While turkey bacon isn’t healthy, it’s a healthier option than pork bacon, so many people who want to improve their diet want to experiment with it. But do you need oil to make it nice and crispy? Would using a lot of oil not make it just as “bad” as traditional bacon?
This means the question is, do you need oil to cook turkey bacon?
No, you don’t – but only some alternatives create a satisfying result.
Read on if you would like to learn how to cook turkey bacon without oil and which methods are best suited for it – and which not so much.
Can You Cook Turkey Bacon Without Oil?
Turkey bacon can be prepared just like pork bacon – which means it’s fine to cook it with or without oils – results will differ by method, though.
Turkey bacon is a heavily processed product made from turkey, which means it contains less fat and calories than pork bacon. Of course, the lower amount of fat also influences the way it cooks.
While some preparation methods are fine without oil, you may want to consider using an alternative to oil if you want to fry turkey bacon in a pan.
What Is A Good Alternative To Using Oil For Cooking Turkey Bacon?
If you, for some reason, want to avoid oil – or have none at home because you didn’t realize you have run out – you can use something else instead.
Butter or margarine are great alternatives, while butter will give turkey bacon a nicer flavor than just margarine. Both work very well, as turkey bacon should be cooked at a lower temperature, so there’s no issue with both alternatives’ lower burning points.
Bacon grease is also good for frying turkey bacon – but not ideal if you’re watching your health.
Coconut butter (make sure to go for flavor-free unless you prepare something tropical) works quite nicely for turkey bacon.
Vegetable shortening also works but is used less often for turkey bacon. If you have some at home and just need a quick alternative to oil, there’s nothing wrong with using it.
While water isn’t buttery or oily and doesn’t add to the flavor, it can also be used to avoid turkey bacon sticking to the bottom of the pan when you cook it.
How Do I Cook Turkey Bacon Without Oil?
The best way to make turkey bacon as crispy as pork bacon while avoiding oil is to bake it in an oven.
Preheat your oven to 200C / 400F.
Put turkey bacon in single layers on an oven wire rack and put it into the oven for 10 minutes.
Turn each slice around, then bake them for another 2-5 minutes, depending on how crispy you want the slices to be.
Take the slices out of the oven, and enjoy!
Can I Cook Turkey Bacon In An Air-Fryer?
Baking turkey bacon in an air fryer delivers similar results to cooking the slices in a traditional oven and takes about as much time.
Preheat your air fryer to 200C / 400F, then place your turkey bacon, in single layers, into the air fryer basket.
Air fry them for 8-10 minutes, then flip them and cook them for another 2-4 minutes.
Remember that all appliances are slightly different, so you may have to adjust the times depending on your own air fryer.
Can I Cook Turkey Bacon In A Microwave?
Yes, but will it taste as nice as turkey bacon from a pan, oven, or air fryer? No. As we all know, microwaves aren’t known for creating nice crispy dishes.
While you can cook turkey bacon in a microwave without needing any oil, it’s not a method I would recommend unless you’re just desperate to get some warm turkey bacon, no matter its quality.
How Is Turkey Bacon Supposed To Be Cooked?
There is no one way that turkey bacon is supposed to be cooked – but some ways produce better-tasting results than others.
As just mentioned, cooking turkey bacon in a microwave won’t be the best option. You won’t need oil for it, but you won’t get nice crispy slices.
The best methods for cooking turkey bacon are in the oven, in a pan (preferably with a little oil or butter), or in your air fryer.
Can Turkey Bacon Get Crispy?
In a microwave, no.
In a pan, oven, or air fryer, yes.
While turkey bacon is lower in fat, it still crisps up as nicely as pork bacon and tastes very nice.
Final Thoughts
You are not alone if you think about swapping pork bacon for turkey bacon. Many people have already made the swap and haven’t regretted it.
You may be worried about it not being as crispy as the bacon you are used to, but the good news is that turkey bacon is just as nice as pork bacon – even if you don’t use oil for cooking it!
