# crisp or chewy bacon?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [August 2, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183 "2013-08-02T20:33:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Claire98909](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire98909)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/1 "2013-08-02T20:33:32Z")
Which do you prefer? I like chewy bacon.
Also, do you prefer your bacon pan fried or baked? I like mine baked because it keeps it nice and chewy (like bacon jerky!) and prevents it from curling up.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/2 "2013-08-02T20:39:15Z")
Crispy.
Baking is definitely easier, and somewhat cleaner.
If I’m up for the extra effort, I dredge in seasoned flour then pan-fry. It adds a delightful, crispy coating and makes it nearly impossible to burn (the first batch at least).
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### Author:  [@want2befree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2befree)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/3 "2013-08-02T20:39:33Z")
I like crispy bacon. I cook it in the microwave for way longer than the packaging directions say.
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/4 "2013-08-02T20:39:48Z")
Baked to crispy perfection. Crispier the better.
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### Author:  [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/5 "2013-08-02T20:42:08Z")
Chewy, but with some crispiness. Maybe 70% chewy to 30% crispy parts.
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### Author:  [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/6 "2013-08-02T20:42:13Z")
Chewy!
Crispy bacon is what happens when the cook forgets what they are doing.
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### Author:  [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/7 "2013-08-02T20:43:30Z")
Chewy all the way. I hate when it’s crispy, but my dad loved it absolutely burnt. My wife always forgets and says,“you like your bacon crispy, right?”
I don’t care how it’s made, baked is cool. I am even OK with turkey bacon.
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### Author:  [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/8 "2013-08-02T20:44:56Z")
I pan fry mine to the exact point between chewy and crispy.
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### Author:  [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/9 "2013-08-02T20:45:40Z")
> [@bup](#):
>
> Chewy, but with some crispiness. Maybe 70% chewy to 30% crispy parts.
I’m exactly opposite. Crispy, but with some chewiness. Maybe 70% crispy to 30% chewy parts. 😃
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### Author:  [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/10 "2013-08-02T20:54:02Z")
Crispy. Anywhere just “just crispy” to “a wee bit burned”.
I usually cook it in the oven because it’s easier.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/11 "2013-08-02T20:57:47Z")
> [@bup](#):
>
> Chewy, but with some crispiness. Maybe 70% chewy to 30% crispy parts.
Sounds about right to me. I don’t like it dry and crispy, where it shatters when any pressure is placed on it. But I don’t like it really floppy either. So 70:30 sounds about right in the sweet spot for me.
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### Author:  [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/12 "2013-08-02T20:59:01Z")
Crispy all the way, man! I hate limp, chewy bacon. I like it fried in a pan.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/13 "2013-08-02T21:07:52Z")
Good bacon should be thick bacon, and crisp would mean inedible in that case. I’m not thrilled when bacon is all rubbery though, more toward the crisp end of the spectrum would be my preference.
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### Author:  [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/14 "2013-08-02T21:11:20Z")
Medium thick and crumbly.
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### Author:  [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/15 "2013-08-02T21:18:08Z")
I bake mine to just crispy. Meaning about half the strips on the pan would break if bent more than 45°.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/16 "2013-08-02T21:46:57Z")
I like it both ways. When I was a kid, I hated hated HATED crispy bacon. It had to be _very_ limp and chewy for me to like it. Now, I tend to prefer it entirely crispy. Sometimes I still get a yearning for limp/chewy bacon though.
Oddly enough, I’m not much for “in between.” I like it crispy most of the time, I like it limp some of the time, but I don’t like it inbetween crispy and limp very much at all. I mean, I’ll eat it, because hey, its bacon! But yeah, not my preference.
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### Author:  [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/17 "2013-08-03T00:54:30Z")
Crispy to just before getting blackened bacon.
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### Author:  [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/18 "2013-08-03T01:13:31Z")
Okay (sneaks into thread somewhat shamefaced) I will admit I have never heard of baking bacon. But tomorrow morning, I’m doing it. I assume just lay the strips out on a baking sheet? How long for lightly crispy at what temp?
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/19 "2013-08-03T01:18:46Z")
> [@leftfield6](#):
>
> Okay (sneaks into thread somewhat shamefaced) I will admit I have never heard of baking bacon. But tomorrow morning, I’m doing it. I assume just lay the strips out on a baking sheet? How long for lightly crispy at what temp?
You can lay it down in a pan, or lay it on a rack. On a rack it will cook because it’s not sitting in the grease. You can cook at 350F, or higher if you don’t mind some smoke. Very thick bacon I get at the butcher I bake at 325F for a while to get it cooking without getting tough, then I may turn up the temperature for a little bit of crispiness. How long depends on temperature, how thick, and whether or not you use a rack. You’ll have to try it and see how your bacon reacts in your oven. It should take between 15 and 30 minutes.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crisp-or-chewy-bacon/665183/20 "2013-08-03T01:20:53Z")
> [@leftfield6](#):
>
> Okay (sneaks into thread somewhat shamefaced) I will admit I have never heard of baking bacon. But tomorrow morning, I’m doing it. I assume just lay the strips out on a baking sheet? How long for lightly crispy at what temp?
[ol]
[li]Line baking sheet with foil.[/li]
[li]Arrange bacon on foil and place in cold oven.[/li]
[li]Turn oven to 400 degrees and leave for 15-20 minutes, depending on how done you want it.[/li]
[li]Remove from oven and transfer to plate with paper towels.[/li]
[li]Eat.[/li]
[li]Roll up foil and discard; put away clean baking sheet. :)[/li][/ol]
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