How to make bacon crumble at home

It’s a well know fact that everything tastes better if you add a little bacon to it. Sweet or savory is irrelevant. Bacon is a flavor that can add huge yumminess to lots of different recipes.

When you roast a big piece of meat in the oven and you’re afraid it might get dry, adding strips of bacon can be your salvation. Delicious over the meat so everything below it stays moist and juicy. Plus you have the added bonus of bacon flavor.

Real bacon bits

I myself am a big fan of bacon in general and the crispy variety specifically.

Those salty crumbs with their smoky flavor, are an enrichment for a world of dishes. And… the crumb also gives a crispy and crunchy addition.

Think of all those creamy soups that get a bit of bite by adding bacon to it. These recipes for celeriac soup and fennel leek soup are two examples where the bacon crumble just gives that bit of extra to the dish.

You’ve seen those insanely delicious donuts with bacon where it’s beyond a shadow of a doubt that sweet and salty go so well together. Sprinkle some bacon crumbs over a sweet dessert. You’ll be amazed at how it will enhance the taste of your dessert. Stir a couple of tablespoons of bacon crumble through a sweet balsamic vinegar or honey and use it to brush you meat when it comes of the BBQ. Delicious!

And now for the best news: this delicious crumb is so very easy to make!

It takes you no more than ten minutes and possibly even less to make a bacon crumb and enhance lots of dishes.

I’m sharing a few ways to make a bacon crumb:

How to make bacon crumble from the oven

For making homemade bacon bits in the oven you preheat the oven to 200˚C. It’s best if the bacon is at room temperature. It is easiest to get crispy bacon if you do not using a baking sheet but instead place the bacon pieces on the rack inside the oven. Make sure you place them in a single layer. Make sure to place a baking sheet below it though to make sure the bacon fat is not dripping anywhere it shouldn’t go. Plus you can save the bacon fat and use it for other things as well.

You need about 20 minutes in the oven for the bacon to crisp up. Take out of the oven and let the bacon drain on paper towel.

Don’t throw out the fat that is rendered out of the bacon strips. Make sure you keep that somewhere. I like to safe it in a little jar and let it cool down before storing in the fridge. It will solidify but it is golden to add flavor to everything and anything.

Pan-fried bacon

Of course it is also possible to make homemade bacon crumbles in a pan. For that you heat a frying pan and place the raw bacon without any added oil in the pan. Bake for about 5 minutes each side or until golden. It also depends on wether you have thick-cut bacon or thinner slices. So keep an eye on things. Again leave to drain on paper towels. 

Once it cools down you can chop the bacon into crumbles.

Bacon crumble from the microwave

Place strips of bacon between two sheets of kitchen paper. Make sure that each strip is free and not covering another piece of bacon. Place this on a plate and for 5 minutes into a microwave. The grease from the bacon will be absorbed by the kitchen paper.

Chop with a knife and you’re done.

Bacon crumbs from the air fryer

You can also make the bacon crumble in the air fryer which will be even easier. In order to do that you will need the air fryer at 220˚C. (400˚C) You can either use the whole strips and place them in a single layer in the air fryer or you can already chop them up smaller and place them in the basket like that. They will be transformed into crispy perfection in 6-8 minutes.

What kind of bacon to use for bacon crumbs?

For me it is essential that the bacon you use to make bacon crumbs is not too skinny. You want a little fat as that is the part that crisps up. That’s one. Secondly quality matters in this case. Especially when it comes to pork I like to go with organic and free range as much as possible. Yes it is more expensive but if you’re eating meat, best to make sure the quality is as good as it gets and the pig has had a good life. So that usually means I do not get it from the grocery stores. But that obviously depends on your location.

What can I use the bacon crumble for?

You can use bacon crumble for so many different things. Sprinkle it on top of soups, over sticky donuts, on top of salads, on top of potatoes or even on top of ice cream. You can sweeten them by adding a bit of maple syrup to the pan when you’re baking the bacon slices. It’s the perfect kind of sweet and salty.

You can also vary with the size of the crumbles. Use a food processor to make really fine crumbs which are perfect over things like ice cream. It’s a great way to spice up any dish.

The bacon grease can be used to bake any kind of meat or other savory dish. 

How long can I store the bacon crumble?

It’s important to store the bacon crumble in an airtight container in the fridge. You can keep it for about 5 days in the fridge.