Cooking bacon in an air fryer is quick, easy, and produces crispy bacon without the mess of traditional stovetop cooking. Here's how to cook bacon in an air fryer:
1. **Preheat the Air Fryer**: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Preheating helps ensure that the bacon cooks evenly and crisps up nicely.
2. **Prepare the Bacon**: Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You can overlap them slightly, but try not to stack them on top of each other to ensure even cooking.
3. **Cook the Bacon**: Place the bacon-filled air fryer basket in the preheated air fryer. Cook the bacon for 8-12 minutes, depending on your desired level of crispiness. Keep an eye on the bacon as it cooks to prevent it from burning.
4. **Flip the Bacon (Optional)**: If desired, you can flip the bacon halfway through the cooking time to ensure that both sides cook evenly. This step is optional but can help achieve more uniform crispiness.
5. **Check for Doneness**: After the cooking time is up, check the bacon for doneness. It should be golden brown and crispy. If it's not done to your liking, you can cook it for an additional 1-2 minutes.
6. **Drain and Serve**: Once the bacon is cooked to your desired level of crispiness, carefully remove it from the air fryer basket and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess grease. Let the bacon cool for a few minutes before serving.
7. **Enjoy**: Serve the crispy bacon as desired, whether as a standalone breakfast item, as part of a sandwich or salad, or alongside your favorite breakfast foods.
8. **Clean Up**: After cooking, allow the air fryer basket to cool completely before cleaning it. Remove any leftover bacon grease or crumbs, and wash the basket with warm, soapy water or place it in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.