Pizza is one of the most popular foods to enjoy in a group or at a party because it’s easy to eat and widely customizable. It’s also easy to prepare as you can just throw a variety of veggies and other toppings on it without any previous prep.
The story is a little different when it comes to meat. Because a pizza takes around 10-20 minutes to crisp in the oven, putting raw meat on it can result in half-cooked meat which is both unpleasant to eat and can pose serious health risks.
Of course, not all meats require a lengthy cook time. So what about a thin, easily fried meat like bacon?
Raw bacon can be put on a pizza if it is chopped into small pieces because it should have enough time to cook through. However, using raw bacon may not result in the best flavor and texture because the rendered fat it contains could seep into the pizza as well as prevent the bacon from becoming crisp.
Bacon can be such a delicious pizza topping when prepared well. Today, we will be doing a deep dive into how to best utilize bacon for a pizza and what other toppings it tastes great paired with.
Is It Best To Put Cooked or Uncooked Bacon On Pizza?
While uncooked bacon can technically be put on a pizza, it will likely not result in the tastiest pizza you could achieve. Precooking your bacon is the option I would recommend.
Bacon is not exactly raw meat because it is made by salt curing but it still needs to be fully cooked through to be safe to eat.
If it is cut into really small pieces, it should be safe to put on a pizza raw, but there are other factors that make precooking your bacon the better option.
The first is that bacon is full of rendered fat that will leak onto your pizza in the oven and prevent the crust from becoming crisp.
Removing moisture from your ingredients is an important step when preparing any pizza toppings, not just meats. Even mushrooms should be precooked to ensure that the water in them doesn’t seep into your pizza.
This issue of rendered fat will also prevent your bacon from becoming crisp. So, if you are looking for crunchy bacon to top your pizza with, precooking it is the route you want to take.
How Long Does It Take For Bacon To Cook On a Pizza?
Keeping the above information in mind, we will be looking at how to achieve different levels of crispiness in your bacon. The truth is that if you want a crispy bacon pizza topping, you can’t avoid pre-cooking it.
Crispy
To get perfectly crispy bacon for your pizza you simply have to fry it on a skillet until it is fully crisp. You can then sprinkle it on top of your pizza when it is fully cooked to avoid overcooking it or add it onto your pizza before it goes into the oven if you prefer really crispy bacon.
You will need to cook it for around 8 to 10 minutes.
Medium Crisp
For medium crisp bacon, simply pre-cook the bacon in a skillet to a semi-firm consistency. Then add it onto your pizza before it hits the oven and it should come out slightly crispy.
You will need to cook it for around 6 to 8 minutes.
No Crisp
If you don’t want your bacon to be crispy at all then you can skip either skip the pre-cooking and put your bacon directly onto the pizza, or you can cook the bacon very lightly on a skillet and pat it dry with a paper towel to remove excess grease.
You don’t have to cook it at all or cook it just for 3 to 5 minutes.
How To Precook Bacon For Pizza Topping
Now that you know how long you need to cook bacon to achieve your desired level of crispiness, let’s look into the best method for precooking bacon for your pizza.
First, slice the bacon into whatever size you prefer, keeping in mind that it will shrink to about half its size when cooked.
Next, cook the bacon in a skillet on medium heat for enough time to get it to your desired consistency. Pat your bacon dry with a paper towel to remove excess grease before adding it to your pizza.
You can also use the oven if you prefer to use full, uncurled strips of bacon but that is a method that requires more time.
What Can Happen If You Eat Undercooked Bacon?
Eating any undercooked meat is something you should always avoid in general. It will expose you to bacteria and parasites that can lead to infections and illnesses.
The salt curing process that bacon goes through slows the process of the bacteria that is generally found in raw pork, but it does not necessarily kill all of it. It simply makes bacon less perishable than other raw meats.
Trichinosis is a food-borne illness that is caused by eating raw or undercooked meats. It is most commonly present in pork and derives as a result of a worm larvae infestation. The symptoms of this ailment usually include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and others.
Besides that, there are other bacterial infections that can contaminate meat if it is mishandled or improperly stored. Ensuring that your meat is thoroughly cooked helps to reduce the risk of these infections.
Can You Add Raw Bacon On a Frozen Pizza?
A frozen pizza takes a little longer to cook than a fresh one so adding bacon to it won’t result in the bacon being undercooked.
However, the same rules apply as to how crispy your bacon will be if you do this. Simply put, it won’t be crisp at all due to all the moisture retained in a frozen pizza.
If your store-bought frozen pizza already contains bacon then you don’t have to worry because the bacon has likely been precooked and following the instructions on the box should result in a perfectly cooked pizza.
If you want to add bacon to a frozen pizza that doesn’t already include it, I recommend following the same tips we gave for preparing a fresh bacon pizza with your desired level of crispiness.
What Goes Well With Bacon On a Pizza?
Bacon tastes great with a wide range of toppings. It can be added to a pizza with other meats if that is your preference, but certain veggies and cheeses can help to make bacon the star of the show.
Some popular ingredients to include alongside bacon on a pizza are caramelized onions, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and olives.
Onions, spinach, and mushrooms have a milder taste when cooked that will nicely compliment the saltiness of the bacon while olives (particularly green olives) will add even more of a salty flavor.
Bacon and pineapple is also a great combination for those who are on the “yes” side of the pineapple on pizza debate.
Aside from just classic mozzarella, cheeses like blue cheese and cheddar also make a delicious pairing with bacon on pizza.