How Is Bacon Cooked in a Commercial Kitchen? An In-Depth Look

Crispy, savory bacon is a breakfast staple loved by many. But have you ever wondered how restaurants and diners cook up bacon so quickly to serve their hungry customers? What secrets do commercial kitchens possess when it comes to cooking everyone’s favorite pork product?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the fascinating world of commercial bacon cooking. We’ll uncover the specialized techniques, equipment, and layouts that allow professional kitchens to churn out perfect bacon batch after batch.

Read on for a look at bacon cooking in the business world, whether you’re a home cook who wants to improve your bacon game or someone who’s just interested in what goes on behind the scenes.

An Overview of Commercial Bacon Cooking

Cooking bacon for large volumes of customers requires speed, efficiency, and consistency. Commercial kitchens utilize methods that allow them to churn out crispy, delicious bacon rapidly.

Here’s a quick rundown of how most restaurants tackle bacon cooking

• High-powered equipment like griddles, convection ovens, and broilers cook large batches quickly
• Flat-top griddles provide even heat distribution for consistent cooking
• Convection ovens circulate air for fast, uniform baking
• Pre-portioned and sometimes pre-cooked bacon ensures standard results
• Organized kitchen layouts optimize workflow

Keep reading as we explore these factors and techniques in more detail.

Equipment for High-Volume Bacon Cooking

For commercial kitchens to cook a lot of bacon quickly and evenly, they need special, high-powered tools. Here are some of the most important tools of their trade:

Griddles

Flat-top griddles are a workhorse of many commercial kitchens. These large, flat cooking surfaces made of steel or aluminum excel at cooking items like bacon for a few reasons:

• Large surface area allows simultaneous cooking of many portions
• Even heat distribution prevents cold and hot spots
• Grease and fat drain away from the food as it cooks
• Durable materials hold up to high heat
• Some models have multiple temperature zones for versatility

With the help of a good griddle, a short order cook can crank out piles of perfectly cooked bacon in minutes. It’s one of the most efficient ways to cook bacon in bulk.

Convection Ovens

Another essential commercial bacon cooking tool is the convection oven. The fan circulation and precise temperature control of convection ovens make them ideal for achieving rapid, consistent results with large batches of bacon.

Benefits of cooking bacon in convection ovens include:

• Hot air circulating around bacon cooks it evenly
• Simultaneous cooking of multiple pans or racks of bacon
• Consistent temperatures prevent under or overcooking
• Faster cooking than conventional ovens
• Easy to load up bacon on sheet pans for efficient cooking

From diners to hotel kitchens, convection ovens allow quick and steady bacon output.

Broilers

Some commercial kitchens also utilize broilers to finish off or “shock” partially cooked bacon. High-powered gas broilers apply intense top-down radiant heat that crisps up the bacon nicely. The excess grease drips away, leaving crunchy deliciousness behind. It’s a quick finishing technique.

Bacon Preparation for Consistent Results

In addition to utilizing the right equipment, restaurants also prep the bacon in specific ways to ensure fast, foolproof cooking every time.

Portioning and Slicing

Bacon cooked in restaurants is often:

• Purchased pre-sliced in uniform portions
• Hand sliced to standardized thicknesses if bought in slabs
• Cut into individual strips for broiling or grilling

Portioning into uniform slices promotes even cook times. It reduces the hassle of individually slicing bacon to order during busy services.

Pre-Cooking

Some kitchens partially or fully pre-cook bacon before finishing to order. Pre-cooking gives them a headstart, cutting the final cook time down to just a quick reheat or sizzle.

Different pre-cooking methods include:

• Parcooked – Bacon is partially cooked then cooled and held for later use
• Microwaved – Bacon is fully cooked in the microwave then finished on the griddle
• Baked – Bacon baked in ovens then held in warming trays or chillers

Pre-cooking allows the kitchen to better cope with huge demand. The bacon just needs a fast finish to serve.

Optimal Layouts and Workflows

Cooking bacon rapidly requires good kitchen layouts for seamless workflows. Here are some factors commercial kitchens consider:

Equipment Placement

Cooking equipment like griddles and broilers is strategically placed for easy access. Cooks can reach the bacon quickly to tend to it or remove it when done.

Ventilation

Good ventilation removes smoke, steam and odors from the cooking process. This improves safety and comfort for kitchen staff.

Organization

Ingredients and tools need to be organized so cooks can work efficiently. Bacon, portioned slices, paper towels, tongs, pans, and more should have designated places.

Communication

Clear communication ensures the bacon order gets from the server to the cook smoothly. Point of sale systems, tickets, kitchen display systems, and call outs help convey what’s needed.

With good organization and kitchen plans, the bacon cooking process becomes a streamlined machine.

Cooking Methods to Achieve Rapid Results

To pump out platter after platter of piping hot bacon, commercial kitchens need cooking processes that are lightning fast while still delivering quality results. Here are some of the techniques they use to achieve bacon cooking feats:

Griddling

Flat-top griddles are ideal for fast bacon cooking thanks to their even heat distribution across a large surface area. With the griddle hot, sliced bacon can be continuously loaded up in batches, cooking multiple portions at once. The grease drains away as it cooks, resulting in crisp delicious bacon in just minutes.

Baking

Loading up sheet pans with bacon and putting them in convection ovens is one of the easiest ways to cook large quantities. The constant airflow makes for speedy, hands-off cooking. Multiple pans can be cooked at once.

Broiling

Commercial broilers apply intense overhead heat from above to rapidly cook or finish bacon strips placed on a broiler pan. The direct top-down heat crisps up the bacon in seconds, making broiling a great option for giving parcooked bacon a final sizzle.

Microwaving

Believe it or not, some restaurants partially or fully pre-cook bacon in commercial microwaves before giving it a quick finish on the griddle or in the oven. Microwaves rapidly heat and cook the bacon thanks to their high-powered energy waves. It’s a controversial technique, but undeniably fast.

Why Commercial Methods Work

Now that you have an inside look at how commercial kitchens crank out piles of perfect bacon every morning, you can probably see why their techniques work so well:

• High-powered equipment like griddles and convection ovens rapidly cook large batches
• Standardized portioning and pre-cooking ensures consistency
• Specialized kitchen layouts and workflow plans eliminates wasted motion and time
• Cooking methods like broiling, baking, and griddling apply the right amount of heat for fast results

By combining the right tools, management practices, and cooking techniques, professional kitchens have cracked the code on fast, foolproof bacon every time.

So next time you enjoy bacon at a diner or hotel, you’ll have an appreciation for the thoughtful engineering that goes into its quality and speed of preparation.

Equipment and Tips for Home Cooks

While commercial-grade equipment and volume cooking may not be practical in home kitchens, there are still things the average cook can learn from professional bacon techniques:

• Cook bacon on flat griddles or pans to allow even heat distribution and fat drainage
• Use the oven or broiler for hands-off cooking in large batches
• Preheat cooking surfaces and ovens fully before adding bacon
• Portion bacon slices evenly for predictable cook times
• Partially pre-cook bacon to reduce total cooking time
• Drain bacon on paper towel lined plates to remove excess grease
• Invest in thick, heavy pans and cooking tools that retain heat
• Ventilate your kitchen to manage odors and smoke
• Organize ingredients and tools to optimize cooking workflows

The right equipment, preparation, and methods can help even home cooks achieve faster, tastier bacon worthy of any commercial kitchen.

Cooking Bacon Safely

When cooking large quantities of bacon, safety should always be top priority. Here are some tips for professional and home cooks alike:

• Never leave cooking bacon unattended to avoid burning, splattering, or fire hazards
• Allow grease to fully cool before attempting to handle or dispose of it
• Store cooled grease properly in sealed containers away from heat sources
• Keep bacon chilled at safe