It sounds like a quick, easy, and cheap “life hack” that I’ve seen on a few websites: rinse your bacon under cold water to make it shrink less when it’s cooking.
Sizzling, salty bacon is the star of many breakfasts, burgers, and BLTs But before cooking this beloved pork product, a question arises should you wash the raw bacon first or cook it straight from the package?
This debate has raged on for years in home and professional kitchens alike. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll settle the score once and for all on whether washing bacon before cooking is recommended or not.
You’ll learn:
- The potential benefits and drawbacks of washing bacon
- Expert opinions from butchers and chefs
- Proper techniques if you do opt to wash
- The best cooking methods for ultimate bacon flavor
- Delicious recipes to enjoy bacon at its finest
After reading this, you’ll be ready to cook your next pack of bacon to crispy, porky perfection confidently based on what’s best for flavor and food safety. Let’s dive in!
Why Some People Wash Bacon Before Cooking
While not universally practiced some home cooks insist on washing bacon before cooking it. Here are some of the reasons behind this
- To remove excess salt used in curing
- To rinse off any liquid smoke or seasoning flavors
- To clean off any slimy residue
- A belief it helps the bacon crisp up better
- To reduce the bacon’s sodium level for health reasons
Additionally, those following religious guidelines on preparing pork may be inclined to wash bacon beforehand.
These reasons make sense at first glance, but do they hold up under closer inspection? Let’s find out.
Potential Benefits of Washing Bacon
Some cooks like washing bacon because it might be better in a few ways:
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May reduce sodium slightly – Though not eliminated, traces of surface salt may be rinsed off. This can marginally reduce sodium intake for those limiting it for health reasons.
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Can rinse off added flavors – Liquid smoke, seasonings, and curing agents applied to the surface can be washed off if undesirable.
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Removes slimy residue – Rinsing may wash off the harmless yet unpleasant white slime on raw bacon.
For some cooks, these benefits make a quick rinse worth it before cooking. But potential downsides also exist.
Potential Drawbacks of Washing Bacon
Despite some benefits, there are good reasons washing bacon may do more harm than good:
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Minimal sodium reduction – Salt is absorbed deep into the meat, not just the surface. Rinsing has negligible impact on sodium level.
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Alters texture – Wet bacon doesn’t crisp as nicely. Drying afterwards mitigates, but still impacts texture.
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Impacts flavor – Rinsing washes away smoked, cured, seasoned flavors that permeate the meat.
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Food safety risks – Wet handling and washing after opening increases risks of cross-contamination in the kitchen.
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Time consuming – Washing, drying, and handling bacon adds extra steps to the cooking process.
For these reasons, many cooks choose to skip washing bacon altogether.
Expert Opinions on Washing Bacon
With pros and cons on both sides, what do food experts recommend when it comes to washing bacon before cooking?
Professional chefs, butchers, and food safety specialists tend to advise against washing for the following reasons:
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The minimal sodium reduction isn’t worth the flavor loss.
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Wet bacon splatters more aggressively when cooking.
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The added handling increases risks of transferring bacteria.
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Drying after washing is time consuming and inconvenient.
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The slime and residue is harmless and cooks off anyway.
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Most bacon is pre-cleaned at packaging plants nowadays.
Their consensus aligns with not recommending washing bacon prior to cooking for most users. But those who still wish to wash have some best practices to follow.
Proper Way to Wash Bacon
If you elect to wash your bacon before cooking, adhere to these guidelines:
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Use cold water only – hot water starts rendering fat.
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Quick 5-10 second rinse only – no soaking.
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Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
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Wash hands, cutting board, utensils after washing raw bacon.
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Cook bacon immediately – don’t let it sit wet.
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Discard any bacon water down the drain – don’t reuse it.
Following these safe handling tips will reduce the risks of improper bacon washing. But not washing at all is simpler for most cooks.
Best Cooking Methods for Optimal Bacon
For the crispiest, porkiest bacon with no washing required, use these premier cooking techniques:
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Bake in the oven – Lined on a sheet pan, bacon cooks evenly with less splatter.
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Fry in a skillet – Cook over medium heat until desired doneness, flipping occasionally.
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Microwave – Lay bacon between paper towels and microwave in 1 minute increments.
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Grill or smoke – Infuse outdoor flavor cooking low and slow on the barbecue or smoker.
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Air fry – Electric air fryers give crunch with less grease.
With the right preparation, you can achieve bacon bliss without any need for washing beforehand.
Incredible Bacon Recipes to Savor
These tasty recipes allow the natural flavors of great bacon to shine through:
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Classic BLT sandwich with mayo
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Baked potato soup with bacon crumbles
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Brussels sprouts sautéed with bacon chunks
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Spinach salad with warm bacon vinaigrette
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Bacon wrapped smoked jalapeno poppers
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Candied bacon crumbles on baked French toast
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Bacon mac and cheese with crispy top
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Bacon cheeseburger with all the fixings
The possibilities are endless for elevated dishes with bacon as the star!
While practices vary, most chefs advise against washing bacon before cooking for best results. The marginal benefits don’t outweigh the drawbacks of altered texture and flavor. For optimal flavor and food safety, cook quality bacon straight from the package using your preferred method.
But whether you wash or don’t wash, let your taste buds be the judge. If washing enhances your enjoyment while following safe handling tips, go for it. But not washing brings less hassle for most bacon aficionados.
Just be sure to cook your bacon thoroughly until sizzling hot, then sit back and savor the mouthwatering tastes! How do you like to cook your bacon?
Rinsing Bacon With Cold Water to Keep It From Shrinking: Fact or Fiction?
To keep bacon from shrinking you must first know why bacon shrinks when you cook it. In case you didn’t just click on that link, here’s the tl;dr version.
Bacon shrinks when cooking for two primary reasons.
- Fat in the bacon, and
- Water the meat processor used to cure the bacon.
Bacon fat will render (or melt and turn into bacon grease) when cooking. This is a simple fact: if something you are cooking is going to melt, it will get smaller. More fat = more shrinkage.
When cooked, bacon that has been cured with a lot of water will lose a lot of that water through evaporation.
Rinsing your bacon with cold water just gives you wetter bacon.
Think about it. Where was your bacon before you got it ready to cook? If you follow safe food storage practices, it was in the refrigerator! If it was in the fridge it is already cold. Running cold water on it after you take cold bacon out of the fridge might actually warm up the bacon! Most refrigerators are kept at about 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Water from the tap is typically coming out at more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In reality, all you’re doing is warming up the bacon before putting it in the pan to cook.
Running cold water over your bacon to keep it from shrinking will also remove any tasty seasonings and rubs that were added if you bought flavored bacon. So, not only do you have wet, warm bacon, but now it’s tasteless too.
This idea that running cold water over bacon will keep it from shrinking is a terrible myth that needs to die.
- Water makes bacon wetter.
- The water is warmer than the bacon that you just got from the fridge.
- Water washes off the flavor.
Rinse your lettuce, but don’t rinse your bacon.
You Should Be Doing This To Bacon Before You Cook It
FAQ
Should you put bacon in water before cooking?
What to do before cooking bacon?
What is the best and cleanest way to cook bacon?
Does soaking bacon in water to remove salt?
Why do I need to wash my Bacon before cooking?
More fat = more shrinkage. Bacon injected with lots of water for curing will lose a lot of water when cooking due to evaporation. Rinsing your bacon with cold water just gives you wetter bacon. Free Bacon T-Shirt! #BACONSTRONG Think about it. Where was your bacon before you got it ready to cook?
Should Bacon be rinsed in water?
If you rinse your bacon in water all you will do is to likely rinse off any seasoning rub and perhaps even some of the salt, while warming up the bacon because the tap water will often be warmer than the fridge. And, of course, you’ll have wet bacon. Some bacon is injected with extra water.
Do you rinse Bacon before cooking?
Rinse your bacon before you cook it and you’ll have longer strips to enjoy. This tip has been circling around the interwebs for a while. Fran at the Franalan blog put it to the test and confirmed her bacon did not shrink. I, sadly, do not have any bacon on hand to rinse, but if it’s on a Snapple real facts cap, it’s definitely worth a try.
Should you cook bacon in water before it evaporates?
However, one theory as to why you should cook your bacon in a little water until the water evaporates, is that the water makes the bacon cook more slowly so that the fat can render slowly, and this ends up making crispier bacon and doing some other magical things. Once again, it’s not rocket science.