Chef Will Murray, known for his work at the two-Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and now running London restaurants Fallow, Roe, and FOWL, has revealed a simple yet surprising method for achieving perfectly crispy bacon. The key ingredient? Demerara sugar.
The Fallow method
In a video on the Fallow YouTube channel, Murray demonstrated his preferred way to cook streaky bacon, which he favors for its higher fat content. "Fat means flavour," he explained, adding that streaky bacon is more versatile than back bacon.
The method involves laying bacon strips on a tray and cooking them in an oven preheated to 180°C for five minutes. After this initial cook, the bacon is flipped, allowing the rendered fat to continue cooking the meat.
The surprising twist
Murray then sprinkles demerara sugar over the bacon, describing it as giving an "awesome sweetness." He cautions against using too much, as it can make the bacon tough. The tray goes back in the oven for another five minutes at 180°C.
After this second cook, Murray shows off the finished product: "Fallow streaky bacon. The ends have started to go really nice and crispy. I actually don't think anything else is going to beat it today."
Other tips
This tip comes alongside advice from Eliza Cross of the BENSA Bacon Lovers Society, who suggests adding a splash of water to the pan when frying bacon. She claims this method produces "beautifully crispy bacon strips that practically melt in your mouth," as the steam helps render fat more evenly and prevents curling.
