Bacon on the WSM


 
B

B. Kaylor

TVWBB Fan
I need to cook up a bunch of bacon for a church breakfast. We are also doing sausage links, which I'll smoke, but I was wondering if you think that I could drape the slices of bacon over the grates? This would let the strips "hang" from the grates. I can rig up a 3rd. grate to increase capacity. Foiled water pan to catch the drippings.

I know that the "bent in half" bacon strips will not be as pretty as flat ones, but I could sure do a lot more this way! Has anyone done anything like this?....Thank you for any insite.
 
If I had to do a lot of bacon, I'd put a ton on some cookie sheets and bake them in the oven. Pull the bacon to drain, wipe the pan down and repeat.

I know it's not as cool as using the WSM, but it's very effective, and comes out great.

Don't forget how great your house will smell, too.
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The other way is to get a few cookie or cake raks (the grate-like ones that fit on cookie sheets), stack them somehow and increase your vertical capacity, and you can cook'em flat.

You'd probably have to rotate them, to make sure the bottom ones aren't drenched in fat, know what I mean?

YOu might be able to stack them using balls of aluminum foil in each corner.
 
KenP, and G....Thanks!!

Ken, I knew that baked bacon would be a good route to go also, but yea, seeing that much bacon on the WSM would be very cool.

G,Thanks for the cookie rack idea...I can go 3 grates, but the rack method will allow me to cook more and flat too. That will be better a presentation.

I'm not sure which way we'll go, but we've got until the 28th. to decide. Thanks again for your insite.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by B. Kaylor:
KenP, and G....Thanks!!

Ken, I knew that baked bacon would be a good route to go also, but yea, seeing that much bacon on the WSM would be very cool.

G,Thanks for the cookie rack idea...I can go 3 grates, but the rack method will allow me to cook more and flat too. That will be better a presentation.

I'm not sure which way we'll go, but we've got until the 28th. to decide. Thanks again for your insite. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>It would be cool.

FWIW, we only bake our bacon these days. It's a lot less mess then using the stove top.

I did learn a lesson last week, tho. I put the cookie sheet straight into the dish washer without rinsing it. Damn, everything in the machine was greasy after the wash. Now I wash it before putting it in the machine.
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I foil the cookie sheet and spray the baking rack with PAM. When done, throw the rack in the sink for a quick wash and rinse. Throw the foil away and the cookie sheet is still clean.
 
I cook all my bacon in the oven as well. I use the half pans 15"X18" or close to that. I put down a sheet of Reynolds wrap Hevy Duty foil on the pan first. Makes cleanup a breeze, no washing needed. You can get at least 12-14 slices per pan, crowd them isn't an issue. The great thing about cooking it in the oven is the bacon doesn't shrink so much, and no turning/flipping needed. Cooking the bacon in it's own fat is better than doing it on racks.
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If you have never done bacon in the oven before, you should do a trial run first, cooks a little different than the stove top. Takes about 20 min to do a pan.
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HTH
 
All right you guys, you've got me interested in trying it!

At what temperature do you "bake the bacon" in the oven?

JimT
 
For temperature I stay aroung 375. I would avoid the WSM for this, the bacon is allready smoked so it may be pretty overpowering for a lot of people!

Clark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JimT:
All right you guys, you've got me interested in trying it!

At what temperature do you "bake the bacon" in the oven?

JimT </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I have always baked it at 350. I wouldn't go higher than 375, It'll get too crispy. I hate bacon when you take a bite and it shatters into a 100 pieces. I don't like rubery bacon either. When you bake it in the oven, and find your color zone on how you like it done, you'll be amazed at how much better bacon can be when cooked in an oven. Been baking my bacon for at least 15 years, prob more. It comes out even better in the oven than an old iron skillet can do.
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Also don't be worried if the color looks right but it's still a little floppy/limp when you take it off the pan. It firms up real nice in a min if you're in the right color zone.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JimT:
All right you guys, you've got me interested in trying it!

At what temperature do you "bake the bacon" in the oven?

JimT </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I have always baked it at 350. I wouldn't go higher than 375, It'll get too crispy. I hate bacon when you take a bite and it shatters into a 100 pieces. I don't like rubery bacon either. When you bake it in the oven, and find your color zone on how you like it done, you'll be amazed at how much better bacon can be when cooked in an oven. Been baking my bacon for at least 15 years, prob more. It comes out even better in the oven than an old iron skillet can do.
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Also don't be worried if the color looks right but it's still a little floppy/limp when you take it off the pan. It firms up real nice in a min if you're in the right color zone.
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Brain, I'll try to zone in on the color at 350!
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JimT
 
THANKS for all of the input, guys!! It looks like we'll be "baken bacon"! This really helps me to determine the best way to do this. Usually, we would cook the bacon, sausage and pancakes outside on a large griddle. But things have changed this year, with a larger crowd and having to do most of the cooking inside. I'm still going to smoke the sausage links on the WSM, and freeze, to reheat that morning.

Oh, and thanks Bryan, you've just given me an excuse to bake up a pound of pork belly, just to make sure that I'll get it right.

Any time that I've had a question, TVWBB has come thru. Thanks to everyone!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by B. Kaylor:
Oh, and thanks Bryan, you've just given me an excuse to bake up a pound of pork belly, just to make sure that I'll get it right.! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No problem.
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It's just different than pan frying. When you pan fry you go by feel, but doing it in the oven you have to go by color. It'll be lighter in color than pan frying, but will bend when you take it off the pan. Hopefully you'll see what I mean on your trial run. It's just different. When you get it right you'll have an Ah! Ha! moment.
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Hope this makes some sense to you all.
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i have yet to try cooking bacon in an oven. seems like when most people cook it in a skillet, they cook it way too fast and hot. slow and low works for the skillet as well.

as far as cooking it on a WSM, i have done that several times with amazing results! i don't use any smoke wood, and i run the WSM at about 350 degrees. like the ABT's, sprinkling some rub on the bacon sure is good! the fat drips off into the pan, and you can cook it to your desired finish. give it a shot!
 
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