Air fryer streaky bacon is the crisp rasher without a greasy hob — less mess, even browning, and breakfast that scales for a crowd. 5lb Unsmoked Streaky Bacon is the freezer-filling unsmoked pack; 5lb Smoked Streaky Bacon is the smoked tray when you want deeper flavour. Shop both in bacon and pork.
Air fryer method
Lay rashers in a single layer in the basket — slight overlap is fine, stacked piles are not. No oil needed; streaky carries its own fat. Air fry at 180°C for 8 to 12 minutes, checking from minute seven, until the rashers are as crisp as you like. Flip or shuffle halfway for even colour. Smoked packs brown a touch faster — start checking early. Drain on kitchen paper for a minute. Cook in batches from a 5lb pack rather than cramming the basket; steam softens the crisp. Save the drippings in a jar for roasting potatoes. Do not salt before cooking — bacon is already cured. Soft-set rashers for sandwiches need the shorter end of the time; shatter-crisp for crumbling over salad needs the longer end.
Oven, grill and pan backup
No air fryer: oven 200°C on a rack over a tray for 12 to 18 minutes, medium grill 3 to 5 minutes a side, or pan over medium heat turning often. Browse bacon for streaky and back, and pork for sausages and gammon beside.
What to serve
Eggs, toast, and tomatoes for a full English, or crumbled over jackets and salads. Leftover cooked bacon keeps in the fridge a day or two — reheat briefly so it stays crisp rather than chewy. Freeze spare rashers interleaved with baking paper so you can pull a few at a time.
Times above are a guide for home ovens, air fryers and pans — always trust a probe over the clock, and rest meat before you carve so the juices stay in the slice, not on the board. British packs vary a little in thickness, so start checking a few minutes early the first time you cook a new size.
Write your own fridge note the first time you cook a new pack size — home ovens and pans vary, and a two-minute early check beats dry meat. Rest on a warm plate, not a cold board, so the juices stay put when you carve or plate up.