Although there are a few common blunders that may be made when frying bacon, the most frustrating aspect of the process is the meat's tendency to shrink as it cooks.
If crinkled bacon isn't your thing (or isn't what the recipe calls for), there is a way to achieve the same crispy, smooth results.
Picture the Recipe recommends rinsing bacon in cold water, patting it dry, and then baking it to prevent it from shrinking while cooking.
Rinsing bacon with cold water eliminates a little amount of fat, which can assist prevent shrinking.
However, according to Life Hacker, the cold-water rinse is less important than baking the bacon in the oven, and rinsing bacon can frequently diminish its flavor.
To minimize bacon shrinkage, it is best to bake it instead of fry it, and the optimal cooking time is 18 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
First and foremost, if you want to have bacon that doesn't shrink, it's preferable to choose high-quality bacon.
No matter what you do, bacon will shrink slightly during cooking, but if it tastes delicious, what's the harm?