Should You Really Rest Bacon Before Cooking?

Ah, bacon. Has any one food inspired such devotion in the modern era? We think not. Today, Dubai chocolate has captivated the masses, but you couldn't throw a proverbial stone in the early 2010s without hitting an internet meme about bacon. Of our best tips for cooking bacon, doing so from room temperature was listed as a recommendation. Experts have argued that resting bacon until it hits ambient temperature is a pro move, because it's easier for the fat to render and the bacon to really crisp up if it doesn't have to warm from fridge temp to start with.

And, yet, when Foodie sister site The Takeout interviewed Chris Mattera of North Country Smokehouse, Mattera argued that resting bacon wasn't the strat. "Strictly speaking, bacon does not need to come up to room temp before cooking," he stated. "A slice of bacon is generally thin enough that the difference in cook time between a cold slice and a room temperature slice is virtually nonexistent."

We've definitely heard of cooking bacon in a cold pan to start, but should bacon also be cold when you put it in that pan? Perhaps. Bacon fat renders quickly, since most bacon is cut so thin. If you give it a head start in warming, that fat may sear off too quickly in the pan and burn. This is to say nothing of food safety concerns that might also cause us to lean towards the path of keeping bacon cold.

Surprising nobody, food safety experts have something discouraging to say about the idea of allowing bacon to "rest" until it comes up to room temperature. Would you expect any authority to condone exposing raw meat to ambient air, after all? The guidance of the USDA is clear: you can thaw bacon in the fridge, cold water, or a microwave. Thawing by letting it sit at room temp is discouraged. You may call it "resting" and not "thawing," but the latter is exactly what you are doing. Bacon must be kept cool, at below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, to satisfy food safety standards in the United States and to prevent the growth of disease-causing bacteria. If you weren't already convinced that resting bacon is suspect, maybe this aspect of the story will sway you.

There are several great ways to cook bacon, whether you pan-fry it, air-fry it, or even bake it. It's ultimately up to you whether you choose to rest bacon before cooking, but make sure that you are educated about the potential risks of doing so — especially because there are some questions about whether resting bacon even results in a better product! No matter how you cook your bacon, consider saving the bacon grease ... it's the secret ingredient for the best fried chicken.

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