Air Fryer Bacon
Evenly crispy bacon with no splatter on the stove. Starting at a lower temperature renders the fat so it crisps without smoking up the kitchen.
Ingredients
Ingredients for servings
Enter a number of at least ½, in steps of ½.
Original recipe serves 4. Ingredient amounts adjust automatically. Cooking times and pan size may need adjusting separately.
- 12 oz bacon, regular or thick-cut
- 1 slice bread, optional, to soak up drippings
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, coarse, optional
Steps
Step 1: If your air fryer has a drawer under the basket, put a slice of bread in the bottom to soak up grease and keep it from smoking.
Step 2: Lay the bacon in the basket in a single layer. It's fine if the edges overlap a little; cut slices in half to fit.
Step 3: Air fry at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes for regular bacon, or 12 to 14 minutes for thick-cut, flipping halfway.
Step 4: Check during the last 2 minutes and cook until it's as crispy as you like. Bacon goes from perfect to burnt fast.
Step 5: Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with pepper if you like.
Step 6: Let the grease cool in the drawer, then pour it into a jar or wipe it out with paper towels.
Swaps
- Candied bacon: Sprinkle each slice with brown sugar and a pinch of cayenne before cooking.
- Turkey bacon: 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway.
Tips
- Save the bacon grease in a jar in the fridge for frying eggs or making cornbread.
- Never pour hot grease down the drain.
The story
HAM Cooking. Let’s fire it up.
Bacon in a skillet is a contact sport. Grease pops, your forearms get spotted, and the stovetop looks like a crime scene. Air fryer bacon is the peace treaty.
Cooking bacon is mostly about rendering, or melting the fat out of the strip so the meat can crisp up. The air fryer’s circulating heat does this from all sides at once, and the fat drips down away from the bacon instead of sitting in a puddle. That’s why the slices cook so evenly and come out flat. Keeping the temperature at 350°F instead of cranking it to 400°F gives the fat time to render without smoking.
The slice of bread in the drawer is a little trick to soak up drippings so they don’t scorch. And keep an eye on it near the end. Bacon is a dish where 30 seconds can make the difference between crispy and charcoal.
HAM out.
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