Breakfast simply isn't complete without bacon, but are you getting the most from your rashers? Here are 19 ingenious tips for cooking bacon perfectly at home.

Frying isn't the only way to cook bacon. To bake bacon rashers in the oven, choose a shallow pan with plenty of space to lay the bacon flat. Line the tray with foil before evenly spacing the rashers.

When cooking bacon in the oven always cook it at about 400°F (200°C) for 16 minutes for maximum flavor and the best amount of crispiness. If you like it even crispier, leave it in for a further three minutes.

When making a bacon sandwich, the best way to get a bite of it in every mouthful is to weave the meat before cooking it. Cut long rashes of bacon in half and weave the strips like a checkerboard.

Before putting the weaved bacon squares in the oven, cover them with some sort of rack to keep them flat. Cook at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes, or longer for extra crisp. Then serve on your sandwich or burger and enjoy every mouthful.

A waffle iron is not just for cooking what its name suggests; you can also cook bacon perfectly on it. Bacon gets cooked evenly on the iron and the leftover grease drips away from the strips, making for crispy bacon without the mess.

Before frying bacon, it’s best to let it rest. Once the bacon has been taken out of the fridge let it sit for five minutes so the fat can return to its natural state.

The best way to start frying bacon is with a cold pan. That’s because if you add it to an already hot pan you run the risk of scorching it. Use a flat pan, preferably cast iron, and ensure the rashers don't overlap.

To spice up your bacon, before frying it try marinating it in brown sugar. Lay the raw bacon out on a pan at room temperature and coat both sides with brown sugar. It is crucial the bacon is as close to room temperature as possible so the fat will be in a soft state and therefore soak up the sugar. After letting the sugared bacon sit for a few minutes, cook as usual on the stovetop. You can even get adventurous and add pecans (pictured).

Bacon will blow your mind doused in maple syrup and then fried. Marinating bacon in syrup might seem strange but it is definitely worth a try. Coat several pieces of bacon in maple syrup and then put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to let it all soak in. Then fry it as normal.

Bacon can take on extra flavor and a smoky taste by being grilled, either in an oven grill or on a barbecue. It’s best to use thick-cut bacon that you can thread onto skewers. Cook until done and either serve on the skewers or wait until it’s cool enough to slide off.

If you can’t be bothered cooking your bacon in the oven, frying pan or waffle iron then the next best thing is a microwave. You can even get a microwave bacon tray (pictured). The microwave’s power will determine how long you cook it for but generally about 4 to 6 minutes is sufficient.

For serious bacon-lovers there’s a new grilling gadget on the scene. It's called the Nostalgia Bacon Express Crispy Bacon Grill (pictured) and it's changing the breakfast game. It cooks both sides of six rashes of bacon at a time. The bacon hangs over the grill so the grease drips into a container at the bottom.

For those serious about bacon there’s always the option of deep frying it. You can cook five or six strips of bacon in about five minutes, although it will be curly and chewy rather than flat and extra crispy.

However you cook your bacon, once it’s ready it needs to have some of the excess grease drained. It’s best to lay the bacon on a paper towel or paper to soak up the grease.

While cooking bacon in a frying pan think about drizzling over pancake batter. The trick is to cook the bacon first before pouring the batter over individual pieces.

Frying bacon will almost certainly splatter. To prevent this from happening, cover it with a lid or use a splatter screen, and be sure to stop hot grease from hitting your skin by wearing long sleeves and an apron.

Once you’re done cooking bacon there’s always leftover fat and grease. This is called drippings and can be repurposed for countless recipes. Pour into a glass jar and save for future cooking.

There’s a trick to cleaning the pan after cooking bacon. Firstly, tip as much fat out as you can before wiping the pan with paper towels or newspaper. Then place it back on the stove and fill it with water until it’s half full. Turn the heat up high and bring the water to a boil, then use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any bits of stuck bacon. For extra stubborn bacon bits, add dish soap or baking soda to the water.

If you find that your kitchen and house smells of bacon then there are ways to fix it. You can prevent the smell lingering by using the exhaust fan of the oven or stovetop while cooking the bacon. If that still doesn’t work then leaving a dish of plain vinegar on your bench top after cooking for a few hours will do the trick.