How to Cook Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon to Perfection

As one of the most popular brands of bacon in America Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon offers convenience without sacrificing any of the signature smoky bacon flavor we all crave. But even though it’s pre-cooked knowing the best practices for heating up this ready-to-eat bacon can take it from good to great.

In this article, I’ll provide tips and techniques for cooking Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon in the microwave, on the stovetop, and in the oven. With a few simple guidelines, you’ll be able to achieve crispy, sizzling, melt-in-your-mouth bacon every time.

A Quick Overview of Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon

Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon is available in a few different varieties including original and thick-cut It comes pre-packaged in a resealable pouch with about 11-13 slices per package While it’s been pre-cooked and smoked during production, it still requires heating before eating.

Some key features of this convenient bacon product include

• 100% real smoked bacon – no bacon bits or bacon pieces
• Contains no artificial preservatives or colors
• Available in original and thick-cut varieties
• Smoked over natural hardwoods for authentic flavor
• Resealable pouch keeps unused bacon fresh
• Shelf-stable before opening; refrigerate after opening

With this fully cooked bacon, the prep work is already done. All that’s left is to heat it up and enjoy!

Heating Fully Cooked Bacon in the Microwave

The microwave offers the fastest way to heat Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon. With just a couple minutes in the microwave, you can have hot, sizzling bacon ready for eating.

Here are some tips for microwaving fully cooked bacon:

• Use a plate or paper towels – Place the bacon in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate or on a double layer of paper towels. This prevents sticking and splattering.

• Don’t microwave it in the packaging – For food safety reasons, don’t microwave the bacon while still inside the packaging. Remove it and place on a plate or paper towels.

• Microwave in short intervals – Microwave the bacon in 30 second intervals until heated through and hot. For 3 slices, heat for 15-20 seconds. For 6 slices, heat for 20-25 seconds.

• Allow standing time – After microwaving, let the bacon stand for 1 minute before eating. This allows the heat to evenly distribute.

• For crispier bacon – Add 10-15 seconds more microwave time. But be careful not to overcook.

• Double check for doneness – Ensure the bacon is heated through by checking that there are no cold spots.

Following these microwave tips will give you hot, evenly heated Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon in just a minute or two. Adjust the times as needed based on your microwave wattage and quantity of bacon.

##Cooking Fully Cooked Bacon on the Stovetop

For those who prefer a more traditional stovetop method, Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon can be easily pan-fried for a crispy texture.

Follow these tips for cooking fully cooked bacon on the stovetop:

• Use a skillet or frying pan – Choose a skillet or frying pan that will accommodate the amount of bacon you’re cooking. Use a flat pan instead of ridged for maximum bacon-to-pan contact.

• Keep it low and slow – Cook the bacon over medium heat. Too high of heat can burn the outside before the inside is heated through.

• Don’t preheat the pan – Add the bacon to an unheated pan and then turn on the heat. This prevents sticking and burning.

• Cook in a single layer – Arrange the bacon in a single layer in the pan for even cooking. Overcrowding the pan steams the bacon instead of frying.

• Flip halfway through – Cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip the bacon over. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, adjusting the time based on desired crispness.

• Drain on paper towels – Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess grease.

Cooking Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon on the stovetop gives you flexibility to achieve your ideal texture, from pliable to extra crispy.

Baking Fully Cooked Bacon in the Oven

For large batches or perfectly uniform results, the oven is ideal for cooking Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon.

Here’s how to bake fully cooked bacon in the oven:

• Preheat to 400°F – Preheat your oven to 400°F. Baking at a high temp helps render fat for crispy bacon.

• Line a baking sheet with foil – Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and top it with a wire cooling rack. This allows air flow and drainage.

• Arrange bacon in a single layer – Place the bacon slices in a single layer on the wire rack. Make sure slices aren’t overlapping.

• Bake for 10-14 minutes – Bake for 10-14 minutes, until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispness. Thicker slices may take a bit longer.

• Watch carefully to avoid burning – Since oven heating can be uneven, keep an eye on the bacon as it bakes.

• Let cool before eating – Transfer the baked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool slightly before eating.

The oven allows you to cook a large batch of Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon evenly. Adjust bake times based on thickness and quantity.

Tips for Cooking Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon

To get picture-perfect results every time you cook Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon, keep these additional tips in mind:

• Use a bacon press or another pan to weigh down the bacon slices and get flatter, more uniform pieces.

• Bake bacon on a cooling rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet to allow fat to drain away and all sides to crisp up.

• Cook bacon until it’s slightly underdone – it will continue to crisp up as it cools.

• Make bacon in advance and store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.

• Add a dash of brown sugar, maple syrup or honey to the bacon before cooking for a sweet and salty flavor.

• Try weaving bacon slices into a lattice pattern on a sheet pan to make bacon “fabric” for BLTs, wraps, etc.

With the proper techniques, cooking Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon is practically foolproof. Once you get the basics down, feel free to get creative and customize it to your preferences. And the uses for deliciously crispy, heated up fully cooked bacon are practically endless!

Serving Suggestions for Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon

From breakfast staple to burger topping, fully cooked Oscar Mayer bacon is endlessly versatile. Here are just a few ways to enjoy it:

• Breakfast sandwiches – A crispy slice or two of fully cooked bacon is essential for breakfast sandwiches and wraps. Add it to egg sandwiches, bagel sandwiches, biscuit sandwiches, and more.

• Burgers and sandwiches – Elevate your cheeseburgers, BLTs, club sandwiches and other lunchtime favorites with the addition of fully cooked Oscar Mayer bacon.

• Salads – Crumbled fully cooked bacon makes a perfect savory topping for all types of fresh salads including wedge, Cobb, chicken and spinach salads.

• Appetizers – Wrapped around scallops or shrimp, fully cooked bacon makes an easy and impressive appetizer.

• Sides – For a delicious keto-friendly side, bake slices of fully cooked bacon until perfectly crispy.

• Pasta – Toss crispy crumbled bacon into pasta dishes like carbonara, alfredo, and mac and cheese for a burst of smoky flavor.

• Potatoes – Top baked potatoes fully cooked bacon crumbles and cheddar cheese for a tasty loaded potato skin.

With so many possibilities for Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon, the hardest part is narrowing down what to make! It’s easy to understand why it’s long been a breakfast table staple.

Storing Leftover Fully Cooked Oscar Mayer Bacon

Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon comes packaged in a convenient resealable pouch. As long as the package remains unopened, the bacon can be stored at room temperature. But once opened, it requires refrigeration.

Here are some storage guidelines for opened packages of fully cooked bacon:

• Store opened bacon pouches in the refrigerator. The cool temperature helps prevent bacterial growth.

• Use refrigerated bacon within 5-7 days for best quality.

• To freeze leftover bacon, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in a resealable freezer bag. It will keep for 1-2 months in the freezer.

• Allow frozen bacon to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

• Reheat leftover cooked bacon slices in the microwave in 10 second intervals just until warmed through.

Proper storage keeps Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon fresh and safe to eat. With an unopened shelf life of several weeks to months, it’s easy to keep a stash handy for busy mornings.

Troubleshooting Common Bacon Cooking Issues

Even with fully cooked bacon, you may occasionally run into some issues when trying to cook it. Here’s how to troubleshoot some common bacon cooking problems:

Bacon won’t get crispy – If your heated up bacon turns out limp and soggy, it likely needed more time to crisp up. Try a minute or two longer next time.

Bacon is burned or overcooked – Blackened, dried out bacon has been cooked too long. Reduce microwave or stovetop cooking times.

Bacon won’t lay flat – Gently stretch and flatten bacon slices with your fingers before cooking to combat curling. You can also sandwich between sheets of wax paper and flatten with a bacon press.

Bacon sticks to the pan – Be sure to use a non-stick pan or line it with foil. Cook over medium vs. high heat without preheating.

Bacon splatters when cooking – Use a splatter screen or turn down the heat slightly. Microwave instead of pan frying to avoid splatter.

With a little trial and error, you’ll learn how to adjust times and methods for cooking Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon to your personal taste. Crispy, evenly browned bacon is just minutes away!

Enjoy the Convenience of Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon

Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon offers a convenient shortcut for busy mornings while still delivering the crispy, savory, smoky flavor that bacon lovers crave.

With the cooking tips, techniques and serving suggestions in this article, you’ll be able to heat up fully cooked bacon perfectly for any meal or recipe. Keep your fridge stocked so you can enjoy the speedy breakfasts, easy appetizers and delicious dishes that fully cooked Oscar Mayer bacon makes possible.