Streaky bacon is the rasher with the long stripes of fat running through it. It comes from the pork belly, so it has more fat than back bacon, and that is exactly why it cooks up so crisp and full of flavour. It is the bacon for crispy breakfast rashers, for wrapping chicken and chipolatas, and for crumbling over salads and burgers. Here is how to cook streaky bacon in a frying pan, the oven, the air fryer and under the grill, with a cooking times table for soft or crispy rashers.
Skip the middle man! Our 5lb Smoked Streaky Bacon and 5lb Unsmoked Streaky Bacon come in big 5lb packs (about 2.27kg), so you can cook for a crowd or split them into bags for the freezer. See the full streaky bacon and bacon ranges.
How to cook streaky bacon in a frying pan
1. Start cold. Lay the rashers flat in a cold, dry frying pan. No oil is needed: the fat renders out as the pan heats up, and starting cold stops the rashers seizing and curling up straight away.
2. Medium heat. Turn the heat to medium. Too hot and the fat burns before the lean cooks.
3. Turn often. Streaky bacon curls as it cooks. Press it flat with a fish slice for even contact and turn it every minute or so. Allow 4–5 minutes for soft rashers or 6–8 minutes for crispy.
4. Drain. Lift the rashers onto kitchen paper. Keep the rendered fat in the pan for frying eggs, bread or potatoes.
Do not crowd the pan. If the rashers overlap they steam rather than crisp, so cook in batches and keep the first lot warm in a low oven. For more detail, see how to cook streaky bacon in the pan.
How to cook streaky bacon in the oven
The oven is the easiest way to cook streaky bacon for a crowd, and it stays flat. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Lay the rashers in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking tray, so the fat drips away and the bacon crisps on both sides without turning. Cook for 10–12 minutes for soft rashers or 14–16 minutes for crispy. No rack? Line the tray with baking paper and turn the rashers halfway. Our streaky bacon in the oven guide has more tips.
How to cook streaky bacon in the air fryer
Heat the air fryer to 180°C and lay the rashers in a single layer in the basket. Cook for 6–7 minutes for soft or 8–10 minutes for crispy, checking a minute or two early the first time. Fat collects in the drawer, so pour it off between batches to stop it smoking. See streaky bacon in the air fryer for more.
How to grill streaky bacon
Heat the grill to high and lay the rashers on the grill rack. Grill for about 2–3 minutes a side for soft rashers or 3–4 minutes a side for crispy. Streaky bacon catches quickly under a hot grill, so stay close. See how to cook bacon under the grill.
Streaky bacon cooking times
These are guide times for standard streaky rashers. Thickness and fat vary from pack to pack, so check the first batch early and adjust.
| Method | Heat | Soft (for wrapping) | Crispy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frying pan | Cold start, medium heat | 4–5 minutes, turning | 6–8 minutes, turning |
| Oven (on a rack) | 200°C / 180°C fan | 10–12 minutes | 14–16 minutes |
| Air fryer | 180°C | 6–7 minutes | 8–10 minutes |
| Grill | High | 2–3 minutes a side | 3–4 minutes a side |
Bacon is pork, so always cook it until the fat has rendered and the lean is cooked through and no longer translucent.
How to get streaky bacon crispy (and flat)
Pat the rashers dry with kitchen paper before cooking: moisture is what makes bacon spit and steam. Use a rack in the oven so the fat drains away, or press the rashers down with a fish slice in the pan. For very flat rashers, put a second baking tray on top of them in the oven for the first 8 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper; crispy bacon firms up a little more as it cools.
Smoked or unsmoked streaky bacon?
Both cook in exactly the same time. Smoked streaky has a deeper, savoury flavour that goes well with beans, burgers and a fry-up. Unsmoked lets the pork come through and is better under a sweet glaze or wrapped round chicken. Read more in smoked vs unsmoked bacon.
What to do with streaky bacon
Wrapping. Take rashers off a minute or two early, or use them raw, so they are still soft enough to stretch. Wrap them round chicken breasts, chipolatas, scallops or asparagus and the bacon finishes crisping in the oven. Stretch each rasher with the back of a knife first so it goes further.
Lardons and bits. Cut raw streaky into strips and fry them until crisp for carbonara, quiche, salads and stews. Try our bacon and leek quiche, bacon macaroni cheese or bacon and potato hash.
Breakfast. Crispy streaky is a fry-up classic. Build the full plate with our full English breakfast guide, sausages and the rest of our breakfast meats.
Streaky vs back bacon
Streaky bacon comes from the belly, with long stripes of fat and lean. Back bacon comes from the loin, with a round meaty eye and a tail of fat, so it suits a bacon sandwich when you want more bite. If that is what you are after, see how to cook back bacon, shop back bacon, or read back bacon vs streaky bacon.
Buying streaky bacon in bulk and freezing it
A 5lb pack works out far better than lots of small packets if you eat bacon every week. As soon as it arrives, split it into portions of a few rashers, wrap them well and freeze them flat so they thaw quickly. Follow the storage and use-by guidance on the pack, and thaw in the fridge overnight. More tips are in buying bacon in 5lb packs.
Streaky bacon FAQs
How long does streaky bacon take to cook in the oven?
At 200°C (180°C fan) on a rack over a tray, streaky bacon takes about 10–12 minutes for soft rashers and 14–16 minutes for crispy. There is no need to turn it. Thick or very fatty rashers may need a minute or two more.
How long do you fry streaky bacon for?
Start it in a cold, dry frying pan over a medium heat and cook for 4–5 minutes for soft bacon or 6–8 minutes for crispy, turning often. The fat renders out as the pan heats, so you do not need any oil.
How long does streaky bacon take in an air fryer?
At 180°C in a single layer, streaky bacon takes about 6–7 minutes for soft rashers and 8–10 minutes for crispy. Check it a minute or two early the first time, as air fryers vary.
What is the difference between streaky and back bacon?
Streaky bacon is cut from the pork belly, so it has long alternating stripes of fat and lean and cooks up crisp. Back bacon is cut from the loin with a strip of belly attached, so it has a round, meaty eye and less fat. Streaky is best for crisping, wrapping and crumbling; back bacon is the classic sandwich rasher.
Can you cook streaky bacon from frozen?
You can, as long as you separate the rashers first. Cook frozen rashers in the oven or a pan over a gentle heat until they come apart, then carry on as normal; they will take a few minutes longer. For the best results, thaw bacon in the fridge overnight first.
