Find and cook the best bacon

Real Simple staffers pigged out on 58 versions of the best food on earth, bacon. These winning strips truly sizzled.

1. How to Cook Bacon for a Crowd

(iStock)

No need to slave over a skillet. Instead, heat oven to 425° F. Set a cooling rack inside a rimmed baking sheet (to let the fat drip off), spread out the bacon, and cook until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Best Original

(Oscar Mayer)

Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked
Eggs, meet your perfect mate: This quintessential bacon cooks up thin and crispy, with just the right balance of fat and salt.

To buy: $5 for 16 ounces.

3. Best Reduced-Sodium

(Farmland)

Farmland Lower Sodium
Skimping on salt doesn’t mean forgoing flavor: Even with about 30 percent less sodium than standard cured bacon, this savory pick is just as smoky and succulent.

To buy: $6 for 16 ounces.

4. Best Maple

(Niman Ranch)

Niman Ranch Maple Uncured
A sweet, country-style glaze contrasts nicely with the smokiness beneath. Wrap around dates and broil for an easy hors d’oeuvre.

To buy: $8 for 12 ounces. Nitrate-free.

5. Best Turkey

(Applegate)

Applegate Uncured Turkey
Don’t count turkey out. With a flavor that’s a cross between Canadian bacon and conventional strips, this healthy alternative boasts about 50 percent less fat than pork has.

To buy: $5 for 8 ounces.

See more tasty bacons at Real Simple

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