How to make perfect crispy bacon using one simple ingredient

Adding water is the key

There’s no denying that bacon is beloved by many across the country.

However, the question over the best way to cook bacon is hotly contested. According to Love Pork, 41 per cent prefer to grill their bacon while a third opt to fry it.

A chef has now claimed that the secret to achieving perfectly crispy bacon lies in the addition of one simple ingredient: Water.

Anjali Prastertong is a former private chef and graduate student in nutrition.

She came across a video by America’s Test Kitchen illustrating how using water can result in crispier bacon while also eliminating the risk of overcooking it.

In the video, a chef demonstrates how one should pour enough water to just about cover several pieces of bacon in a pan that’s been placed over high heat.

Once the water reaches boiling point, you should then lower the heat to medium so that the water is left simmering.

When all of the water in the pan has simmered away, turn the heat to medium-low and continue cooking the bacon until it appears to have reached an optimum level of crispiness.

Prastertong decided to try the technique out for herself, with very positive results.

“For perfect bacon in bulk, cooking it in the oven is the way to go, but the next time you cook a few slices on the stove, give this method a try,” she wrote.

“It just might change how you cook bacon forever.”

Prastertong’s efforts inspired Alyssa Rosello, a test kitchen assistant at Delish.com to follow suit and try the method out for herself as well.

Rosello carried out a couple of tests to determine once and for all whether the theory that adding water led to crispier bacon was well-founded.

Rosello and food editor of Delish.com Lauren Miyashiro concluded that cooking bacon with water was the superior method, as the strips turned out crispy and there was no bacon fat spatter.

However, they also agreed that when making bacon in bulk, cooking it in an oven is an easier approach despite perhaps being less effective.