercooked in parts.

• Bake for 2-4 minutes more until the bacon reaches your desired level of doneness. I prefer mine extra crispy.

4. Transfer and Drain the Bacon

• When the bacon is ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven.

• Use tongs to immediately transfer the cooked bacon strips from the Bacon Boss mat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

• Let the bacon cool for 1-2 minutes before eating to allow excess grease to drain off.

And that’s it – perfectly cooked bakery bacon every time with minimal mess thanks to the Bacon Boss! The mat makes the process practically foolproof.

Helpful Tips for Using the Bacon Boss

After using the Bacon Boss several times, I’ve picked up some useful tips for getting the best results:

• Play around with cook times based on your preferred level of crispness and the thickness of the bacon. Thicker-cut bacon takes a few minutes longer.

• Make sure your baking sheet is properly lined to prevent the silicone mat from sticking. Parchment paper works better than foil.

• For less splatter, lay paper towels or newspaper on the bottom rack under the baking sheet to catch grease drips.

• Don’t overcrowd the mat with too many bacon strips or overlap them. Leave a bit of space between each strip.

• Let the mat fully cool before removing bacon drippings. The grease solidifies faster for easier cleanup.

• Hand wash the mat after use. It’s dishwasher safe but hand washing extends the life of the silicone.

How Does the Bacon Boss Compare to Other Cooking Methods?

I’ve tried all sorts of ways to cook bacon over the years. Here’s how the Bacon Boss stacks up against other popular cooking methods:

Stovetop Skillet

• Requires frequent flipping and watching to prevent burning. Spattering can be bad.

• Bacon comes out greasy unless you diligently blot with paper towels.

• Produces smoky flavor some love from bacon grease hitting the hot pan.

Microwave

• Fast and convenient but bacon comes out limp, soggy, and less crispy.

• Splatter mess inside the microwave.

• Uneven cooking since microwave hot spots vary.

Oven Rack

• More even cooking than stovetop but flipping still required for crispiness.

• Bacon grease drips off strips, causing a smoky mess and oven splatter.

• Hard to space strips apart evenly.

Bacon Boss

• No flipping needed, just set a timer and bake. Evenly cooked every time.

• Crispy texture without constant grease contact.

• Contained grease for less mess.

• Keeps strips separate so they cook evenly.

Based on convenience, minimized splatter, and consistently crispy results, the Bacon Boss silicone mat is my new go-to for cooking perfect bacon with no fuss!

Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas with Bacon

Aside from just eating bacon strips on their own, here are some of my favorite breakfast ideas that add bacon in a tasty and more nutritious way:

• BLT sandwich – Toast whole grain bread, add crisp lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and bacon.

• Bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich – Fried egg with melted cheddar and bacon on an English muffin.

• Bacon-wrapped breakfast sausage – Wrap pre-cooked sausage links with bacon and bake.

• Loaded baked potato – Top a baked potato with bacon bits, cheddar, green onion and light sour cream.

• Bacon and Brussels sprouts – Roast halved Brussels sprouts and bacon pieces tossed in olive oil.

• Bacon and egg “cups” – Line muffin tins with bacon slices then crack an egg inside each. Bake.

• Bacon fried rice – Make fried rice with veggies, bacon crumbles, shredded chicken or beef.

The Bacon Boss makes it easy to cook up batches of perfectly crispy bacon to use creatively in balanced breakfasts and meals. Just be mindful of portion sizes since bacon is high in sodium and saturated fat.

So if you love bacon, I highly recommend picking up the Bacon Boss silicone mat. It takes the hassle out of frying and helps make deliciously crispy bacon in the oven with zero effort. Follow my baking tips above for bacon perfection every time!