Bacon will be crispier if you add household item to the pan before cooking

A chef has shared the key ingredient to guaranteeing perfectly crispy bacon every single time - and it’s not butter or oil.

Bacon is a very popular meat and a firm feature on the beloved full English breakfast, complementing staples like eggs, sausages, hash browns, baked beans and much more. It’s versatile too, from the humble bacon sandwich and the classic BLT to dishes like spaghetti carbonara, bacon cheeseburgers, and even soup; bacon can be added to a variety of foods.

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But getting it right isn’t always easy - and people have their preferred texture and finish. Some like their bacon soft and chewy while others much prefer it to be crispy with a bit of a bite.

New Zealand chef Andy Hearnden, who posts across social media as Andy Cooks, has revealed his key tactic to getting perfectly crispy bacon.

The popular chef is based in Australia and spent more than 20 years working in restaurants before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and pushed him to give content creation and social media a whirl. Now, he’s amassed millions of followers.

In a video shared on YouTube, he demonstrated his method for achieving crispy bacon - and it all comes down to adding one free ingredient to the pan first: water.

Speaking directly to the camera as he prepared rashers of bacon, he began: “Want crispy bacon? Just add water. I'm serious. Cold pan, bacon in, bit of water on top, and then turn it on.”

The chef then explained why water is such an important part of the bacon cooking process.

He said: “So here’s why it works. Bacon is packed full of moisture and fat. If you blast it in a dry hot pan, the outside gets cooked first before the fat has a chance to render.

“Adding the water keeps the temperature controlled at the start, and it gives a chance for the fat to render out before the flesh starts to burn. The water evaporates, and now the bacon is frying in its own fat. Even contact, better browning, and better Maillard reaction.”

The Maillard reaction is the chemical process between amino acids from proteins and sugars, which are reduced.

The process is the reason behind browned foods having such rich, distinctly savory flavours - as seen with toasted bread, roasted coffee beans, the crust on a seared steak and more.

Andy finished cooking his bacon and added: “Just let that rest because I don’t really want to put it in my mouth while it’s still nuclear hot. There you go.”

After taking a few bites, he said: “You’re not boiling it, you’re just managing the render. Yummo.”

In the comments section, fellow YouTube users shared their thoughts. One person said: “Thank you, Andy. You teach us stuff we need to know.”

Another said: “I have never made bacon any other way since I learnt this method.”

A third commented: “The way the fat turns crispy yet soft, just makes it sooooo much more savory.”

While a fourth shared: “When I told my teacher we fried our bacon in a little water, she looked at me funny. This was the late 80s/early 90s. I thought everyone did it this way.”

Someone else added: “Thank you! I would never have tried this if not shown!”