Twisted Bacon in the oven was a viral Tik Tok recipe, and I thought it was high time that I try it out. What I found is that these bacon twists are addictive, and they have a slightly different texture than traditionally cooked bacon. The edges are crispy and crunchy, while the inside is soft and tender. It’s the best of both worlds!
No more frying bacon in the pan with platters of bacon grease everywhere. This mess-free way to cook bacon with minimal preparation turns out perfectly crispy and delicious bacon every single time. Serve it alongside my creamy scrambled eggs for a complete breakfast! Or add it to a charcuterie board or appetizer platter to serve as finger food.
Thinking back to my candied bacon recipe, I kinda like to experiment with bacon. I put it in waffles and I add it to mac and cheese. There’s no doubt about it… bacon is good just about any way you make it.
What do you need to make Twisted Bacon?
- Bacon: You just need a package of bacon. You don’t need to buy anything fancy unless you want to. Avoid thick-cut bacon as it will be more difficult to twist and cook all the way through.
- Rimmed Baking Sheet: This is important. The bacon grease needs to be able to gather on the baking sheet without falling off the side and into your oven!
- Foil: This is what you will like your baking sheet with. The foil assists with crisping up the bacon, and it also happens to make clean-up a breeze. You can use parchment paper in place of the foil if you’d like. It will work in a similar manner.
How to make Twisted Bacon in the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Then it’s time to twist the bacon! Use your hands to twist the bacon into tight twists. Lay the twists on the baking sheet right next to each other so they don’t unravel.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Then take the baking sheet out of the oven, and turn the bacon twists over. Let them bake for 10 to 15 more minutes. Keep an eye on them. You want them to be brown and crispy (but not burnt!) Remove from the oven, and transfer the bacon twists to paper towels to drain.
Recipe Tips
- Brush the twisted bacon with maple syrup to create a sweet version.
- Sprinkle the bacon with cayenne pepper or black pepper for a spicy addition.
- An alternative way to twist the bacon is to wrap it tightly around a skewer, and then slide it off onto your baking sheet.
- You DO want the bacon twists to snuggle next to each other without much gapping, and you DO want to keep them in one layer only.
- Substitute turkey bacon for regular bacon.
How to cook twisted bacon in the air fryer:
Preheat your air fryer to 275 degrees F. Add the bacon twists to the air fryer basket, and air fry for 40 minutes. Just make sure to flip the bacon halfway through cooking.
What You’ll Love About Twisted Bacon:
- It has the shortest ingredient list of any recipe you’ll ever make!
- It’s a fun way to upgrade the way you serve bacon.
- Think of the fun discussion you can have with the young people at the breakfast table when you tell them you’re trying a viral food trend from Tik Tok!
What to do with leftovers of Twisted Bacon:
- Put it in a sealed container, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can enjoy it as twisted bacon by just heating it up in the microwave.
- Crumble it up, and sprinkle it on top of clam chowder.
- Add pieces of your twisted bacon to a wedge salad.
- Crumble it up, and add it to your favorite chili recipe.
- Dip it in chocolate and created chocolate covered twisted bacon!
Recipes starring bacon:
Twisted Bacon
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon (don't use thick-cut bacon)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed bacon sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Using your hands, twist each piece of bacon tightly and set it on the baking sheet. Snuggle the twists next to each other with no spacing.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and turn the twists over. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the pieces of twisted bacon are browned and crisp.
- Move the cooked bacon twists to a paper towel-lined plate so that any excess oil can drain on them. Serve!
Notes
- You can certainly make as many pieces of twisted bacon that you want.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
