Stretch Out Bacon By Running The Back Of A Knife Over Each Slice

It's hard to think of something that's not a little better wrapped in bacon. Popular renditions of wrapping food in bacon include a savory roasted Brussels sprouts recipe and a hearty meatloaf recipe, both of which get a salty crunch, additional moisture, and of course the irresistible flavor we love from the bacon wrap. The only problem is when the bacon doesn't cook completely before the interior is done and you're left with a sad, oily, and rubbery wrap. We have a great tip for success to prevent uneven cooking and guarantee a crispy result every time. The next time you're ready to roll with bacon, simply pull the back of your kitchen knife over each slice to stretch the bacon out.

Stretching bacon gently makes a thinner, longer slice that will cook more quickly, eliminating fatty spots. The stretched bacon will also lay nice and flat on the food you're wrapping because the thickness of the strip is evened out, which makes it less likely to curl and cook evenly. Thinner bacon renders its fat more easily because it's less dense, keeping your finished food from being too oily. 

To stretch bacon, allow it to come to room temperature for best results. Lay the slice flat on a cutting board and hold a kitchen knife almost flat against the bacon, with the back, unsharpened edge of the knife making light contact. Hold one end of the bacon and gently pull it under the knife, allowing the pressure of the knife to drag on the slice. You may be able to double the length of the strip, but stop if the bacon begins to tear. This tip works best for regular cuts of bacon. The thick artisanal bacon cuts have too much structure from the larger cuts of muscle in them to make this technique worth the effort. The fatty parts will stretch but the meaty parts often will not, leaving you with an uneven result.

Thin, stretched bacon is ideal for wrapping because the ends will often stick together without the need for skewers and toothpicks to hold them onto the food you're covering, which is a great time saver. You can stretch your food dollars with this tip, too, as you'll need less bacon per piece of wrapped food.  As a bonus, the thinner bacon won't overwhelm the taste of what it's covering, allowing all the flavors of your recipe to shine.