Preheat a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes over medium or medium-low heat. According to Staley, failing to preheat the pan makes foods more likely to stick, as does cooking over high heat, which degrades the fat in the skillet and reduces the barrier between the food and the stainless steel.
When cooking in stainless steel, having the bacon at or closet room temp can help prevent sticking. But like another redditor suggested, baking in the oven on a rimmed sheet, on parchment paper is the best way.
I use the water technique with my 10” stainless steel pan and it works wonders. Typically I do four slices at once and use enough water to just cover the bacon. It allows the fat to render out of the bacon and once the water has evaporated it is quite close to being crisp.
To prevent sticking in stainless steel, be sure the pan is hot, add whatever oil you're using, and make sure the oil is also hot (it will look shimmery) before you add whatever you're cooking.
The best pan for stovetop bacon is a cast iron skillet. As with fried chicken, cast iron has a symbiotic relationship with bacon. The cast iron cooks the bacon with minimal to no sticking and has an easy cleanup (at least, it's easy if your cast iron is well-seasoned).
Stuck-On Residue
Perhaps the simplest reason that some non stick pans start to stick, especially if the pan isn't very old, is that there's a layer of stuck-on food residue getting in the way. Even the thinnest layer of dried egg white or residual starch from stir-frying potstickers can cause food to stick.
So in order to cook food on stainless steel without it sticking, you need to make sure the surface is as smooth as possible – which you can do with the right medley of heat and oil. This creates a sort of barrier between the steel and your ingredients, allowing them to easily come off the surface.
Why Does Cooking Bacon in Water Work? The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders. Plus, since the water helps render the fat, there will be significantly less splatter as your bacon finishes in the pan.
The Cause: If you accidentally leave your cast iron cookware on any heat source for too long, food, marinades, and sauces can burn and get stuck to the surface. The Fix: Use a pan scraper to remove stuck-on food.
More than that, fully cooked bacon will have transformed its shape. As the fat gets rendered as part of the cooking process, the edges of the bacon will start to curl. Conversely, uncooked bacon will remain limp and soft, unable to hold its shape.
A cast iron skillet is another great choice for frying up bacon. Some pans come with raised ridges that allow the fat to drip through and away from the bacon. If you have one of those, it's great but not necessary. Bacon needs a fair amount of turning, so a decent pair of tongs is very helpful.
—but I can give you a little trick that will help you separate your thin bacon without tearing it: Just let it warm up a bit. Letting bacon sit out on the counter for a bit (let's say 10-15 minutes or so) helps the fat soften and melt just a tiny bit, and it's the fat that keeps the bacon stuck together.
Even expensive pans with nonstick coating tend to scratch eventually (though high-end warranties usually do cover that). If you're looking for a place to save some cash, consider buying a lower-price nonstick pan for your set.
Go for stainless steel. If it calls for low temperatures and delicate handling, opt for nonstick. High heat and searing — that's all stainless steel. While the Always Pan is oven-safe, not all nonstick pans are, so be mindful of that when baking is required.
According to Hexclad, these peaks and valleys make the cookware incredibly durable, provide even heat distribution, and create a good sear — and based on our testing, we're inclined to agree. The pots and pans are oven-safe, dishwasher-safe, metal utensil-safe, and they have a lifetime warranty.
According to Staley, failing to preheat the pan makes foods more likely to stick, as does cooking over high heat, which degrades the fat in the skillet and reduces the barrier between the food and the stainless steel.
While olive oil is a staple in many kitchens, it's not the best choice for high-heat cooking. Its relatively low smoke point means it can start to burn quickly, leading to a bitter taste and potential residue buildup on your stainless steel pan.
Extra cooking oil will help keep your bacon from sticking to the pan. Keep an eye on it, and be ready to flip before your slices get too crispy. (And if it's too hot, remove your pan from the heat and turn down your burner just a touch.)
It polishes stainless steel beautifully
I've shined them all with Bar Keepers Friend. Just a sprinkle of powder and a brisk scrub with a sponge removes much of the dulling grime that accumulates on stainless steel in the kitchen and bathroom. Oxalic acid is Bar Keepers Friend's secret sauce.
Make Perfect, Crispy Bacon Every Time
You can use a glass baking pan, a steel or aluminum baking sheet, or even a cast iron pan.