The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Quorn Bacon

Quorn bacon has become an increasingly popular meat alternative for vegetarians vegans and flexitarians looking to reduce their meat intake. Made from mycoprotein instead of pork, Quorn bacon mimics the taste, texture, and sizzling sound of regular bacon impressively well.

But like real bacon, cooking Quorn bacon properly is key to maximizing its flavor and getting the perfect crispy yet tender texture. Follow this complete guide to learn all the tips, tricks and techniques for cooking up delicious Quorn bacon.

What is Quorn Bacon?

For those unfamiliar, Quorn is a meat substitute made from fusarium venenatum, a naturally occurring fungus. Through a fermentation process, the fungus is turned into a versatile mycoprotein that can mimic the taste and texture of meat exceptionally well.

Quorn has a long shelf life, is low in saturated fat, and is packed with protein and fiber. It’s a healthy and sustainable alternative protein source.

Quorn bacon is made by forming the mycoprotein into strips designed to look, cook, taste and feel like traditional pork bacon. When prepared properly, Quorn bacon sizzles, crisps and provides a savory, smoky, salty flavor just like the real thing.

The main differences are that Quorn bacon is vegetarian/vegan, lower in fat, and healthier overall. But it satisfies any bacon craving and is ideal for those limiting meat or pork specifically.

How to Buy Quorn Bacon

Quorn sells two main types of bacon:

• Quorn Naked Bacon: This looks just like raw pork bacon strips. They need to be cooked before eating and mimic bacon in flavor and texture when prepared.

• Quorn Ready to Eat Smoky Bacon Slices: These come pre-cooked so can be eaten straight out of the package. They are a bit softer in texture than raw Quorn bacon.

The naked bacon style works best for cooking at home. The ready to eat packs are handy for a quick bacon fix but don’t quite match the flavor and enjoyment of cooking Quorn bacon yourself.

Quorn bacon can be found in the refrigerated vegetarian/vegan section of most major supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Asda here in the UK. It’s stocked alongside other Quorn products like their sausages and burgers.

The bacon is sold in packs of 8-10 rashers and usually costs around £2-3. So it’s very comparably priced to real bacon.

How to Store Quorn Bacon

An unopened pack of Quorn bacon has a shelf life of several weeks from the production date printed on the label. Once opened, it will last 5-7 days in the fridge.

To maximize freshness and shelf life:

• Store unopened packs in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. The fridge is ideal but not required.

• Once opened, rewrap the remaining bacon tightly in plastic wrap or foil and keep refrigerated.

• Cook Quorn bacon within 5-7 days of opening for best flavor and texture. The strips may start to dry out after this.

• Don’t freeze Quorn bacon as this will negatively impact the texture. It goes soggy when thawed.

Proper storage keeps the mycoprotein from drying out so your Quorn bacon stays plump and tender. Follow these tips and your pack will be good right up until the use by date printed on the label.

How to Cook Quorn Bacon – Pan Frying

The best way to cook Quorn bacon for optimal texture and flavor is by pan frying. This method crisps up the outside while keeping the inside tender.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to frying Quorn bacon:

Ingredients

• Quorn bacon rashers
• Oil for frying (olive, vegetable, coconut etc)

Instructions

1. Take the Quorn bacon out of the fridge and allow to come up to room temperature before cooking. This prevents temperature shock which can make it crack.

2. Preheat a heavy based frying pan (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat. Add just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.

3. When the oil is hot, add the Quorn bacon strips in a single layer without overcrowding the pan.

4. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the bottom is golden. Flip and fry the other side for another 2-3 minutes.

5. Flip the bacon occasionally to evenly brown and crisp the strips up. This normally takes 4-6 minutes total depending on thickness.

6. Towards the end, use tongs to hold the bacon vertically against the side of the pan to render the fatty edges.

7. Remove from heat when the strips are browned all over and slightly firm to the touch yet still tender inside. The bacon will continue to crisp up as it cools.

8. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.

9. Finally, season with a pinch of salt, pepper and any other seasonings of choice.

And your Quorn bacon is ready to enjoy! The fat renders out during frying to give an authentic crispy bacon texture.

How to Cook Quorn Bacon – Grilling

Grilling is another excellent way to cook Quorn bacon and achieves a similar taste and texture to frying. It adds lovely charred grill marks too.

Follow this process for perfect grilled Quorn bacon:

Ingredients:

• Quorn bacon rashers
• Oil for brushing

Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high. Brush the grill tray lightly with oil to prevent sticking.

2. Brush both sides of the Quorn bacon strips lightly with oil as well. This helps them brown without drying out.

3. Lay the bacon on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes until grill marks appear underneath.

4. Flip and grill the other side for another 2-3 minutes until browned with char lines.

5. Keep flipping and grilling for 4-6 minutes total until the bacon is evenly browned and crisped up.

6. Hold strips vertically against the grill ridges at the end to render the fatty edges.

7. Remove from the grill once golden brown and slightly firm. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

8. Finish with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and any other seasonings you fancy.

The intense dry heat of the grill crisps up the exterior beautifully while keeping the inside tender. You get the same satisfying flavor and texture as pan frying.

How to Cook Quorn Bacon – Baking

Baking lets you quickly cook Quorn bacon to crispy perfection without needing to watch over a skillet or grill.

Here’s how to easily bake a big batch:

Ingredients:

• Quorn bacon strips
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Arrange the strips of Quorn bacon in a single layer on the sheet without overlapping.

3. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bacon is browned and slightly crisped at the edges.

4. Remove from oven and flip each strip over. Return to oven for another 5-6 minutes.

5. Once both sides are browned, crispy and have rendered fat, they’re ready to come out.

6. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up excess grease.

7. Finish with desired seasonings like pepper or smoked paprika.

Baking provides hands-off cooking with no risk of burning. The hot air circulates evenly around each strip to crisp up the Quorn bacon beautifully.

How to Cook Quorn Bacon – Microwaving

Microwaving is the quickest cooking method for Quorn bacon. It’s not ideal for larger batches but very convenient for 1-2 rashers.

To microwave:

1. Place Quorn bacon strips between two paper towel sheets on a microwave-safe plate.

2. Microwave on full power for 45 seconds. The paper towels absorb excess moisture.

3. Carefully flip the bacon and microwave 30 seconds more until heated through.

4. If needed, continue microwaving in 10 second bursts, flipping occasionally, until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispness.

Microwaving produces decent results in a fraction of the time. But the texture won’t be quite as crispy as pan frying or grilling. It’s best for a quick breakfast bacon sandwich.

How to Cook Quorn Bacon – Troubleshooting

While Quorn bacon is fairly easy to work with, you may encounter a couple issues:

Bacon sticks to the pan

Be sure to use a moderate amount of oil when cooking in a skillet and pre-oil your grill pan. Use metal tongs to gently flip and remove the bacon. If sticking occurs, let it continue to fry another minute or two until the bacon releases itself.

Bacon falls apart

Cook over medium heat instead of high to avoid over