The Pantry Ingredient You Should Add To Bacon For The Ultimate Crisp Factor

When it comes to breakfast, bacon is king. A nice strip of crispy bacon is a breakfast staple that's fed the world over for centuries. But the key word there is "crispy." When bacon isn't crispy, it becomes a chewy, greasy wad of disappointment. Chefs have spent ages finding ways to get that perfectly crispy bacon, like cooking bacon in a cold pan, and they've been successful for the most part. But for the ultimate bacon crisp factor, what you need is one common pantry ingredient.

Flour is the key to crispy bacon. By coating your bacon in all-purpose flour before cooking, you'll get the delicious, crispy strips of happiness you've been looking for. The flour mixes with the bacon grease to almost deep-fry the bacon in the pan, and it's no secret how great fried meat is. It might seem like an odd choice, but you can't argue with the results.

The science behind this bacon cooking tip isn't complicated. The flour makes your bacon crispier by absorbing some of the grease and drying out the surface of the meat. In addition, the extra sugars provided by the flour react with the amino acids in the meat to kickstart the Maillard reaction, helping the bacon to brown and develop its signature flavor.

For best results when coating bacon with flour, dredge the bacon strips through your all-purpose flour in a bowl. You can do it the morning of, but if you really want that extra crisp, it's best to do it the night before and let your bacon chill in the fridge overnight. This gives the flour time to really soak up the grease and thoroughly dry the surface of the bacon.

While this tip works if you're just cooking the bacon in a pan, the best method is to bake your bacon in the oven at a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 20 minutes. Line a baking sheet with wax paper, lay your flour-coated bacon flat on it, and pop that pan in the oven. Once it's done, you'll have a tray of delicious, crispy bacon that you would swear came from a five-star restaurant.

Of course, if standard flour isn't an option due to dietary restrictions, there are other ingredients you can use as a substitute. Gluten-free flour typically works just as well, as do ingredients like cornstarch (though it tends to cling, so you'll probably have to shake off the extra). You can also use different types of flour, like whole grain, if you're not a fan of all-purpose flour, though you may notice an additional flavor. Experiment with different coatings to give your bacon the best possible crisp and flavor and upgrade your breakfast.