The best and easiest way to cook turkey bacon is in the oven. You’ll get crispy bacon without any drips on the stove.
Believe it or not, I went through a long stretch of my life where I didn’t like bacon. I’m not really sure why, but I can definitely tell you that that phase is OVER. I really enjoy cooking bacon in the oven and making bacon gravy now. Maybe too much.
As I get closer to an important birthday in terms of age, I know I should pay more attention to my health and maybe not eat bacon as often as I’d like to. But, I feel like there’s a compromise, and that compromise is turkey bacon.
Turkey or chicken meat can be used instead of beef in Asian sloppy joes and Mediterranean meatballs. Similarly, turkey bacon can be used instead of regular bacon almost anywhere like in Dr. Pepper baked beans and my leftover mashed potatoes recipe.
Today, I’m sharing with you my tried-and-true method for how to bake turkey bacon. I like to cook turkey bacon in the air fryer when it’s really hot outside and I don’t want to heat up the kitchen. Other than that, the oven is the best way to cook it!
Turkey bacon has become a popular lower-fat alternative to traditional pork bacon But cooking turkey bacon can be tricky since it has less fat and tends to cook faster, So how do you know when turkey bacon is fully cooked and ready to eat?
This guide will show you the best ways to make sure your turkey bacon is cooked to the perfect level of doneness, including how to check the temperature and what to look for. With just a few easy steps, you can always have turkey bacon that is cooked just right.
Look for Visual Signs of Doneness
The easiest way to check turkey bacon is to examine it closely and look for these visual indicators that it’s done
- Color changes to golden brown/reddish-brown
- Fat becomes opaque and crispy
- Edges appear curled and rigid
- Slice has flattened and shrunk in size
- Meat has lost its pink/raw appearance
Check Interior Temperature
Using an instant-read meat thermometer is a foolproof way to test doneness. Insert the probe into the thickest part of a turkey bacon slice. When it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, your bacon is fully cooked and safe to eat.
If you don’t have a thermometer, cook the turkey bacon until it’s pretty much all browned. The color change indicates the proteins have been heated to a safe temperature.
Cook Thoroughly Without Burning
To achieve perfect doneness, it’s crucial to thoroughly cook turkey bacon over medium heat without burning it:
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Use a nonstick pan to prevent sticking
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Choose a lower heat setting to prevent scorching
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Flip frequently for even browning on both sides
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Cook a bit past when it looks done to ensure safety
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Remove from heat right at the start of burning/blackening
Cooking too quickly over high heat risks burning the exterior before the inside is cooked through. Be patient and let the bacon sizzle slowly.
Account for Variations in Thickness
Not all turkey bacon is created equal. Thicker slices will obviously take longer to cook than thinner ones. To account for this:
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Arrange thinner slices towards center of pan
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Place thicker slices around outer edges
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Check often and remove done slices as they finish cooking
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Return undercooked slices to pan for more time
Let Bacon Rest Before Eating
Once you’ve cooked the turkey bacon to the proper doneness, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to rest for 1-2 minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking it to a safe temperature while also allowing the slices to firm up after being removed from the heat source.
Cook Times for Oven & Microwave
If cooking turkey bacon in the oven, bake at 400°F for 13-18 minutes depending on thickness. For the microwave, cook for 2-3 minutes on a microwave-safe plate. Adjust times as needed based on your specific turkey bacon brand.
Store and Reheat Properly
Be sure to store leftover turkey bacon properly and reheat it to 165°F before serving again. Storage in the fridge for 3-4 days is recommended. Reheating in the oven or microwave until hot prevents illness from eating partially cooked bacon.
With these handy tips for gauging doneness, you can enjoy the smoky goodness of turkey bacon fully cooked to perfection. Knowing exactly when it’s done will help you turn out picture-perfect breakfasts and meals!
I cook it at 400 degrees, but the temperature is flexible.
Don’t stress out about oven temperature too much. You have some flexibility here. If I’m only baking turkey bacon, I like to use a 400-degree oven.
But don’t worry if you have other things in the oven at the same time, like a veggie quiche or a sweet potato breakfast casserole, that need a slightly different temperature, like 375 or 425.
Don’t change the cooking time for the turkey bacon; just put it in the oven and change the temperature to change the cooking time. On low heat, it might only need 10 to 12 minutes. On high heat, it could need up to 15 to 18 minutes.
It will be fine as long as you check on it every so often and take it out as soon as it’s done.
How long to cook turkey bacon in the oven MAY depend on the brand of turkey bacon you’re using.
For most store-bought turkey bacon, 10 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees works just fine.
But if you get something from a butcher shop that is more or less the same thickness, the cooking time might be a little different.
Again, just keep an eye on it as it cooks.
Set an alarm for 10 minutes and check the turkey bacon after that if you think it is on the thin side. If the turkey bacon is really thick, you might need to bake it for up to 22 to 25 minutes to get it crispy.
Best Way To Cook Turkey Bacon
How do you know if Turkey bacon is cooked?
You will know your turkey bacon is cooked once it has curled at all of the edges and appears shriveled with a deeply browned color. Lastly, you want to remove your cooked turkey bacon from the pan with a pair of tongs or anything else that prevents you from being burned.
How do you know if Bacon is cooked?
Undercooked bacon can be chewy and tough, and it may not have that desirable crispiness that many people look for in bacon. To tell if bacon is cooked enough, try cutting into it to check the color of the meat. If it’s pink or red, it needs to be cooked longer. Fully cooked bacon will be a pale white or tan color.
How to cook turkey bacon in oven?
Fold a sheet of aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet. Put the turkey bacon strips on the foil and place the baking sheet in your preheated oven. Bake the turkey bacon till it’s brown and crispy. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes. The sides of the strips will dry and become crunchy, indicating that they are ready to be flipped.
What does turkey bacon taste like?
While turkey bacon doesn’t have the same taste or texture as regular bacon, it has its own smoky, salty, meaty and even a little sweet flavor that many people simply can’t resist! Additionally, when you make turkey bacon in the oven it becomes as crispy as regular bacon. It tastes amazing in a BLT or a club sandwich! Does Turkey Bacon Get Crispy?