If you're looking for a new method for cooking your bacon, here are some tips and information on how to grill bacon outdoors.
Bacon is a favorite food of many and is great to eat at any time: breakfast, lunch and dinner. But have you ever tried grilling it? It turns out that by grilling the bacon, it can make it crispier and less greasy.
The grill pan keeps bacon from sticking or falling through the grates, the indirect cooking method won’t produce a burnt bacon strip, the excess grease drips away, and the final result has an extra smoky flavor and delightful crispness.
These are the reasons why I always try to grill anything wrapped in bacon, like with my grilled jalapeño poppers and grilled bacon-wrapped pickles for that extra bit of smokiness and char. I also have a tutorial for how to cook crispy bacon in the oven.
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Ingredients
The only ingredient you will need is raw center-cut (leaner) bacon strips. You can also use thick-cut but keep in mind they will take longer to cook.
Equipment
You will also need a grill pan or mat and an outdoor grill. If you are unfamiliar with what a grill pan is, it is a metal pan with holes and sometimes handles. It makes cleaning easier and the bacon won’t stick to the gas grill.
Instructions
To begin, preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Once it reaches that temperature, turn off half of the burners to create an indirect cooking area.
Step 1. Grill the bacon. Place bacon strips on a grill mat or grill pan and then onto the grill on the indirect heat side (no flame underneath). Close the lid and grill the bacon until golden and crispy (about 10 to 15 minutes per side). Keep an eye on it to check for doneness.
Step 2. Remove grease. Take the bacon off the grill and remove excess grease with paper towels.
Step 3. Serve. Serve it as is or you can add your freshly, grilled bacon to sandwiches (like this bacon sandwich) and even desserts like these maple bacon cake balls.
Bacon Grilling Tips
- Let the bacon sit. My first tip on how to grill bacon is to preheat the gas grill and while that is happening, let your bacon sit at room temperature, for approximately 10 minutes. This will help to cook the bacon more evenly and take less time overall.
- Choose leaner bacon. Choose center-cut bacon if you can find it because it is more lean, which I find is better for grilling.
- Don't overlap the bacon. Be aware of how many pieces of bacon you put in the grill pan. Layering the bacon will not cook the bacon evenly and you may have pieces that are undercooked or raw. When you put the bacon in the grill pan, keep the strips a couple inches apart.
- Use indirect heat. The excess grease can drip into the flames and cause massive flare ups as well as catch the bacon strips on fire. This is why we cook the bacon over indirect heat. Make sure to stay by the grill to keep a check on the temperature, doneness or any possible flare ups.
- Avoid burning the bacon. The indirect heat in this recipe will help to avoid excessive amounts of combusted carbon on your bacon. Combusted carbon comes from cooking meat at a high heat. While a small amount is usually fine, a large amount can be harmful to the body.
- Clean the grill. Clean up the grill well afterwards so that you aren't leaving it greasy for your next cook!
Recipe FAQs
How long it takes to grill bacon can depend on the thickness, the exact temperature inside your grill and how crispy you like it. It can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes based on all of those factors.
For this recipe at medium-high heat, it takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes per side. Keep an eye on the bacon and take it off the grill once it looks crispy on both sides and fully cooked.
If you are using indirect heat on the outdoor grill and placing the bacon on a grill mat, there is no need for foil. This is my preferred method.
Flip the bacon halfway through grilling so that both sides become golden and crispy.
More Delicious Grilled Mains
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📋Recipe
How to Grill Bacon Outdoors
Ingredients
- 1 pound center-cut bacon
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Once it reaches that temperature, turn off half of the burners to create an indirect cooking area.
- Place bacon strips on a grill mat or grill pan and then onto the grill on the indirect heat side (no flame underneath). Close the lid and grill the bacon until golden and crispy (about 10 to 15 minutes per side). Keep an eye on it to check for doneness.
- Take the bacon off of the grill and remove excess grease with paper towels.
- Serve!
Equipment
Notes
- Clean up the grill well afterwards so that you aren't leaving it greasy for your next cook!
- Choose center-cut bacon if you can find it because it is more lean, which I find better for grilling.
- Let your bacon sit at room temperature while the grill is heating up, for approximately 10 minutes. This will help to cook the bacon more evenly and take less time.
- Keep the bacon strips close to the flame so that they cook, but not directly over the flame. If grease drips into the flame, this causes a lot of flare-ups and we want to avoid those. This is why bacon should be cooked over indirect heat and why you should always stay by the grill while cooking.
- Be aware of how many pieces of bacon you put in the grill pan. Layering the bacon will not cook the bacon evenly and you may have pieces that are undercooked or raw. When you put the bacon in the grill pan, keep the strips a couple inches apart.
- If you are unfamiliar with what a grill pan is, it is a metal pan with holes and sometimes handles. It makes cleaning easier and the bacon won’t stick to the gas grill.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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