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What is a Bacon Press?
A bacon press is a heavy, flat piece of metal that is used to prevent the bacon from curling during cooking.
However, some other bacon presses are made of aluminum and even glass to allow you to watch your bacon as it cooks.
Bacon presses come in different shapes, which are; rectangular, round, and novelty.
Apart from preventing bacon strips from curling, there are other functions that the bacon press performs, which are;
- Flattening boneless meat while frying or grilling
- Pressing out whey to make cheese and yogurt
- Flattening grilled sandwiches, French toasts, and hamburger patties, among others.
Some people prefer their bacon curly while others don’t. For the latter, a bacon press is an essential item because it comes in handy when preparing this delicacy.
The bacon press is laid on top of the bacon during frying, preventing it from being curly. It also makes the bacon strips perfectly flat and minimizes oil splatters from the bacon. However, there are other substitutes for a bacon press which are;
How to Keep Bacon from Curling if I don’t have a Bacon Press?
Here are a few great ideas for what to use instead of a bacon press.
Wire rack
This may come in handy if you don’t have a bacon press and you still want your bacon strips to come out straight and perfectly done.
First, line your sheet tray with foil for ease of cleaning and ease of transferring bacon fat which melts for storage.
Then lay a wire rack on the lined tray to keep your bacon off the surface of the tray. Lay the bacon on top of the wire rack nicely, without overlapping.
You may leave your bacon to cook with this setup, or if your bacon is a little bit oily and thin, you may lay another wire rack on top of the bacon to prevent it from curling.
Chef’s press
These are just similar to the bacon press, only that they are smaller. The chef’s press has a smaller footprint making it easier to store because they occupy less space than bacon presses.
They are also easier to clean and can even be cleaned in a dishwasher. Chef’s presses prevent bacon ends from curling hence making them crispy.
Grill Press
This is another perfect substitute for a bacon press. A grill press is made of metal and is usually flat. It also comes with a handle that is used to flatten the food as it cooks.
In addition to making your bacon crispy and perfectly straight, the grill press is a great way of holding the ban down, thus cooking evenly.
It can also be used to flatten oddly shaped filets and make them look elegant during platting.
Coldwater
For people who have no bacon presses, cold water may also be suitable. Dip your bacon in ice-cold water a few minutes before frying it. This prevents the bacon from curling during cooking.
Summary
If you need a bacon press alternative, there are several listed above. It’s likely that one of these will work for you if you need a bacon press substitute. All of them are good solutions for how to keep bacon from curling.
