The Best Way to Cook Turkey Bacon

Having a hard time achieving that perfectly crispy and deliciously chewy turkey bacon? Learn the best way to cook turkey bacon here!

Many prefer turkey bacon over regular bacon. It has lower calories and fat compared to the latter and is a great alternative for people who cannot eat pork because of diet or health restrictions.

However, because of its lower fat content, making the perfect turkey bacon is also a bit harder. That’s why this post is here to help you discover the best way to cook turkey bacon without the hassle of failed attempts.

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How do you make the best turkey bacon?

There are many ways to cook turkey bacon. You can use a pan, microwave, air fryer, or the oven.

Each of these cooking methods has its own pros and cons. If you’re not careful, you might end up with an overcooked and hard turkey bacon.

Cooking turkey bacon is easy but it requires attention. Whichever cooking method you use, always pay attention so you can achieve the perfectly crispy or chewy turkey bacon you’re aiming for.

What is the fastest way to cook turkey bacon?

The fastest way to cook turkey bacon is by using the microwave. However, if you are using frozen strips of bacon, you’ll have to thaw them first.

All of these cooking methods are generally fast but you will only need about 2 to 3 minutes to cook turkey bacon in the microwave.

Kitchen Essentials for Making the Best Turkey Bacon

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How to cook turkey bacon in the oven:

Cooking turkey bacon in the oven is the best choice especially if you’re feeding a crowd. With this cooking method, you can cook several slices of bacon all at the same time.

To start, preheat the oven to 400 °F. Put a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place a baking rack on top of it. The parchment paper is important if you want to have an easy clean up as it will catch your turkey bacon’s grease. You can also use foil.

Do not forget to spray a bit of nonstick cooking spray before arranging the slices of turkey bacon in a single layer on your baking rack. Let them bake in the oven for 6 to 10 minutes, then flip them over to make both sides evenly crispy.

There’s no exact cooking time for making turkey bacon in the oven. You can have chewier turkey bacon in about 12 to 15 minutes, and it’s up to you if you want to extend the cooking time to make them crispier.

Once done, place the cooked turkey bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel so it can absorb the remaining grease.

How to cook turkey bacon in the microwave:

If you’re planning to use the microwave to cook frozen turkey bacon, make sure to thaw the bacon first. You can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave by using the defrost setting.

After thawing the bacon, line two to three layers of paper towels on a microwave safe plate. Having several layers of paper towels is useful in completely absorbing the excess grease off your turkey bacon.

Place your turkey bacon strips one by one in a single layer and microwave them for 50 seconds to 1 minute. Flip them over and microwave them again for another 50 seconds to 1 minute. The cooking time will vary on your microwave oven so extend it if necessary.

Cooking turkey bacon in the microwave is only a good option if you like softer bacon. It won’t get very crispy in a traditional microwave!

How long to cook turkey bacon on the stove top:

Frying turkey bacon in a pan is still one of the best ways to cook turkey bacon. Although it may require a little bit of clean up and effort, the deliciousness of fried turkey bacon is worth it.

To start, heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in your skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the bacon strips. Turn them every 2 to 3 minutes and adjust the heat if necessary.

Cook the bacon for a total of 8 to 10 minutes until the strips are perfectly browned and crispy. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels and serve.

How to cook turkey bacon in the air fryer:

If you have an air fryer, you should definitely try using it to cook turkey bacon. Just place the turkey bacon strips in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook them at 390 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Flipping is not necessary but feel free to do so if you want both sides to be evenly crispy. Air fry for another 3 to 5 minutes until the bacon strips are crispy enough for you.

Once done, remove the turkey bacon from the air fryer basket, place them on a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm.

Looking for more delicious recipes?

Hopefully, this guide was able to help you figure out the best way to cook turkey bacon. If you liked this post, you won’t want to miss these collections of recipe ideas and cooking guides as well.