# Bacon: Crispy or chewy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954 "2011-12-31T15:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/21 "2012-01-01T00:47:35Z")
Crispy. No, crispier than that. Look, just cook it until you think it’s burned, and then for about 30 seconds more. Mmm, perfect! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/22 "2012-01-01T00:48:37Z")
Crispy is Evil. Give it just enough crunch to be done, without making it shatter when I bite it. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/23 "2012-01-01T00:48:45Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > **Bacon: Crispy or chewy?** > > Yes Yes. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/24 "2012-01-01T00:55:40Z")
Crispy is the only way to go. Chewy bacon seems undercooked to me, and while I like my steak rare, pork should be cooked thoroughly. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/25 "2012-01-01T01:26:39Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > you should look into the recommendations for cooking pork, they have changed in the last 20 years. Meaning … ? Although there are only a handful of cases in the US these days, there are 10,000 cases every year in China and a somewhat smaller number in Europe. And not everybody who posts here lives in the US. ---
**Author:** ![missinformation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@missinformation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missinformation)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/26 "2012-01-01T01:46:10Z")
Crispy, but not to the point that it will fall apart, please. A little “play” in the center. Well drained, also, please. (Closes menu) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/27 "2012-01-01T02:28:03Z")
Crispy. And thin sliced, please. I can’t seem to cook thick sliced bacon to eliminate the chewiness without overcooking it, but thin sliced I can cook to perfection–crispy throughout, but without significant darkening. When it leaves the pan it is still flexible, but while cooling it achieves its perfect crispy nature. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/28 "2012-01-01T03:37:38Z")
The middle should just be starting to get crispy while the ends are still chewy. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/29 "2012-01-03T22:04:26Z")
Floppy bacon is delicious. I’ll go all the way to chewy for bacon bits. The only thing worse than maple bacon is crispy bacon. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/30 "2012-01-03T22:08:18Z")
I’ll take it closer to the chewy end of the spectrum than the crispy. **Silenus** ’s guidelines are just about right for me. It should be pliant, with just a bit of crisp when you start to bite into it. But nothing like the horrific, dry, crisped-out monstrosities that look like they’d shatter if you’d drop them. Also, when doing bacon, I prefer it thicker rather than thinner. None of the grocery store cuts of bacon are generally thick enough for me–I need to buy slab bacon and cut it myself. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/31 "2012-01-03T22:24:40Z")
I want it very crispy please. chewy = raw bacon in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/32 "2012-01-04T00:29:01Z")
Crispy. It must hold its own shape and break off when I bite into it. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/33 "2012-01-04T00:57:37Z")
On the crispier end. It shouldn’t shatter, but it does need to be cooked. Undercooked bacon is disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/34 "2012-01-04T01:42:09Z")
This is like asking “Steak: Rare or charred?” ---
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/35 "2012-01-04T02:06:17Z")
To quote Homer Simpson, “Crispy but not too crispy” ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/36 "2012-01-04T02:21:29Z")
chewy. crispy = dog snacks. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/37 "2012-01-04T04:38:32Z")
Crispy, which is hard to find here. It seems like they just wave a slice of bacon over a pot of warm water here and then serve it to you. What’s worse is that they like to hide big chunks of half-cooked bacon inside buns and rolls. Bleah… ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/38 "2012-01-04T04:45:15Z")
Chewy. I stop when it starts becoming crispy. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/39 "2012-01-04T04:45:16Z")
Chewy. I hate crispy bacon. ETA: And I like the thick cut apple cured kind the best. -XT ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954/40 "2012-01-04T11:27:51Z")
Both is best, but just chewy (from the microwave) is better than just crispy. Unfortunately, our microwave just gave up the ghost yesterday, so I’m going to actually cook it on the stovetop and hope I don’t overdo it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bacon-crispy-or-chewy/607954.md?page=3)