How to cook Turkey Bacon in an air fryer
Why bother frying or grilling turkey bacon when you can save a little time by effortlessly air frying turkey bacon in under 5 minutes.
How to cook turkey bacon in an air fryer involves lining the basket with parchment or foil paper; evenly lay out up to 4-5 turkey bacon rasher on top, while avoid overlapping; then air fry at 400°F/200°C. You'll then cook between 1-2 minutes for soft texture; 2-4 minutes for medium; 5-6 minutes for well done.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
Today my friends we're going to quickly air fry four slices of turkey bacon in the bottom of the basket, of which we can expect them to cook under 5 minutes.
Turkey bacon isn't the same as genuine pork bacon so we mustn't expect it to be cooked the same way; instead were make a few adjustments to ensure the turkey bacon cooks to a juicy and tender texture.
What I haven't done in this cooking session is rub cooking oil into the turkey bacon to prevent it drying out - if you don't mind the extra calories then I recommend you do.
In addition, cooking turkey bacon in an air fryer always risks drying out as people tend to cook longer than needed, thus to cook air fry turkey bacon to the desirable time as instructed below - then wrapping the rashers into foil to prevent it drying any more can help - and therefore you'll be left with sweat, juicy, and tender turkey bacon slices.
Cook the turkey by flipping it over every minute to ensure you don't overdo it on one side.
Slices will ideally be placed on top of cut to fit parchment paper lining the air fryer basket, with an option to use foil in the air fryer which shouldn't stick to turkey bacon.
And with that, an extended cut off of foil can later be used to wrap the turkey bacon to extend the cooking time without overcooking.
How you'll cook turkey bacon will be in three easy steps which begins with preparation; positioning of turkey bacon; and finally air frying the turkey bacon between 2 and 6 minutes - at a high temperature of 400°F/200°C.
STAGE 1: Prepare Air Fryer Basket
Preparing the turkey bacon for an air fryer isn't all that difficult or time consuming, but how I recommend you prepare both turkey bacon and your air fryer does come with burn risks, - which I hope you are especially diligent at this early stage.
- STEP 1: Mould parchment paper by lining base - First take a sheet of parchment paper, fold it over on the underside to fit in your air fryer basket, then proceed to mould it into the corners to create a half-inch lip
- STEP 2: Remove parchment paper - Now carefully remove the moulded parchment paper from your air fryer and set to one side
- STEP 3: Preheat air fryer for 2 minutes - With the parchment paper taking out of the basket, set your air fryer to 400°F/200°C, and preheat the air fryer for 2 minutes - never keep paper inside the air fryer as it will blow up into the heating element
- STEP 4: Carefully re-apply parchment paper - Knowing the air fryer basket is super hot now, you must go slowly and carefully to reapply the parchment paper by positioning it in the same position as before... and as you can see [in picture] I've added the turkey bacon as a I've suggested
STAGE 2: Position Turkey Bacon Side-By-Side
With the air fryer super hot and the parchment paper - or foil if that's all you have - you'd want to now position the turkey on top of the parchment paper. I will add you mustn't overlap the turkey bacon because you'll under cook the covered portions.
- STEP 1: Place turkey bacon on lining - Position your turkey bacon on the parchment/foil paper while maintaining space between each slice. It is possible to overload turkey bacon in an air fryer, providing you continue to regularly rotate between covered/uncovered turkey bacon slices
- STEP 2: Ensure parchment paper isn't overhanging - While its possible to allow turkey bacon to overlap if you must - otherwise its better to sit them side by side with space in between - ensure the parchment paper isn't overhanging the turkey bacon, which can happen a few moments into air frying
- STEP 3: Gently insert air fryer basket - With the turkey bacon sitting on the carefully moulded and positioned parchment paper, go ahead and insert the basket while being careful not to dislodge the parchment paper in the process
STAGE 3: Cook At 400°F/200°C; 2 To 6 Minutes
We must ensure the air fryer has been preheated to a minimum of 2 minutes before cooking, which will be similar to heating up a frying pan or broil/grill before cooking regular bacon as quickly as possible.
Same applies to air frying turkey bacon mind so we must cook it to the highest temperature possible of 400°F/200°C, available on most air fryers. Its not as simple as cooking turkey bacon for a set time, as most of us will have it cooked different ways.
- Step 1: 1-2 Minutes: Soft, white sloppy texture - One minute isn't enough on most occasions but I can assure you cooking for a full 2 minutes - while cooking a minute on each side - should be enough to produce juicy turkey bacon
- Step 2: 3-4 Minutes: Medium, light brown, juicy - Turkey bacon will be getting a little browner now at the 3 minute mark and should maintain its juiciness at 3 to 3½-4 minutes all together - about the 3rd minute in is the only time I flipped all slices
- Step 3: 5-6 Minutes: Well done, brown, crispy, dry texture - Time I cooked the pictured turkey bacon to, which was a full 5 minutes. Was cooked OK but admittedly I would of liked to of air fried it half that time
- Step 4: 7 Minutes +: Overdone, too dry, next juices - Not a good idea to cook air fry turkey bacon above the 6 minute mark, let alone 7 minutes plus as the slices will become inedible - with every ounce of juice sucked out of them
Unfortunately, with a full cooking time of 6 minutes or so, I cooked the turkey bacon 3 minutes, then proceeded to flip the slices half-way through at the third minute mark. What I should of done, is flip the bacon 6 times - flipping every minute until the final minute.
How To Improve Air Fried Turkey Bacon
Now I've cooked turkey bacon in my air fryer on two occasions thus far, I do now feel more than qualified to express my opinion on cooking with turkey bacon.
What I can't emphasis enough though is to cook the turkey bacon at the highest possible temperature, yet air frying the turkey bacon for as little time as possible. I believe air frying at a maximum of 2, too 2 and a half minutes should be enough.
No 'second' countdown timer on an air fryers mind - with either manual or digital - and thus when the time counts down to 1 minute, simply count off 30 minutes in your head which will leave a 1 minute time on the fryer still, so just turn it off as normal.
Turkey bacon is nothing like regular bacon in which it doesn't produce fat like the way rind on bacon helps to keep it juicy, and therefore we need to be careful not to over do it.
Many of you may prefer turkey bacon a little overdone which is fine, as long as you understand its probably going to dry out in an air fryer.
I cooked this turkey bacon on a sheet of parchment paper I used to line the basket with, which I have no regrets.
What I could think about doing next time is air frying the turkey bacon on a large, folded over sheet of foil, then maybe fold the turkey into a sealed foil parcel to after a minute on both sides, to allow extended cooking time - and to hopefully trap steam, and therefore moisture in the parcel.
If given a chance I probably would of elevated these turkey slices onto an air fryer rack, which will bring the turkey bacon rashers closer to the heating element which will be similar to cooking turkey bacon under a grill/broil.
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