Adding a simple kitchen staple to bacon before frying can transform it from soggy and flabby to perfectly crispy, according to a cooking technique detailed in a recent article.
The tip involves dusting rashers with cornflour before they hit the pan. Pork has a surprisingly high moisture content, which causes liquid to seep out during cooking and turn to steam. Too much steam keeps the bacon soft, causing the white fatty areas to render out before the meat has properly cooked, leaving it chewy and rubbery.
Why cornflour works
Cornflour is highly absorbent and draws out excess moisture released by the bacon as it cooks, keeping the meat as dry as possible. Ensuring the bacon stays dry throughout cooking allows each rasher to crisp up and brown evenly, delivering a far superior texture.
The technique was first discovered in an old cookbook and, after testing it, the author confirmed it makes bacon taste much better. Cornflour also helps any seasoning cling to the bacon more effectively, so adding paprika and black pepper gives the rashers a smoky and mildly spicy kick, though the seasoning can be left out entirely.
How to make crispier bacon
For one person, you will need two to three rashers of bacon, half a teaspoon of cornflour per rasher, and optional pinches of black pepper, smoked paprika, and a teaspoon of olive oil.
Start by laying the bacon on a plate and patting it down with kitchen paper to draw out excess moisture. Next, dust a small amount of cornflour and any seasonings over the bacon until lightly coated, shaking off surplus cornflour as too much will prevent proper cooking.
Place the bacon in a cold pan and bring it up to a medium heat. No oil is needed, as streaky bacon renders down and cooks in its own fat. If adding olive oil, be careful, as too much will be soaked up by the cornflour, leaving greasy results.
Cooking and resting
Cook the bacon for around two to three minutes on each side, using a spatula to turn it regularly and pressing down gently to prevent curling or sticking. Once cooked, transfer the bacon to kitchen paper and leave it to rest for roughly one minute before serving.
Allowing the bacon to rest lets any steam escape while excess fat drains away, leaving a far crispier rasher. The result is a golden strip with crispy edges and a deeply satisfying smoky flavour.
