Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

Cooking bacon in the oven is a classic hack, and a great one. But we’re here to tell you about a new game changer: AIR FRYER BACON. Faster than it takes to preheat the oven and perfect for small batches, the air fryer might make the crispiest bacon of all time without a crazy amount of grease - and no time wasted standing over a hot skillet. You still get all the mesmerizing smells of bacon without too much effort, and that’s something we can get behind. Another pro of air frying bacon rather than baking it: You get those beautiful, curly, crispy strips, whereas oven baked bacon tends to lay flat. 

Whether you are new to air frying or an old pro, here is what you need to know to ensure the perfect air-fried bacon.  A few tips: 

Don’t overcrowd the basket.

If you like crispy, uniformly cooked bacon, make sure not to overcrowd the basket. Layering in too many slices prevents the food from browning and turning crisp. One key to air frying any food is to make sure there is air flow around each piece.

Keep the drip tray clean to prevent smoking.

One common and avoidable complaint about air frying greasier foods such as bacon is that the air fryer smokes. Bacon releases a good amount of fat while it crisps, which ultimately drips into the drip tray. Steer clear of this pitfall by cleaning out the air fryer drip tray BOTH before and after cooking, and sticking with the temperature in the recipe. (You don’t want to cook at a temperature higher than the smoke point of bacon fat.) A tip that some air frying aficionados embrace: Add a piece of bread to the drip tray to absorb excess fat. 

What can I use air fried bacon for? 

Literally any recipe that calls for cooked bacon is a place for air-fried bacon. And the best part is while you prepare the recipe, that air fryer can do the bacon cooking for you. Try crumbling the air-fried bacon onto baked potatoes. If you air fry the potatoes, toss the bacon into Cobb Salad, sprinkle it over corn in these Cheddar Bacon Ranch Cobbs, or check out these 100 Seriously Delish Bacon recipes for almost endless ideas. Bottom line: This perfect, crisp bacon will not go to waste.

Tried this method? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!