Deep Frying Plain Bacon
Fill a fryer or deep pan with oil. Start by turning on your deep fryer, or finding a pan that's spacious enough to completely submerge the bacon in. Fill the pan or fryer with about 2 cups of vegetable or canola oil. The bottom of the cooking surface should be covered with a couple inches of oil. A deep fryer with a built-in basket will make this type of culinary project much easier, but it is not a requirement. To ensure that the bacon has the right consistency, the oil you use should be a liquid at room temperature, not a semisolid like coconut oil or shortening.
Heat the oil. Turn on the fryer or stove and heat the oil until it reaches 360-375 degrees. At this point the oil will be bubbling and popping, so be careful not to stand too close. It might be a good idea to wear a pair of gloves or an oven mitt while frying to prevent oil burns.
Add the bacon. Carefully lower the strips of bacon into the fryer one at a time. Use a fry basket, fork, or a pair of tongs to keep your hands away from the hot oil. Add as many pieces as you can comfortably fit in the fryer—that way there will be no need to make multiple batches. If you're working with a smaller pan or fryer, cut the strips of bacon in half before you drop them in.
Cook for about 5 minutes. The bacon will sizzle as it cooks. Keep an eye on both the clock and the bacon itself to make sure it doesn't get too done. The oil will continue cooking the bacon after you remove it from the fryer, so you'll want to take it out before it starts turning brown. There is no exact time it will take to fry the bacon. You'll just have to watch it closely and use your best judgment. The thickness of the bacon you're preparing may cause it to cook a little faster or slower.
Remove the bacon and let it cool. Use a pair of metal tongs to extract the bacon strips from the hot oil. Let the excess oil drip off each strip, then set them aside on a layer of paper towels until they're cool enough to eat. You now have a mound of tasty bacon that's evenly cooked, perfectly done and ready to enjoy! Dab the bacon with a paper towel if you don't like it quite as greasy. Thick-cut bacon will have a chewier, meatier texture when deep fried than thinner slices, which will be especially crispy.
Making Battered Deep Fried Bacon
Prepare the bacon. Before bacon can be battered and deep fried, it needs to be heated through to make sure it doesn't come out undercooked. Lay out your bacon strips on a pan, plate or baking dish, cutting them as needed so they'll fit in the fryer. Bake, pan fry or microwave the bacon until it's done, then allow it to cool. Thick-cut bacon will work best for battering since it will be less brittle and makes for a heartier bite. Try to get your bacon slightly less done, as it will be cooked a second time later.
Mix up a simple batter. Combine 3 eggs, 2 cups of whole milk and 3 cups of all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until they form a thick batter. Add salt, pepper, and other spices to taste. Refrigerate the batter for about 20 minutes to lower the temperature and help it set up. Seasoned salt, garlic salt, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika all make great optional flavor additions to fry batter. The colder the batter is, the better it will fry to a crispy finish and protect the bacon from overcooking.
Coat the bacon thoroughly. Once the batter has cooled, take it out of the refrigerator and grab your precooked bacon. Dip the bacon into the batter with a pair of tongs, being sure each strip is generously coated on both sides. The bacon is now ready for the fryer. Give the batter a quick stir after it comes out of the refrigerator. If it looks too thick, add an extra splash of milk and whisk again. If you're using thin-sliced bacon, batter the strips by hand so they don't break.
Drop the bacon in the fryer. Place 2-3 strips of bacon into the hot oil and allow it to start frying. The number of strips you'll be able to cook per batch will mostly depend on the size of your pan or fryer. Try not to put in too many pieces at one time, or they could stick together or cause the batter to slough off. Watch out for popping oil when you put the bacon in the deep fryer. Even a small splatter could be extremely painful.
Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Give the bacon a little time to absorb the oil and start sizzling. Since the light, airy batter will cause the bacon to float on top of the oil, the slices will need to be turned after a couple minutes. Once the batter begins to puff up and turn a pleasant golden brown, the bacon will be perfectly done. For this method, you'll be watching the color of the batter rather than the bacon to determine when it's done. Remove the bacon from the fryer before it turns a darker brown. The oil will continue to cook the batter for another minute or two after you take it out.
Remove from the fryer and serve. Use your tongs to grab the bacon slices out of the hot oil. Place them on a folded paper towel to soak up excess oil and let them cool off until they're edible. Repeat the deep frying process until you've cooked all the bacon you want. The finished product is a salty, decadent snack that you just might find yourself addicted to! Savor the deep fried bacon right away so that it's still hot, fresh, and crispy. Because of its high fat and sodium content, deep fried bacon should only be enjoyed as an occasional indulgence.
Finished.
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