Can You Put Bacon In An Air Fryer? (read this first)

There’s nothing quite like the smell of bacon cooking to get you out of bed in the morning. The problem is, cooking bacon can be a messy business. Bacon grease tends to splatter around the kitchen if you cook your bacon in a frying pan.

A better way to cook bacon is in the oven, as any grease is at least contained inside the oven. However, this still takes a substantial amount of cleaning.

If you own an air fryer, cooking bacon is a far easier task and it will produce far less washing up. Especially if you keep reading to the bottom where we’ll share what we believe to be the best way to cook bacon in an air fryer without causing much mess at all.

Table of Contents

Can You Put Bacon In An Air Fryer?

The short answer is yes, you can put bacon in an air fryer. All different kinds of bacon can, in fact, be cooked in an air fryer. This includes;

Back Bacon
Back bacon is the most popular type of bacon sold in the UK. It is taken from the back of the pig (the same area as pork chops) and has less fat than many other forms of bacon.
Streaky Bacon
Streaky bacon is more popular in the US but is widely sold in the UK too. It is the bacon with the most fat content which is why it’s so great for making crispy bacon.
Turkey Bacon
Turkey bacon is far leaner than pork bacon and is a popular choice with dieters or those on a low-fat diet. Made from turkey, it has less flavour than pork bacon but is a good option for anyone avoiding pork for any reason.
Bacon Medallions
Bacon medallions are small, round slices of bacon which are taken from the loin. Bacon medallions are considered to be healthier due to the high meat to fat ratio. These are often recommended by slimming clubs as there is hardly any fat per slice.
Pancetta
Pancetta is made from the belly of the pig (like streaky bacon) and is typically cured using salt and spices. It is available in slices or diced and can be added to many recipes.

But Doesn’t It Create A Lot Of Smoke?

Many people have complained in the past, saying that air frying bacon creates a lot of smoke in the kitchen. It is true that there are some circumstances that will create a lot of smoke when cooking bacon in an air fryer.

The smoke point for bacon fat is 200 C (400 F) so keeping the temperature below 200 C (400 F) should prevent smoking.
Bear in mind that in an air fryer, bacon fat at temperatures above 180 C (360 F) will splatter. If the grease splatters onto the heating element, it will smoke.
Generally, if your air fryer starts to smoke within the recommended temperature range, it is usually due to a buildup of grease in the air fryer.
A good way to remove bacon grease and prevent the air fryer from smoking is to use disposable air fryer liners. These liners will absorb the grease produced by the bacon as it cooks and also make cleaning the air fryer after use even easier.
It is also possible in some cases to put a small amount of water in the drawer of the basket before the bacon is added (check with your user manual before hand).

How To Cook Bacon In An Air Fryer

Cooking bacon in an air fryer is easy and takes less time than many other methods. You simply place it in the air fryer basket (or shelf), set the temperature and timer and that’s pretty much it.

Of course as with everything, there’s slightly more to do but it is really easy.

Firstly, it’s important that your air fryer is clean before you start. Then copy the following;

Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer of the basket
Set the temperature to 175 C (350 F)
Remove excess grease from the drip tray in between batches
Set timer for between 5 to 10 minutes (all air fryers are different and cooking times also depend on the thickness of the bacon).

Air Fryer Bacon Cooking Times

The different cuts of bacon etc, have different thicknesses which require different cooking times.

The average cooking times for different types of bacon in an average air fryer are;

Back Bacon: back bacon will take around 8 to 10 minutes at 175 C (350 F).

Streaky Bacon: Streaky bacon will take between 6 to 8 minutes at 175 C (350 F).

Bacon Medallions: Bacon medallions will take around 6 to 8 minutes at 175 C (350 F).

All types of bacon should be turned halfway through cooking to ensure both sides are cooked properly.

How To Cook Back Bacon In An Air Fryer

The best way to cook back bacon in an air fryer is;

Lay each slice of back bacon flat in the basket (try to not allow slices to overlap).
Set the timer for 10 minutes (thicker slices could take more time).
Set the temperature to 175 C (350 F)
Turn rashers halfway through
Check after 8 minutes

How To Cook Streaky Bacon In An Air Fryer

We have found that the best way to cook streaky bacon in an air fryer is;

Lay each slice of streaky bacon flat in the basket (try to not allow slices to overlap).
Set the timer for 8 minutes
Set the temperature to 175 C (350 F)
Turn bacon slices halfway through
Check after 6 minutes

How To Cook Bacon Medallions In An Air Fryer

The easy way to cook bacon medallions in an air fryer is;

Lay each bacon medallion flat in the basket (try to not allow slices to overlap).
Set the timer for 8 minutes
Set the temperature to 175 C (350 F)
Turn medallions halfway through
Check after 6 minutes

How Many Slices Of Bacon Can Be Cooked At One Time In An Air Fryer?

The number of rashers of bacon you can cook at one time in your air fryer depends on the size of the basket. You should always cook the bacon in a single layer and try not to allow the slices to overlap.

If you need to cook a second batch, it’s a good idea to clear any grease from the air fryer before starting again to prevent smoking.

Is Cooking Bacon In An Air Fryer A Healthy Option?

Cooking bacon in an air fryer is a far healthier option than cooking bacon in a conventional oven or frying pan. This is because bacon cooked in an air fryer is not sitting in excess grease or fat.

It is cooked using nothing but hot air, and as the bacon is less likely to stick to the pan and get burnt, it is less likely to cause harmful carcinogens.

From a fat perspective, each slice of back bacon cooked crispy in an air fryer will contain around 5% of your recommended daily fat allowance.

Which Type Of Air Fryer Is Best For Cooking Bacon?

We looked at both types of air fryer, the basket type and the larger toaster oven style air fryer. Let’s look at each one in more detail.

Basket Style Air Fryer

These tend to be smaller than the toaster oven types and are therefore more suitable for more compact kitchens. Although there are some with double baskets which will take up more countertop space.

The food is placed in the basket and once the timer and temperature are set the device can be left alone until the food is cooked.

They work in the same way as a convection oven works, the element heats up the air which is blown around the food via a fan.

Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer

These are often far larger than the basket type air fryers and are more suited to large families. These often cook food even faster than basket air fryers.

Our HYSapientia model has a large grill-like shelf which allows heat to circulate around evenly and cooks food fast.

Both can cook bacon faster than a conventional oven and create less mess than a frying pan or oven.

However, the toaster oven style air fryer cooked our back bacon to crispy perfection in just 8 minutes while the basket model took a minute longer.

SEE ALSO:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you put bacon in an air fryer?

Depending on the make and model of your air fryer, back bacon will take between 8 to 10 minutes at 175 C (350 F), streaky bacon will take between 6 to 8 minutes at 175 C (350 F), and turkey bacon will take a similar amount of time.

Is it better to cook bacon in the air fryer or the oven?

It is far better to cook bacon in an air fryer than in the oven. This is because the fat drains from the bacon in an air fryer (it’s not left sitting in fat), and the bacon is far less likely to burn in an air fryer.

Do you put foil in the air fryer when cooking bacon?

You can put foil in the air fryer basket when cooking bacon, but a better, safer method is to use disposable paper air fryer liners. There have been scientific studies that link aluminium foil with Alzheimer’s. The disposable liners will absorb much of the grease from the bacon without being reactive in any way.

What is the best way to cook bacon in an air fryer?

The best way to cook bacon in an air fryer is to lay the bacon slices flat in the basket (try to prevent them from overlapping). Then cook at 175 C (350 F) for anywhere between 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the rashers and how crispy you like it.

How do I stop my air fryer from smoking when I cook bacon?

To prevent your air fryer from smoking when cooking bacon, you should keep the cooking temperature below 200 C (400 F) as this is the smoke point of bacon fat. You should also ensure your air fryer is clean and grease free before cooking the bacon. Check with your user manual but many air fryers allow a few drops of water to be placed in the drawer before adding the bacon to help prevent smoking. Another way to help prevent smoking in the air fryer when cooking bacon or any other fatty foods is to use a disposable air fryer liner which will absorb most of the grease produced as the meat cooks.