Bacon in Air Fryer …Crispy, Quick & Easy

Summary – Use your air fryer to cook bacon that is delicious, healthier with reduced calories. Simply cook it in your air fryer at 400 F for 10 minutes. Read further for full details.

Ahh bacon! Delicious. We all know it… but bacon in air fryer? Is that even possible?

Not only is it possible, it’s delicious too. In this post, I tell you everything you need to know about air fryer bacon, all the what, when’s and how’s.

As you will have seen by now, I love my air fryer. As a working mom and running a busy household, I need the convenience of making things quickly. This is why my air fryer is a god send.

I started this blog as a dedication to the humble classic Dutch oven which I reserve for more significant meals. However, everything has a place and the air fryer is great for food on the go.

Everybody loves bacon!

In my house, we love a good breakfast and bacon is a major part of that. Having lived in the UK for a while, let me tell you that they love a good breakfast.

In fact, they call it the ‘Full English’ which involves bacon, sausages, eggs, hash browns, baked beans, black pudding and grilled tomatoes. When done well, it really is a fantastic start to the day.

Not exactly the healthiest of combinations but every once in a while…go crazy! My husband absolutely loves his bacon. He would eat it all day if given the chance.

As they call it in the UK… the ‘bacon butty’. Simply, fried bacon in bread, covered in red sauce. You should see the smile on his face…and it is actually something he prepares himself!

The traditional way of making bacon

There is nothing wrong with the traditional way of cooking bacon. In the past, we cooked it in our hot skillet. Other times, we would put it under the broiler and cook it that way. Either way, cooked properly, it is delicious.

Broiling your bacon is healthier than using a skillet as it allows the fat to drain away. This is actually a great reason to use an air fryer.

Why would you cook bacon in the air fryer?

There are a number of reasons why you should use your air fryer to cook your bacon.

The first major reason is that it is healthier, as I mentioned above. Bacon is fatty and you can cut the unnecessary calories by allowing the fat to drain away from the meat.

As a society, we should always consider choosing the healthiest method.

Using an air fryer to cook bacon also limits the amount of smell that it produces. I don’t know about you, but I like to contain the smell of food. I don’t like my house smelling of food.

The air fryer does a terrific job of limiting the smell and the smoke of frying foods. This alone is a good enough reason to use an air fryer.

It also saves time. Cooking bacon can get quite messy quite quickly. With the air fryer, I simply line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

This makes the clean-up really easy and the dishwasher handles the rest.

When is it not worth it?

Cooking bacon in an air fryer is the norm for us. It is our go to method. However, if we are for example cooking a large amount, we are limited by the space. In this situation, we would have to do it in bathes which may not be ideal.

The other reason is that it really depends on what you are doing. If we are cooking a ‘full English’ breakfast, we may opt to do everything in one large skillet or grill pan. It just makes more sense to do it that way.

I guess it really comes down to what you prefer to do. There is no downside to using your air fryer separately.

There is another reason why it may not be feasible to use your air fryer…white smoke! I will cover this in more detail further down this page.

My method for air fryer bacon

It really is simple to do. Follow this air fryer bacon method for perfect results every time;

Preheat your air fryer to 390F
Place your bacon into the basket in single layers. It doesn’t really matter if you overlap it a little to get it in the basket
Cook for 10 minutes and check
Remove and place onto paper towels to remove any grease.

What if you want crispy bacon in air fryer?

You simply need to leave it in there for another minute and check. If you are not satisfied, put it back in the air fryer for another 30 seconds. Keep repeating until you are happy.

Bacon in air fryer …frequently asked questions

How long to cook bacon in air fryer?

You only need to cook your bacon for 10 minutes. However, you get it to the level of crispiness that you are happy with, you may need to leave it in longer. Cook for a further minute and then bursts of 30 seconds until you are happy.

What temperature do I need to cook air fryer bacon at?

I would recommend that you air fry it at 400F but you can go down to 390F. I would keep the temperatures around that range.

Is air fryer bacon healthier?

Yes, it is healthier because the fat and the grease is draining away from the meat as it cooks. Essentially, it is doing the same as if you were broiling it on a rack. The taste of the bacon also comes out cleaner.

Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

To get the best results out of an air fryer, you should always preheat it. Remember, an air fryer is simply a powerful convection oven. You would cook something in a cold oven, right? You wouldn’t…you bring it up to temperature and put the food in carefully.

It is also important as your food comes out looking a lot more appetizing. It simply has a better look to it. If you didn’t preheat first, its not the end of the world but the benefits of doing so make a difference. Your bacon will come out looking so much better.

How do I deal with frozen bacon in air fryer?

Essentially, you cook it in exactly the same way but you may just need to cook it for slightly longer.

What can I also cook my bacon with?

Bacon is so versatile. You should consider cooking bacon wrapped with scallops or chicken. Have you tried using turkey? Delicious combinations.

Why does my air fryer smoke and how to stop it

This is an issue that needs to be covered. I have to say that I have never encountered this issue with my Cosori air fryer. However, I have discussed this issue with friends and it is a ‘thing’.

The issue comes when your air fryer starts releasing thick white smoke through the drawer. It can be quite alarming if you were to see that.

This happens because the bacon contains high amounts of fat. Combine this with the power of an air fryer, it is essentially burning the fat. This is not limited to bacon, essentially any foods high in fat may do the same.

If it does happen to you, simply open the drawer and let the smoke out. Mop up the grease with a handful of paper towels. Removing this grease may allow you to continue since the cause of the issue has been removed.

There have been a few solutions suggested, including putting water in it and even salt to soak up the fat.

As I said, personally I have never faced this issue but it is something you should be aware of.

So, there you have it. This is how I cook bacon in air fryer. I hope you find it useful…perfect for a quick snack or as my husband will happily tell you…a ‘bacon butty’.

See you soon… Jayne x

Since you are here…can I ask a favor?

It would be really nice if you could share this article and image on your social media.

It’s just a couple of clicks for you but it means the world to me.

Thank you so much…Jayne x

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