Making Bacon In A Nuwave Air Fryer: A Quick Guide

Cooking bacon in an air fryer is a quick, easy, and mess-free way to get crispy bacon. The air fryer is forgiving, and you can adjust the cooking time to your desired crispiness. You can also cook as much bacon as you like by doing it in batches. There's no need to worry about splattering grease, and you can easily wash the removable components in the dishwasher.

Temperature settings for cooking bacon in a NuWave air fryer

To cook bacon in a NuWave air fryer, you can set the temperature to between 350°F and 400°F. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and your desired level of crispiness.

For thin or regular bacon, cook at 350°F for 10 minutes, or 14 minutes for extra crispy. If you prefer your bacon softer, air fry at 350°F for 7 minutes. For crispy bacon, increase the cooking time to 8 or 9 minutes.

For thick-cut bacon, the cooking time will be longer. At 350°F, cook for 14 minutes, or 18 minutes for extra crispy. For softer thick-cut bacon, air fry at 350°F for 9-10 minutes. Increase the cooking time to 10-12 minutes for crispier bacon.

If you are using a NuWave Brio 14Q Air Fryer, set the temperature to 400°F and cook for 17 minutes. Pause the cooking process after 10 minutes and swap the racks before resuming for the remaining 7 minutes.

How to prevent the air fryer from smoking

Air fryers are a great way to cook bacon, but they can sometimes start smoking. This is often due to leftover grease residue or the cooking of fatty foods. Here are some tips to prevent your air fryer from smoking:

• Clean your air fryer regularly: Leftover grease residue from previous uses can cause the air fryer to smoke. The residue can overheat and release smoke. Regular cleaning will prevent this buildup.
• Use the right oil: Different types of oils and fats have different smoke points. Use an oil with a smoke point above 400 degrees Fahrenheit, such as avocado oil, peanut oil, extra light olive oil, rice bran oil, or safflower oil.
• Use water: If your air fryer starts smoking, adding a tablespoon or two of water to the outer basket can help. The water will quickly turn to steam, preventing the grease from burning and smoking. However, be cautious as too much water can create a steaming effect and make your food mushy.
• Use bread: Placing a slice of bread at the bottom of your air fryer can help absorb the dripping grease. This prevents the grease from burning and smoking.
• Cooking temperature: Since the smoke point of bacon fat is 400˚F, set your air fryer to 350˚F to avoid any smokiness while cooking bacon.
• Batch cooking: If cooking bacon in batches, be sure to drain the drip pan of any oil and wipe it clean with a paper towel between batches.

How to prevent bacon slices from sticking together

To prevent bacon slices from sticking together in the air fryer, arrange the bacon slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cut the strips in half if they need to fit more. A few folds are okay, but try not to overcrowd the pan.

The bacon will release grease, so there is no need to spray the bacon or the tray of the air fryer.

If cooking in batches, be sure to discard any oil in the drip pan before repeating the process.

How to cut bacon to fit in the air fryer

To cut bacon so that it fits in your air fryer, you'll first need to assess how much space you have. Check the size of your air fryer basket and consider how much bacon you want to cook at once.

Once you have an idea of the space you're working with, take your bacon and cut the strips in half if needed. You can also cut the bacon into smaller pieces if that works better for your air fryer. The goal is to have enough bacon to form a single layer in the basket, with some overlap being okay.

If you're cooking a lot of bacon, you may need to cook it in batches to ensure even cooking and avoid overcrowding the basket.

How to know when the bacon is cooked

Knowing when your bacon is cooked is important to ensure it is safe to eat and to get the right texture. The cooking time for bacon in an air fryer varies depending on the type of bacon and your desired crispiness.

Regular or thin-cut bacon will be ready in 7-11 minutes, while thick-cut bacon will take 9-14 minutes. For crispy bacon, cook for a longer period within these time frames. For example, you can cook regular bacon for 7 minutes for softer bacon, and 8-9 minutes for crispy bacon. Thick-cut bacon will need 9-10 minutes for softer bacon, and 10-12 minutes for crispy bacon.

You can also tell when bacon is cooked by looking at it. The bacon should be browned and reach your desired level of crispiness. It is also important to ensure that the bacon is cooked thoroughly to avoid food poisoning.

If you are using a NuWave Brio Air Fryer, you can set the temperature to 360°F and cook the bacon for 11 minutes. For the NuWave Brio 14Q Air Fryer, set the temperature to 400°F and cook for 17 minutes, pausing halfway through to swap the racks.

Frequently asked questions