The Pantry Ingredient Hack For Crunchier Bacon

Bacon has the power to wake an entire household. The smell alone can drive sleepyheads out of bed and send them scrambling for a seat around the kitchen table. It's so beloved that some vegetarians will occasionally indulge in the crisp, salty, savory pork.

Bacon manages to achieve simultaneously sweet, salty, and umami flavors, which all work together to create a delicious bite. There's science behind why this breakfast basic tastes so good. As bacon browns, a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction is responsible for creating that strong aroma, crunchy texture, and one-of-a-kind flavor.

Imagine waking up to the siren song of bacon wafting through the air, only to stumble into the kitchen, sit down, and realize that your strips are floppy and greasy. One of the biggest mistakes everyone makes when cooking bacon is not paying attention to the crispiness. This shocking but all-too-common disappointment can be easily avoided with a little know-how and the addition of a pantry staple.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, second breakfast, however you're eating bacon, the texture and crunch plays a critical role. The best way to cook bacon for a perfect texture every time dates back to a 1962 bakery in Austin called Joe's Bakery, according to Bon Appétit. The pros at this establishment developed a technique that guarantees crispy bacon. It requires a little time and forethought, but it pays off in dividends.

To ensure the bacon they served had a perfect crunch, Joe's Bakery cooks dredged the strips in flour overnight. Then, they plop them on the griddle and serve them up to happy customers. This bacon has better structural integrity than what you would normally get. The flour soaks up the fat and prevents some of the grease splatter on your stovetop as well. You don't have to refrigerate the bacon before cooking it like they do at Joe's Bakery, but this additional step will help the strips hold their shape in the pan or on the griddle.