Why It’s Always Worth Cooking Extra Bacon, Recipes Be Damned
There is no way to cook bacon without stealing a strip, lard, or nib during the process. I wouldn’t even call it stealing ; As the cook, you have the right to enjoy the little bacon bonus as a treat for your hard work. However, the problem arises if you eat a large (or even small) portion of the bacon that was supposed to be used in the recipe.
If you eat a batch of bacon meant for a potato salad, BLT, or even a classic scrambled eggs and bacon breakfast, your food will suffer, resulting in sadder, softer, and less bacon. Imagine if I tried to make these bacon crackers with just half a pound of bacon, or this potato salad with just three ounces of guanciale. Tragic! Imagine sitting down to a plate of bacon and eggs and discovering that someone has already eaten your portion of the slices. Crush! Obviously, there is a simple and elegant solution to this puzzle: just cook more bacon than the recipe – or society! – tells you what you need. Make sure to do this every time, and your life and cooking will improve.
If you need to justify this practice with something other than desire, tell yourself that you are doing it for quality control reasons. You won’t lie, you have to make sure your bacon is as crisp and crisp as it can be, and you just can’t know for sure these markers are served without a taste test. By adding a couple of extra strips, a few more ounces, or just tossing the entire bag in there, you ensure that the bacon in your dish is both perfect and plentiful, which is honestly your responsibility as a cook.