[doraima3875]

I wanted to know if there are any fast ways or methods making bacon bits. I have been making a month, and it has been time consuming to drain all of the bacon drippings.
So what I do is cook 6 to 7 full sheet pans of bacon for 18 to 19 minutes to make crispy bacon & render all of tge fat. After that, I slightly turn the right side of pan, and drain all of the bacon drippings. It probably take 30 minutes to an hour to drain the fat. Then I transfer the crispy bacon on a wire rack. When bacon is dry, then I have food processor to make bacon bits. Somehow there is some residual fat left from the bacon.
So do y8u guys have any suggestions making bacon bits made-from-scratch fast

 

[cheflayne]

After draining and chopping, put on paper towels on sheet pans and back in oven for 30 seconds or so. Repeat process with fresh paper towels, 3 more times.

 

[chefbuba]

Did you try the method that I described in one of your other posts?
This was using ends and pieces ground course, cooked in a rondeau, drained in China cap.

 

[foodpump]

Chop or grind your bacon bits. Wait until it's time to change the oil in the fryer. Deep fry until crispy. Drain well. Toss out the oil in the fryer.

 

[doraima3875]

Did you try the method that I described in one of your other posts?
This was using ends and pieces ground course, cooked in a rondeau, drained in China cap.

So what temperature and how long for cooking bacon bits in the rondeau? So after bacon are crispy, you mean I have to put it in a China cap to drain all of the rendered bacon fat?

 

[sgmchef]

Hi Doraima,

If you actually need the visual, of uniform pieces of cooked bacon, continue to use sliced bacon but, cut the cold raw bacon into uniform pieces.

I typically used ends and pieces of bacon instead of the more expensive slices. The method Chefbuba describes is exactly what I would do. It is not “quick” per se, but this method allows you to work on other products while you render the Bacon slowly on very low heat. So it actually requires much less of your attention and time of product supervision than baking. You just glance at the pot and look for the foam. That is your clue that it's ready to dump in strainer or China cap.

I also make use of the fond in the bottom of the pan. For me, this method is step one of New England clam chowder. Render bacon, remove and drain, add onions, celery, and a little bit of salt to deglaze that bacon flavor off the bottom of the pan! I would deglaze with water and just save that. I never liked wasting good flavor that I have already paid for… In fall and winter I would use the liquid in any of the potato, bean, split pea, lentle, Squash, Etc dishes. In the spring and summer I use that liquid for any of the potato salads, base for a bacon vinaigrette, Cucumber salad, Tomatoe salads etc.
Good Luck!

 

[doraima3875]

Hi Doraima,

If you actually need the visual, of uniform pieces of cooked bacon, continue to use sliced bacon but, cut the cold raw bacon into uniform pieces.

I typically used ends and pieces of bacon instead of the more expensive slices. The method Chefbuba describes is exactly what I would do. It is not "quick" per se, but this method allows you to work on other products while you render the Bacon slowly on very low heat. So it actually requires much less of your attention and time of product supervision than baking. You just glance at the pot and look for the foam. That is your clue that it's ready to dump in strainer or China cap.

I also make use of the fond in the bottom of the pan. For me, this method is step one of New England clam chowder. Render bacon, remove and drain, add onions, celery, and a little bit of salt to deglaze that bacon flavor off the bottom of the pan! I would deglaze with water and just save that. I never liked wasting good flavor that I have already paid for… In fall and winter I would use the liquid in any of the potato, bean, split pea, lentle, Squash, Etc dishes. In the spring and summer I use that liquid for any of the potato salads, base for a bacon vinaigrette, Cucumber salad, Tomatoe salads etc.
Good Luck!

When you say low heat... what is the temperature?

 

[sgmchef]

Hi D,

Lowest heat setting, assuming you use gas heat and a thick bottom pan. You will have to get used to the equipment you have, just like I would. The first batch is always a learning curve based on the heat source you have and the pans you use.

Gravity only drains partially, what oil absorbing material are you using? At least paper towels, right?

Only cut cold bacon. If cooking from bacon strips, stack strips, slice to portion size, put in pan on low heat, check back in five minutes or so to determine how much fat has melted and how fast it is cooking. Until all bacon pieces are "warmed through" be gentle about wanting to stir. If you are using ends and pieces you don't have to be as gentle in separating the chunks. Once pieces are separated from those little stacks you can go do something else, checking back, with a 3 second stir, until you start to see color and bacon is about half cooked. As it gets close to completion, you should see persistent bubbles or a "foam" form on the surface of the fat. Depending on volume of bacon (I never did this with less than 10 pounds/5 Kilos) the bacon actually ends up covered in bacon fat and replicates deep frying.

It is a little like making caramel or a brown roux when all the action is in the final minutes. The low heat just gives you a lot bigger margin for error.

This is just a rendering process. You would do the exact same method for fat caps trimmed off prime ribs so you could harvest the melted fat for Yorkshire pudding or a beef fat roux. (*You already paid over $10-15 a pound for it, you better find a way to use it!) Cutting up a couple cases of raw chicken? Take the trimmings and render. Bones and remaining solids go for stock and melted fat is reserved for other uses. I always use a Turkey fat roux for Turkey gravy.

If you don't care about harvesting the bacon fond from the pan you could just render the cut/chopped bacon in a 250F oven.

 

[flipflopgirl]

Did you try the method that I described in one of your other posts?
This was using ends and pieces ground course, cooked in a rondeau, drained in China cap.

This.
Not only the least work but end product looks and tastes awesome.
Almost grease free as well as a softer almost fluffy texture.
The other procedures sometimes leave the end product hard (like the cheap crap nuggets from a can :-/ eek)

mimi

 

[doraima3875]

Thanks sgmchef and flipflopgirl for the descriptive replies. I will try it next time when making bacon bits from scratch.