For An Easier Time Slicing Bacon, Freeze It First

Bacon makes everything better, whether you're building a crispy BLT, topping a salad, or rounding out a weekend breakfast. It's smoky, salty, and perfectly fatty — something that gives bacon its rich flavor, but also makes it tricky to slice. It's squishy and stretchy, and even the sharpest knife can slip when you're working your way through all that marbling, leaving you with uneven slices or lardons that won't cook consistently.

Don't let the challenge deter you from adding a porky punch to your next recipe. For an easier time slicing and dicing bacon, freeze it first. What happens when you put bacon in the freezer? The meat and fat both get firm, but neither freezes solid. Just like salt on a wet road, the salt used to cure bacon prevents it from freezing completely solid, so you can slice through without having to hack your way through a block of bacon-y ice.

This trick works for turning sliced bacon into lardons, as well as cutting a piece of cured pork belly into cubes or slices, just like you would slice a ribeye for a cheesesteak. Use a sharp knife to perfectly portion your pork. And while you're at it, consider freezing your bacon in individual servings for quick defrosting and easy portioning.

Being able to easily slice bacon comes in handy when you're in need of lardons, bite-sized sticks, or cubes of bacon that can be cooked to be crispy on the outside and tender and meaty on the inside. Lardons are a must for Quiche Lorraine and are the perfect garnish for salade Lyonnaise, made with frisée and a soft-boiled egg. Plus, the same slicing trick will help you prep guanciale or pancetta for decadent carbonara.

Once you've easily sliced your bacon into just the right size, cooking couldn't be easier. Because it isn't frozen solid, the bacon will defrost quickly as you're cutting it. Then, use the low-and-slow method to render the fat and ensure evenly cooked bacon that's crunchy at the edges and tender in the middle. Simply put the cold bacon into a cold pan, then slowly cook the bacon over low heat until it is done to your liking. Enjoy your perfectly sliced and cooked bacon, then strain the leftover bacon fat and store the bacon fat for a future salad dressing or pan-frying session.