bacon

Bacon is a flavor delivery system and the technique matters more than most people realize.

Oven bacon comes out flat and evenly crispy without standing over a splatter-prone skillet. A proper bacon weave holds together for a burger or a centerpiece without falling apart. Twisted into strips and baked until shatteringly crisp, it becomes something you’ll reach for instead of croutons.

Beyond the headlining recipes, bacon does its best work as a supporting ingredient — crumbled over cauliflower mash, folded into a chicken pot pie, or stirred into a beer cheese dip where it adds smokiness without announcing itself.