A bit of Water is the trick!

First spread out your bacon evenly in a pan on high heat. (Two rules of thumb for however you like your bacon are: always start with a hot pan and never overcrowd it), and cover the bacon with water. You want just enough water to cover the bacon. As Bryan Roof, the chef in this video, explains, water keeps the initial cooking temperature low, which helps the bacon retain some of its moisture and keeps it tender.

When the water starts to boil, lower the heat from high to medium. The water will simmer away, at which point you have to turn the heat down again from medium to low, until the bacon is browned, crisp and ready.

After cooking bacon in a little water you’re left with “plump bacon that’s pleasantly crisp, and not tough or brittle.” If that sounds like your kind of bacon, go forth and try the water trick.