Turkey bacon is often used as a healthier substitute for pork bacon and let me tell ya, it’s really easy to microwave turkey bacon, especially for those busy mornings when you don’t feel like firing up the stove and pan-frying it.
This is a bacon that’s made from cured, chopped, and smoked dark and light turkey meat and it’s considered to be much healthier than pork bacon as it has a significantly lower fat content than regular pork bacon.
Preparing your bacon in the microwave is very simple and it doesn’t take much time off your day. I’ve been microwaving regular bacon for years now and I just found out that I can do the same with the healthier variant aka turkey bacon.
Granted, nothing tops pan-fried bacon if you ask me; I mean, it’s crispy, salty, and basically heaven on Earth. But, if you want to save yourself some time on busy weekday mornings, and protect your kitchen from becoming splatter city from all the bacon grease, then you can absolutely microwave turkey bacon. Don’t worry it will be crispy as hell, you got my word.
To microwave turkey bacon you’re going to need a microwave-safe plate or a special microwave bacon tray, a paper towel roll, and of course, your turkey bacon slices.
Line the plate with a single layer of paper towels, add the microwave to the plate, and top it with another batch of paper towels. This method will help your bacon absorb any leftover moisture and leave you with crispy bacon strips.
If you’re interested to find out more details about preparing your turkey bacon in the microwave and maybe learning some other methods as well, then keep on reading the entire article.
How To Microwave Turkey Bacon
Cooking turkey bacon using the microwave method is hands down the easiest and the fastest method to do so. The method is really easy, provides you with crispy bacon, and doesn’t require you to have or buy any extra kitchen equipment or special tools except a microwave-safe plate and a paper towel roll.
You can ease your life and buy yourself a microwave bacon cooker but again, this method doesn’t require you to do so. Now, let’s get on to the process.
- Take a microwave-safe plate and line it with sheets of paper towels to help you get rid of any excess grease and moisture from the turkey bacon even though it doesn’t have that much to start with.
- Layer your strips of bacon or pieces of bacon on top of the paper towels and be careful to not get them too close to each other so they don’t stick.
- The next step is to add more paper towels on top of your turkey bacon so as to not make a mess from all the splatter.
- Set your microwave on medium heat and microwave your bacon until you’re satisfied with the results. I couldn’t tell you the right amount of cooking time even if I wanted to because it really depends on the thickness of the bacon.
- Thinner pieces of turkey bacon don’t take more than 1-2 minutes to get really crispy, so make sure you check on the progress as you go. Give it an additional minute if you feel like your bacon isn’t crispy enough for you.
- Medium-thick turkey bacon should take about 7-9 minutes to get really crispy and delicious.
- Take your bacon out of the microwave and spread it on a clean sheet of paper towel to absorb any leftover grease.
Turkey Bacon Vs Pork Bacon, What Is The Real Difference?
Most people don’t know that there is a huge difference between pork bacon and turkey bacon, and it’s not just the obvious fact that they come from different animals.
Turkey bacon is merely bacon made for diet-conscious people with significantly lower caloric content and fat. To answer your question further, no, turkey bacon is not actually bacon like the regular pork one and that’s why it’s considered to be a healthy option for regular bacon.
Turkey bacon is a product made from chopped light and dark turkey meat that is seasoned and shaped to look like bacon. For almost a decade, turkey bacon has been praised to be the healthier alternative to pork bacon but the reality is that it has a pretty bad reputation, to be honest.
Even though it contains fewer calories and fats which are big advantages over pork bacon, turkey bacon is very high in sodium, sugar, preservatives, and saturated fats, types of dietary fats that are solid at room temperature, are highly processed, and are considered to be quite unhealthy and can cause heart problems if consumed in large doses.
Pork bacon (regular bacon), on the other hand, is a product made from the pork belly or loin of the pig and it is a rather processed meat that is not good for your heart health either. Just like turkey bacon, regular bacon is full of saturated fats, and sodium, but it does contain more fat content.
The original recipe for making traditional bacon is picking cuts of pork belly or loin and seasoning them with salt/spices mixture and leaving them to cure for a week and a half.
The meat is then washed, dried, and smoked or left raw, depending on the type of bacon the manufacturers are making.
Cured bacon is filled with sodium nitrates(they give bacon their famous pink color) and isn’t the healthiest variant, so, if you want a healthier alternative and you don’t want turkey bacon, uncured bacon is definitely the way to go.
Cooking regular bacon in the microwave is pretty much the same as cooking turkey bacon. Simply just line a single layer of paper towel on a microwave-safe dish/plate, and layer 4 or 5 pieces of pork bacon on top.
Make sure to leave some space in between every piece of bacon, and cover them with another layer of paper towel. Microwave the strips of pork bacon for a couple of minutes or until you get the crispiness that you desire.
[Related Article: How Long To Defrost Bacon In Microwave? (3 Simple Methods)]
Alternative Cooking Methods For Turkey Bacon
The Hot Frying Method/Pan Frying Method
Pan-frying your bacon is an infamous method and I can’t lie, I frequently use this method to cook my turkey bacon as well as regular bacon.
- Set your stove on medium heat, add some cooking oil to your pan, wait for it to get hot(not smoking), and place your bacon bits or pieces in the hot frying pan.
- Cover your pan with a metal lid or a suitable protective silicone lid and let the bacon fry for 2-4 minutes on each side.
Oven Turkey Bacon
Baking your turkey bacon in an oven is a more complicated process and it does take a little bit more of your time but it is the right choice for people that don’t enjoy greasy bacon.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and while the oven is heating up, take your slices of turkey bacon and transfer them on a baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper or if you don’t feel like dirtying up a whole baking tray, use some heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- After your oven is preheated it’s time to put your bacon in the oven and bake it for 10-15 minutes to get crispy bacon. If you want a chewier texture, you can go ahead and bake it for only 7-8 minutes.
- Take your turkey bacon out of the oven and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any leftover moisture or leftover bacon fat.
The Air Fryer Method
If you happen to own an air fryer then you’re in luck. Turkey bacon tastes amazing and crispy when it’s air-fried; you can never go wrong with frying up some bacon in your trusty air fryer.
All you need to do is preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees F, place two slices(or as many slices you can fit in a single layer) of turkey bacon in the preheated air fryer basket, and cook for 5-10 minutes, turning the bacon on each side.
If the crispiness of the bacon isn’t satisfying to you, go ahead and cook it for a few more minutes but make sure to occasionally open the basket to check the progress so as to not burn your bacon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Turkey Bacon In Oven
You can cook your turkey bacon in an oven if you don’t want a very greasy product. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, line a baking tray with some parchment paper, and place your bacon strips on it. Bake for 10 minutes or until you get your desired crispiness.
How Long To Microwave Turkey Bacon
Turkey bacon usually takes 2-4 minutes to cook and gets crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Set your microwave on medium heat and microwave at 2-4 minute intervals. If your bacon isn’t crispy enough, you can microwave it for additional 2-3 minutes.
How To Cook Turkey Bacon On The Stove
Frying your turkey bacon on the stove is very easy and exactly the same as frying some regular pork bacon. Take your pan that’s been greased with some cooking spray, turn the stove to medium heat, and let the oil heat up.
After the oil is hot, place your turkey bacon in the pan, cover with a lid, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.