How to Make a Bacon Weave
With just a few minutes you can easily assemble a Bacon Weave, perfect for adding a bit of sophistication to your next burger or BLT. This technique is also great for turning pork shoulders, beef roasts, or even your Thanksgiving turkey into a bacon wrapped delight!
Another Easy Oven Bacon Method
It’s no secret that I love bacon – especially bacon cooked in the oven! I’ve covered all the basics for perfect oven bacon, and shared my take on twisted bacon, which is great for parties. Now I’m sharing another favorite way to make oven bacon – an easy bacon weave!
This technique weaves together slices of bacon to create a large square or rectangle bacon layer. Bacon weaves are the best way to add bacon to sandwiches or burgers. Not only does it look fancier than just throwing on a few slices of bacon, it ensures that you get bacon in every bite. They are also perfect for wrapping or layering large cuts of meat like pork shoulders or a whole chicken.
It takes just a few minutes to assemble and is then baked in the oven. I recommend using a simple rimmed baking sheet (with optional aluminum foil) for this recipe. For more details on why be sure to take a peek at my easy oven bacon for more info.
How to Make a Bacon Weave
Making a bacon weave is simple! You just need to weave the bacon slices over and under each other.
- Determine the size of the bacon weave. You can make a this in any size, from a small sandwich square to huge rectangle large enough to cover a Thanksgiving turkey. For smaller bacon weaves, cut the bacon slices in half (sandwich size) or quarters (perfect for sliders). For larger square bacon weaves, leave them whole. If you want a rectangle bacon weave, cut just half of the bacon in half.
- Prepare the pan. You will want to use a wide, flat, rimmed baking sheet. If using, line the pan with aluminum foil, crimping the sides upward to help prevent the bacon grease from getting under the foil once it melts.
- Lay out the horizontal slices. Working directly on your baking sheet, lay out half of the bacon horizontally. Each slice should be touching, but not overlapping, the slice next to it.
- Weave the vertical bacon slices. Starting at the top left, weave the first slice of bacon so that it goes over then under each piece of horizontal bacon. Weave the next slice just to the right of the previous slice, starting this one under the top horizontal slice and weaving in the opposite pattern of the first slice. Repeat this, alternating rows starting over and under, until desired size is reached.
- Bake. Place the woven bacon in a cold oven. Heat to 375 degrees and bake until crispy and cooked through.
- Drain. Drain bacon on paper towels before serving.
Bacon Weave Baking Time
This depends greatly on your oven. Obviously, a bacon weave needs longer to bake than baking individual slices, as the overlapped pieces take longer to cook through. It also depends on how crispy you want your bacon and how quickly your oven heats.
In general, this bacon weave should take 18 to 25 minutes to cook, after the oven has preheated. If your oven heats quickly it may need more time, and if it heats slowly it may need less time.
Take a peek at the bacon once the oven is preheated and then adjust the timer accordingly. If you want extra crispy bacon, you’ll want to let it cook for a few extra minutes as well.
Tips for Success
While this is a pretty straightforward technique for cooking bacon in a weave, there are a few things that I’ve found helpful.
- Thin cut vs thick cut bacon. For the purpose of making a bacon weave, I’ve found that thin sliced bacon is easiest to work with and also cooks quicker and more evenly.
- Remember bacon shrinks when cooking. Keep in mind as you decide on the size of your bacon weave that it will shrink as it cooks.
- Always alternate the horizontal slices. For the weave to stay together, it’s essential that each horizontal starts the opposite over/under as the one above it.
- Alternate pans during baking. If using more than one pan to cook your bacon, about half way through (or after the oven is preheated) swap the pans top for bottom to promote more even cooking.
- How to easily clean up. Carefully pour liquid bacon grease into a mug and allow to cool. Use paper towels to wipe remaining bacon grease from the pan prior to washing. DO NOT pour bacon grease down the sink, it should be disposed of in the trash.
- Guard against burning. If you are wrapping a roast and the bacon is cooking too fast, drop the heat in your oven and/or cover the roast with aluminum foil to create a barrier between the roast and the heating element.
Ways to Serve a Bacon Weave
Now that you know how easy it is to make a bacon weave, you may be wondering – now what do I use it on? The possibilities are endless but here are a few ideas!
- Burgers and sandwiches. You can add a bacon weave to any burger (like my bacon avocado burger!), grilled chicken sandwich, or even a turkey club.
- BLTs. Adding a crisp bacon weave between two slices of toast will take your BLT to the next level!
- Grilled Cheese. What could be better than grilled cheese with crisp, crunchy bacon in the middle?
- Roast chicken or turkey. Bacon is a great way to add flavor to oven roasted poultry. Add it to your Thanksgiving turkey for the ultimate bacon upgrade.
- Pork shoulder. Wrapping a pork shoulder in a bacon weave is another of my favorites.
- Meatloaf. Adding a bacon layer to the top of a meatloaf helps keep it juicy and increases flavor!
Make It In Advance
Yes! If you are making simple, square bacon weaves for sandwiches, you can assemble and bake them 2 – 3 days in advance. They will keep in the fridge just like any pre-cooked bacon.
If you are making a bacon weave to wrap your beef tenderloin or other large roast, you have two options.
- You can assemble it in advance and refrigerate the weave on it’s own until ready to use. To make the assembled bacon weave easier to handle, once assembled roll it up starting from a corner. Place the rolled bacon weave into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Assemble the bacon weave at the same time you prep the roast itself. Season the roast, then wrap or cover it with the bacon weave. Refrigerate uncovered until ready to roast, up to about 12 hours. This allows the bacon to dry out resulting in a much crispier bacon exterior.
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Bacon Weave
Ingredients
- 1 lb or more of thin sliced bacon
- Optional: aluminum foil to line pan
Instructions
- Optional: If using, line your baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment.
- Determine the desired size for your bacon weave. For sandwich sized, square weaves, cut the bacon slices in half. For large square weaves to cover a roast chicken or pork shoulder leave the bacon long. For a rectangular shaped weave, cut half the bacon in half and leave the other half long. Alternatively, cut each slice as you need it.
- On your baking sheet, layout half of the bacon to create the vertical part of the bacon weave. The bacon slices should be touching.
- Starting at the top left, weave the first slice of horizontal bacon so that it goes under then over each piece of vertical bacon. Weave the next slice of horizontal bacon just below the previous slice, starting this one over (the opposite as the previous slice) and continue to weave across each piece of vertical bacon. The slices should be touching. Repeat until your weave, alternating rows starting with under and over, until it reaches the desired size.
- Place the bacon weave into a cold oven, then heat to 375 degrees.
- For bacon that is just crispy enough to hold it upright, it should take between 18 – 25 minutes* once the oven has preheated. Ovens heat at different rates. Bacon in a quick heating oven will need more additional time than bacon in a slow heating oven. Check bacon for doneness once the oven is preheated and adjust the time accordingly for desired crispiness.
- When finished, promptly remove bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels.
- For easy clean up: carefully pour liquid bacon grease into a mug and allow to cool. Use paper towels to wipe remaining bacon grease from the pan prior to washing. DO NOT pour bacon grease down the sink, it should be disposed of in the trash.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.
“Bacon grease goes in the trash.” No, sorry, but it most certainly does NOT! Save that grease in a closed container in a spot near your stove. Stir it into your vegetables while cooking. Use to grease the pan for pancakes, fried eggs, use as the fat in cornbread. Oh honey, bacon grease is liquid gold! Trust a few million Cajuns. We won’t steer you wrong.
Hi Kittie! While there are many people who do reused their bacon grease, there are many people who don’t. I personally don’t like everything tasting like bacon, so it’s rare that I reuse it. The statement in the post wasn’t made to encourage people not to use it if they like, but to inform people that the proper way to dispose of the bacon grease is in the trash and not down the drain. Thank you for taking the time to comment and share a different perspective. Enjoy!