This Life-Changing Bacon Hack Reduces Shrinkage By 50 Percent

When it comes to bacon, we don’t take the topic lightly. It’s the hangover cure of the internet and the fountain of youth, after all. So, when we heard someone mention that rinsing it before cooking reduces shrinkage by up to 50 percent, we dropped our sad desk lunches and set to find out if this was indeed true.

Luckily, Fran of Franalan put this rumor to the test. After rinsing the meat in a colander, Fran placed the bacon on a rack covered in aluminum foil and popped it in the oven for 10 to 20 minutes at 365 °F. The end result, according to Fran, was plump bacon that didn’t shrink. Hey, if Snapple caps confirm it, it must be true.

We’re curious to know, however, if it was the added moisture from the water or the fact that the bacon was baked rather than cooked that lead to the reduced shrinkage. If you’ve got an answer to this confounding dilemma, share your pro-tips in the comments below.