There are few things you can’t pair bacon with, though perhaps the simplest way to savour it is in a sandwich.
Many people would agree that a crunchy texture is non-negotiable whether you prefer brown bread, sliced sourdough or a soft roll to encase the meaty rashers.
Even for those who prefer a less crispy finish, ensuring the fatty rind cooks through can take some time to master.
Fortunately, British chef Jamie Oliver has not one but two cooking methods that result in a “super-even” rasher that’s crisp all over.
He credits Pete Begg, Head of Food Development at the Jamie Oliver Group, with the more unique cooking solution out of the two.
Sharing his recipe for the “ultimate” bacon sandwich, Jamie said: “My dear friend Pete Begg and I have two very different approaches to the perfect bacon sarnie. The only thing we agree on is that bacon ain’t bacon unless it’s smoked, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.”
A grill or frying pan is the most traditional method of cooking bacon, and Pete is an advocate for the latter. But he doesn’t do it conventionally.
Pete calls for three rashers of streaky bacon, which Jamie says he then cooks in a frying pan, “starting out from cold with a little drizzle of olive oil”.
The trick is gradually raising the pan temperature to medium-high, which, according to Pete, ensures that “the fat renders out.” Jamie added that he places “something flat and heavy on top to ensure super-even crispy bacon.”
Meanwhile, Jamie swears by an oven grill for “delicious” smoked back bacon, which he prefers to Pete’s streaky alternative.
Jamie Oliver’s method does not involve low and slow cooking. Instead, he goes straight into the grill “on full whack” before preparing the bacon.
The chef said he then rubs a tray with olive oil and his three rashers of back bacon (for one sandwich). As for cooking the bacon, Jamie explains that it’s as simple as “blasting” it on the hot grill until it turns “golden and crisp”.
Unlike Pete’s method, cooking the meat more rapidly encourages the fat end of the bacon to curl up, which Jamie says results in “a little pond of delicious bacon juice in the middle”.
Once cooked, bacon is perfect as part of a full English or alongside your favourite kind of eggs.
For the ultimate sarnie, Jamie suggests sourcing two slices of white bloomer bread, which he lightly grills before assembling.
To do this, lay the slices on the bacon tray for a few seconds to soak up some meaty flavours before stuffing the cooked rashers between the bread. Jamie spreads on some HP brown sauce in true British style before tucking it into the sandwich.
As for Pete, he butters two slices of white, crusty tin loaf bread and arranges the bacon side by side on one slice.
