We all know that bacon makes everything better... and once you try this Air Fryer Bacon, you'll never go back! It cooks perfectly with little to no hands-on time and clean-up is a breeze! The best way to make bacon even BETTER!

Ever since I got my air fryer, I've been hearing all about air fried bacon. I'm typically an Oven Bacon kind of girl (no frying pan for me)... but I decided it was time for me to give the air fryer a try. 

I tested 3 different methods - all of which are specifically intended to prevent the air fryer from smoking - and I'll list the pros and cons of each below. But one thing is certain... regardless of which method you choose... making bacon in the air fryer has some serious benefits. And once you try it, you'll never make bacon any other way!

So what are the benefits? For one, it's basically a hands-off cooking method. Simply place the bacon in the air fryer basket, set the timer, and all you need to do is flip it once halfway through. The air fryer takes care of the rest! Secondly, the bacon cooks evenly (as long as you don't overcrowd it) and is less greasy than other cooking methods because the grease drips through the holes in the air fryer basket. Finally, clean-up is a total breeze. Just pour out the grease and wash the basket with soap and water... and you're good to go!

But the BEST part of Air Fryer Bacon, if you ask me, is the bacon itself. Air Fried Bacon is perfectly tender and crispy around the edges without that heavy greasy feel you get in the oven or frying pan. I'm definitely a believer... and once you try it, I have no doubt you will be too!

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon - I used thick cut 

Instructions

1. Cut bacon in half - this will allow you to fit it in your air fryer basket without overlapping
2. Place in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
3. Air fry at 350° for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through (*decrease the time for regular bacon)
4. Remove bacon from the air fryer, pour out the grease and wipe the basket with a paper towel. Repeat until bacon is all cooked.

 

Method 1: 350°F for 10 minutes

• Pros - no need to add anything to the air fryer except the bacon! This method also seemed to cook the bacon most evenly.
• Cons - this bacon seemed the most greasy of all three, although still not overly greasy.
• *NOTE: we also tried this method at 375°F and it was less greasy and still cooked evenly without any smoke. It also produced the flattest bacon of all the methods.

 

Method 2: 400°F for 8 minutes + ¼ cup water in the lower pan to prevent smoking

• Pros - no extra ingredients needed (just water) and the bacon cooks a bit faster.
• Cons - the bacon was slightly chewier than method 1 and curled up quite a bit.

 

Method 3: 400°F for 8 minutes + a piece of bread in the lower pan to soak up the grease

• Pros - the quickest of the 3 options and the bacon turned out the crispiest in this method.
• Cons - there actually was a bit of smoke from the air fryer using this method. The bacon also cooked the most unevenly of all 3 methods.

Benefits of cooking bacon in the air fryer

1. It's basically a hands-off cooking method
2. The bacon cooks evenly
3. The grease naturally drips through the holes in the air fryer basket, which makes for less greasy bacon
4. Easy clean-up
5. Delicious bacon that's perfectly cooked every time!

Tips for success

• Use thick cut bacon. Although you can make regular bacon in the air fryer, the methods and instructions I provide are specifically for thick cut varieties.
• For even cooking, be sure not to over-crowd the air fryer basket or overlap the bacon.
• Keep a close eye on the bacon in the last couple minutes. Every air fryer is different, and all bacon cooks differently.
• Pour out the grease and wipe out the inside of the basket between batches to avoid a build-up of grease, which may cause the air fryer to smoke.

Recipes using cooked bacon

• Penne Pasta
• Bacon Cheddar Ranch Chicken Salad
• Bacon Blue Cheese Dip
• Blackberry Bacon Grilled Cheese
• Bacon, Egg & Cheese Monkey Bread
• Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
• Loaded Potato Skins