Can You Cook Bacon in a Wok? The Ultimate Guide to Wok-Fried Bacon

Cooking bacon in a wok is a great hack that more home cooks should try While many default to frying bacon in a cast iron skillet or baking it in the oven, using a wok to cook bacon offers some unique benefits

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cooking bacon in a wok. Below are some of the topics we’ll discuss:

Why Cook Bacon in a Wok?

How to Cook Bacon in a Wok
Tips for Crispy, Chewy Bacon
-Cleaning and Seasoning the Wok
Delicious Recipes with Wok-Cooked Bacon

So let’s get cooking!

Why Cook Bacon in a Wok?

Here are some of the main benefits of cooking bacon in a wok rather than a skillet:

Fast cooking: The thin, rounded bottom of a wok means it heats up very quickly and evenly. This allows the bacon to cook fast.
Less splattering: The curved sides of a wok mean fewer bacon grease splatters compared to a flat skillet.

Built-in grease draining: The curved sides let grease drain down to the bottom, keeping your bacon from sitting in a pool of fat.
Crispy and chewy bacon: The quick, high heat of a wok plus stirring creates bacon with the perfect mix of crispy and chewy.
Easy access: The open shape of a wok makes it easy to access the bacon with tongs or a spatula.

Versatile vessel: A wok pulls double duty for stir-fries, soups, deep-frying and more. One less pan to wash!

So if you want fast, splatter-free bacon that’s crispy and chewy, grab your wok and read on.

How to Cook Bacon in a Wok

Cooking bacon in a wok takes just a few easy steps. Here’s a simple process:

Heat the wok: Place the wok over high heat until smoking hot. The high heat helps the bacon cook up crispy.

Add bacon: Drop the bacon strips into the hot wok in a single layer. Try to lay strips across the sloped sides to take advantage of the grease draining.
Let sit: Let the bacon sit undisturbed for 1-2 minutes until the bottom gets crispy. Resist stirring!
Flip and fry: Use tongs or a spatula to flip each slice. Fry for 1-2 more minutes.

Stir-fry: Stir-fry the bacon for even crispiness. The constant motion prevents burning.
Drain and serve: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Enjoy!

That’s really all there is to it. The whole process takes just 5-10 minutes for perfectly crisped, wok-cooked bacon.

Tips for Crispy, Chewy Bacon

Follow these tips for getting the best results when cooking bacon in a wok:

Get it hot: Heat the wok until smoking before adding the bacon. High heat = crispy bacon.
Don’t crowd: Cook the bacon in a single layer so it fries evenly. Crowding leads to steaming.
Let sit: Resist stirring right away so the bottom gets crisp. 1-2 minutes undisturbed is perfect.

Partially pre-cook: For chewier bacon, par-cook in the microwave for 1-2 minutes before frying in the wok.
Stir-fry: Constant stirring at the end makes the bacon evenly crispy without burning.
Blot grease: Drain on paper towels before serving to absorb excess grease.

Store cooled: Let the bacon cool before storing it so it stays crispy.

Follow these tips, and you’ll end up with restaurant-quality bacon made right in your wok!

Cleaning and Seasoning the Wok

Like any vessel used for frying, the wok will require a bit of cleaning after cooking up bacon. Here are some tips:

Cool it down: Allow the wok to completely cool after cooking the bacon to prevent warping the metal.

Scrape the residue: Use a wooden spoon to scrape out any stuck-on bacon bits.
Clean with soap: Wash the wok with hot soapy water and a sponge to remove grease. Avoid abrasive scouring pads.
Dry thoroughly: Make sure to completely dry the wok so it doesn’t rust. Heat over low heat to fully dry if needed.

Re-season: Give the wok a quick seasoning with a thin coating of vegetable oil to replenish the non-stick patina.

With just a bit of elbow grease and re-seasoning, the wok will be ready to go for stir-frying up your next meal!

Delicious Recipes with Wok-Cooked Bacon

Once you’ve mastered the art of cooking bacon in a wok, try incorporating it into some easy and delicious recipes:

Bacon fried rice – Dice wok-cooked bacon and toss it with chilled rice, veggies and soy sauce.

Bacon and egg stir-fry – Scramble some eggs in the bacon drippings then stir-fry it all up with vegetables.
Bacon mac and cheese – Mix crispy bacon into mac and cheese. Next level comfort food!
Bacon wrapped shrimp – Wrap large shrimp with bacon and bake or broil until the bacon is crisp.

Bacon jam – Fry bacon in the wok then sauté minced onion in the drippings. Add brown sugar and vinegar and simmer into a spreadable jam.
Candied bacon – Brush bacon with maple syrup or brown sugar before frying in the wok for a sweet and salty treat.

With so many possibilities for using up your wok-cooked bacon, you’ll find yourself reaching for the wok on busy weekday mornings and for easy weeknight dinners.

So next time you’re cooking up a batch of bacon, ditch the skillets and baking sheets and break out your wok. In just minutes, you’ll have perfectly crisped and chewy, mess-free bacon thanks to this handy cooking hack. Give it a try!

Bacon Cooked In Lodge Wok

FAQ

Can you cook bacon and eggs in a wok?

Cut the bacon into 1-inch (2 ½-cm) pieces and finely dice the onion. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add beaten eggs and gently scramble; when they are almost done, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Can you cook anything in a wok?

Woks are so multi-functional they can just about do everything, and that’s exactly how they’ve traditionally been used. You can deep-fry, shallow-fry, braise, stew, steam, poach, boil, dry-toast and even smoke in a wok.

Can you cook bacon in an electric wok?

I recently found that cooking bacon in an electric wok is extremely effective and satisfying.

Is a wok good for cooking meat?

What Is a Wok Used For? A Wok’s primary use is for making stir fry. The height of its walls make it ideal for retaining food while quickly stirring and tossing. Additionally, its rounded shape conducts heat very quickly, so it’s ideal for dishes that incorporate seared meats flash fried vegetables.

How to cook bacon in a wok?

Keeping the heat at medium, add the bacon to the wok and allow it to render down and become crisp. The level of crispiness you achieve here is totally based on personal preference. Once the bacon’s looking good to you, take it out of the wok and set aside along with the scrambled eggs. Add the diced onion to the wok and stir-fry until translucent.

How do you use a wok?

Flash-frying is the classic way to use a wok. Heat your wok up to a high temperature, add a drizzle of oil to the pan, and cook your stir-fry ingredients quicky, at a high temperature. Flash-frying s a great way to keep in the taste and the goodness of the food, and it’s a super-quick way to cook up a delicious meal! 5. Braising

How do you cook wonton noodles in a wok?

Mix the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, shaoxing wine, and white pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Boil the thick wonton noodles for about 2 minutes, or until al-dente. Drain, toss with oil to keep the noodles from clumping up, and set aside. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add the bacon… And fry until it’s dark and crisp.

How do you cook in a wok?

Line the bottom of your wok with a layer of tin foil, and start heating up a few ingredients to give your food the smoky taste you’re looking for (you can use anything from burnt rice to coffee beans!). Place a rack or grill over the foil and get cooking. 4. Flash-frying Flash-frying is the classic way to use a wok.