The Calories In Microwave Vs Pan Fried Bacon

Bacon frying in a pan.

Image Credit: Elenathewise/iStock/Getty Images Bacon is pork belly that has been cured with salt, sugar and nitrate. It is also often smoked. Traditional bacon should not be confused with Canadian bacon, also called back bacon, which is cut from the back of a pig and contains less fat. If you love bacon but would like less calories, try microwaving instead of pan-frying.

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Calorie Content

Traditional cured pork bacon cooked in the microwave has 25 calories per slice, while pan-frying the same product yields bacon with 42 calories per slice, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Fat Content

The total fat per slice of microwaved bacon is 1.86 grams. The total fat in pan-fried bacon is 3.18 grams. Microwaving bacon between paper towels allows for fat absorption during the cooking process, which may account for the lower fat content of this cooking method.

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Points to Consider

Microwaving tends to make bacon crispy, both the meat and the fat, according to Cooking for Engineers. On the other hand, pan-frying will give you a more traditional bacon texture, with crispy fat and chewy meat.

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  references
  
      USDA National Nutrient Database: Pork, Cured, Bacon, Cooked, Pan-fried
    
      USDA National Nutrient Database: Pork, Cured, Bacon, Cooked, Microwaved
    
      Cooking for Engineers: Bacon
    
      University of Missouri Extension: Home Curing Bacon for a Mild Flavor
    
      Pittsburgh Post Gazette: The Real Deal
    
      Canadian Bacon: Canadian and Canadian Style Bacon
       




  references
  
      USDA National Nutrient Database: Pork, Cured, Bacon, Cooked, Pan-fried
    
      USDA National Nutrient Database: Pork, Cured, Bacon, Cooked, Microwaved
    
      Cooking for Engineers: Bacon
    
      University of Missouri Extension: Home Curing Bacon for a Mild Flavor
    
      Pittsburgh Post Gazette: The Real Deal
    
      Canadian Bacon: Canadian and Canadian Style Bacon
    




Bacon frying in a pan.

Image Credit: Elenathewise/iStock/Getty Images

Image Credit: Elenathewise/iStock/Getty Images

      USDA National Nutrient Database: Pork, Cured, Bacon, Cooked, Pan-fried
    
      USDA National Nutrient Database: Pork, Cured, Bacon, Cooked, Microwaved
    
      Cooking for Engineers: Bacon
    
      University of Missouri Extension: Home Curing Bacon for a Mild Flavor
    
      Pittsburgh Post Gazette: The Real Deal
    
      Canadian Bacon: Canadian and Canadian Style Bacon