How to Drain Bacon Without Paper Towels

Recently, we asked some customers what's stopping them from going paperless in the kitchen, and one thing we heard many times was, “Cooking bacon.” For many of us, paper towels are the things that we reach for before we take bacon out of the pan. Paper towels may seem to be the perfect thing to absorb all of that grease, but there are some alternatives.

Here are a few ways to soak up bacon grease without paper towels.

1. Substitute cut up paper bags from the grocery store. If you're bringing home groceries in paper bags, cut them into squares to place over your plate.

2. Use Bambooee bamboo paper towels. In our Bambooee kitchen road test, we saw how absorbent these towels really are, and they make a great substitute for paper towels when you're draining bacon.

3. Keep a stack of rags on hand. When you end up with a cotton shirt that is too stained or ripped to be donated, cut it into rags. You can soak them in water and detergent after use and then let them air dry to reuse again.

4. Buy a bacon-only dish towel. Purchase a cotton dish towel that you use exclusively for bacon draining. Just make sure to wash it by hand, as you don't want to put oil-soaked fabrics in the washing machine.

5. Oven-cook your bacon. You can make your bacon healthier and less greasy by baking it in the oven. Place the bacon on a broiler pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees and then turn and bake the other side to your desired done-ness. The grease will run off while it bakes, so there's no need to soak any up.

Do you have your own solution for draining bacon without the use of paper towels? Share it in the comment section!