Skillet-Fried Bacon

Ingredients

• 12 oz sliced bacon (about 12 regular-cut strips)

Before you cook

• Separate the bacon strips and lay them out on a plate so they are easy to pick up one at a time.
• Set a paper-towel-lined plate next to the stove for draining.
• Set a heatproof jar or metal can nearby for the rendered fat.

Steps

1. Lay 4 to 5 bacon strips in a cold 12-inch cast-iron skillet, letting them overlap slightly since they will shrink.
2. Set the skillet over medium-low heat and let the bacon come up to temperature with the pan.
3. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the fat has turned from white to clear and the undersides are pale gold.
4. Turn each strip with tongs.
5. Cook 4 to 6 minutes more, turning every couple of minutes, until the bacon is deep amber and stiffens when you lift it.
6. Move the finished strips to the paper towels and let them drain for 1 minute, where they will crisp further as they cool.
7. Pour the hot fat from the skillet into your jar, leaving about a tablespoon behind.
8. Repeat with the remaining bacon, lowering the heat slightly if the strips are browning faster than 5 minutes per side.
9. Serve hot.