Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

Bacon holds a cherished spot at many breakfast tables, and for good reason – its irresistible savory crunch is a morning delight. However, traditionally preparing bacon can be a chore. The skillet method often demands constant attention, flipping, and cleaning up grease splatters that seem to reach every corner of the kitchen. It’s a delicious, yet notoriously messy endeavor.

That’s where the air fryer steps in as a culinary hero. After discovering this game-changing technique, and refining it alongside my oven-baked bacon recipe, I rarely revert to the old ways. Air fried bacon is unequivocally the easiest and cleanest method, simplifying your cooking process to just placing the strips in a basket and waiting for perfection. The cleanup is minimal, typically involving only the air fryer basket. Get ready to experience bacon perfection that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without!

Why You’ll Love Cooking Bacon in Your Air Fryer:

• Speed and Efficiency: Compared to lengthy oven baking or hands-on skillet cooking, air fryer bacon is remarkably fast. Most batches are ready in under 12 minutes, making it ideal for busy mornings.
• Effortless Cooking: No more constant flipping or monitoring. Simply place the bacon in the air fryer, set the timer, and let the appliance do all the work. It’s a truly hands-off experience.
• Unmatched Crispiness: The air fryer’s powerful, circulating hot air cooks bacon evenly from all sides, resulting in perfectly crispy strips without any soggy spots. The elevated tray allows grease to drip away, preventing the bacon from frying in its own fat.
• Consistent Results: Unlike a skillet with potential hot spots, the air fryer provides consistent, even heat distribution. This means every strip of bacon cooks uniformly, ensuring a perfect texture throughout.
• Less Mess, Easier Cleanup: The enclosed cooking environment keeps grease splatters contained within the air fryer basket, drastically reducing countertop and stovetop cleanup.
• Healthier Option: By allowing excess fat to drip away into the basket below, air frying can produce a slightly less greasy bacon compared to pan-frying, without sacrificing flavor.

Ingredients & Essential Equipment

• Bacon: The star of our show! You can use any type of bacon you prefer. From classic thin-cut to hearty thick-cut, or even leaner alternatives like turkey bacon, the air fryer handles them all beautifully. We’ll provide specific timing adjustments below to ensure perfect results regardless of your choice.

Needed Equipment

• Air Fryer: This recipe works flawlessly with virtually any air fryer model. Whether you own a basket-style air fryer (like my go-to Cosori) or a toaster oven-style air fryer (like my Cuisinart), the principles remain the same. The key is consistent air circulation, which all modern air fryers excel at providing.
• Tongs: Essential for safely handling hot bacon slices and transferring them from the air fryer.
• Paper Towels: For draining excess grease from the cooked bacon, ensuring maximum crispiness.
• Heat-proof Container: For safely pouring off and storing rendered bacon grease.

Air Fryer Bacon: Cooking Times and Temperature

For nearly all types of traditional pork bacon (excluding Canadian bacon, which is more like ham), a consistent temperature of 350ºF (177ºC) is ideal in the air fryer. This temperature allows the fat to render slowly and evenly, resulting in perfectly crisp meat without burning. The cooking times will vary slightly based on the thickness and type of bacon:

• Regular Cut Bacon: 8-10 minutes
• Half Slices (Regular Cut): 7-9 minutes (cooking faster due to smaller size)
• Thick Cut Bacon: 9-12 minutes (requires a bit more time for thorough cooking and rendering)
• Turkey Bacon: 7-10 minutes (cooks similarly to regular cut, aim for desired crispness)
• Canadian Bacon: Cook at a slightly higher temperature, 400ºF (204ºC), for 6-10 minutes, as it’s typically leaner and benefits from a quicker crisp.

Customizing Crispiness: The beauty of air frying is its precision. If you prefer your bacon softer and slightly chewy, reduce the cooking time by a minute or two. For extra-crispy, almost brittle bacon, extend the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Always keep a close eye on it during the final minutes to achieve your preferred texture.

How to Cook Bacon in an Air Fryer: A Step-by-Step Guide

Achieving perfect air fryer bacon is incredibly straightforward. Follow these simple steps for delicious, crispy results every time.

Step One: Preheat Your Air Fryer

For optimal results and consistent cooking, always preheat your air fryer. Set it to 350ºF (177ºC) and allow it to preheat for at least 3 minutes, or according to your manufacturer’s instructions. Preheating ensures the bacon starts cooking immediately upon contact with hot air, leading to even crisping.

Step Two: Arrange Bacon in a Single Layer

Carefully place the bacon slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It is crucial that no slices overlap to ensure even cooking and maximum crispiness. Overlapping bacon will steam rather than crisp. If your bacon slices are very long, or if your air fryer basket is on the smaller side, it’s perfectly fine to cut the slices in half. If the ends of whole slices curl up the sides of the basket slightly, that’s acceptable and won’t impede cooking.

Step Three: Air Fry to Perfection

Cook the bacon in the preheated air fryer for 8-10 minutes (refer to the specific timings above for different bacon types). There is absolutely no need to flip the bacon; the circulating hot air cooks it evenly on both sides. Begin checking for your desired level of crispiness around the 7-minute mark. Continue cooking until the bacon reaches your preferred doneness, from slightly chewy to wonderfully brittle.

Step Four: Drain and Serve

Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, carefully remove the crispy slices from the air fryer using tongs. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. This step is essential for draining any excess bacon grease, which further enhances crispiness and makes the bacon less oily. After a minute or two of draining, your perfectly cooked air fryer bacon is ready to be enjoyed!

What Should I Do with the Bacon Grease?

As the bacon cooks, rendered fat will collect in the bottom of your air fryer basket. It’s important to carefully pour off this excess bacon grease in between batches. This crucial step not only prevents excessive smokiness during subsequent cooking rounds but also allows you to reserve the flavorful fat. Collect the liquid bacon fat in a heat-proof glass jar and store it in the refrigerator. This delicious by-product can be a fantastic addition to your cooking, lending a smoky depth to vegetables, eggs, or even baked goods.

Top Tip for Storage: For extended shelf life and cleaner fat, strain the cooled, reserved bacon fat through a funnel lined with a coffee filter or fine-mesh sieve. This will effectively remove any small bacon bits or impurities, resulting in pure, clear bacon fat ready for various culinary uses.

Cooking Half Bacon Slices for Convenience

Tip: If your air fryer has a smaller basket or if you’re using particularly long bacon strips, cutting your bacon in half before cooking is an excellent strategy. This allows for easier arrangement in a single layer, ensuring every piece gets perfectly crispy.

Step One: Prepare Half Slices

Using a sharp knife, cut each bacon strip in half across its width. Then, arrange these shorter pieces in a single, non-overlapping layer within your preheated air fryer basket. This technique maximizes the space in your air fryer and guarantees even cooking for each piece.

Step Two: Cook and Serve

Air fry the half slices for 7-9 minutes at 350ºF (177ºC), or until they reach your preferred level of crispiness. Because they are smaller, they often cook a bit faster than whole strips. Once cooked, remove the strips with tongs and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any residual grease before serving.

How to Store and Reheat Cooked Bacon

Cooked bacon is not only delicious fresh but also excellent for meal prepping. Here’s how to store it and reheat it for optimal enjoyment later:

• Refrigerator Storage: Once your air fryer bacon has completely cooled, transfer the crispy pieces to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. This makes it perfect for quick breakfasts or adding to meals throughout the week.
• Freezer Storage: For longer preservation, cooled bacon can be frozen. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes to prevent sticking. Then, transfer the partially frozen bacon to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Remove as much excess air as possible, seal, and label with the date. Frozen bacon will maintain its quality for 3-6 months.
• Re-crisping for Best Results: While you can simply microwave cooked bacon to heat it, for the absolute best texture, re-crisping is highly recommended. Draining reheated pieces on a paper towel will help remove any released grease and maximize crispiness.
  • Skillet Method: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Place the bacon in the skillet and warm for 30-60 seconds per side, until it becomes hot and regains its crisp texture.
  • Air Fryer Method: This is arguably the best way to reheat! Use the “reheat” function on your air fryer, or simply set it to 300-325°F (150-160°C) and heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through and re-crisped.
  • Microwave Method: For the quickest reheat, place bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Heat in 30-second intervals until it’s hot. Be aware that this method might not yield the same level of crispiness as the skillet or air fryer.

Common Questions About Air Fryer Bacon

Delicious Ways to Use Cooked Bacon

Beyond being a fantastic standalone breakfast item, crispy air fryer bacon is a versatile ingredient that can elevate countless dishes:

• Classic BLT Sandwiches: The quintessential use for perfectly crispy bacon.
• Deviled Eggs: Crumble bacon on top for an added layer of flavor and texture.
• Broccoli Salad: Bacon bits are a must-have ingredient, bringing savory depth to this refreshing salad.
• Breakfast Casseroles: Fold chopped bacon into egg and potato casseroles for a hearty meal.
• Twice-Baked Potatoes: A sprinkle of crispy bacon takes these savory spuds to the next level.
• Dips: Add crumbled bacon to creamy dips like spinach and artichoke, or a classic layered dip.
• Soups: Garnish creamy soups, especially cheesy ones or my loaded baked potato soup, with crispy bacon bits for an incredible flavor boost. Yum!
• Salads: From a simple garden salad to a robust Cobb salad, bacon adds a welcome crunch.
• Burgers and Sandwiches: Layer bacon onto your favorite burgers, chicken sandwiches, or wraps.
• Pasta Dishes: Incorporate crispy bacon into carbonara or other pasta recipes for a rich, salty kick.