Norpro Cast Iron Pig Bacon Grill Press

by Norpro

• Measures 8.5 inches/21.5cm by 5.25 inches/13.5cm
• Made of heavy cast iron with a wooden knob handle
• Whimsical pig-shaped press keeps bacon flat during frying
• Needs to be seasoned before use
• Hand wash, rinse thoroughly and dry with a paper towel - Never soak cast iron

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002IBQWG
• Item model number: 1398
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,840 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Amazon.com

Those who like their bacon flat rather than curled, especially for making BLTs, will enjoy using this pig-shaped bacon press from Norpro. Made of heavy cast iron with a wooden knob-style handle, the press lays right on top of bacon during frying, and also works well on quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches or thickly filled panini, and pork chops that have a tendency to curl at the edges. Care should be taken when used on food in a nonstick skillet not to scratch the finish. Whimsical as well as handy, the bacon press measures 8-1/2 inches in length and can be easily washed by hand. --Ann Bieri

Product Description

Even the best cut bacon can curl, making it difficult to cook evenly. The cast iron bacon press flattens the bacon, keeping it's shape for even cooking and the wooden handle stays cool while the press is in use. To speed up the process, pre-heat the press.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Does the Job and Does It Well October 10, 2007

By Amazon Enthusiast

Amazon Verified Purchase

Just had a chance to try out the bacon press tonight for BLT's--it works great!

We love our bacon nice and crisp, and this little press does the job great and seems to speed up cooking time (perhaps because the cast iron "holds in the heat" while the bacon fries?).

Bacon was crisp and delicious; the press prevents bacon curling and relieves you of the neverending task of flipping bacon over and over and over again when cooked conventionally.

This press is a great addition to my kitchen; only gave it 4 stars, simply because it isn't quite as heavy as I would like, although it still performs well.

Just make sure you season it before first use (directions in the box---just oil the press, oil a frying pan, then heat both together on VERY low heat for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool and wipe excess oil off press). But don't use it with nonstick pans!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent bacon press February 27, 2006

By Miles H. Kennedy

Amazon Verified Purchase

This litle pig has it all. Right size. Well constructed. Fun to own and does the job right.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Handle rusted out February 8, 2010

By D&M

I bought this bacon press from Williams Sonoma and be warned--the screw holding the wooden handle on rusted out. The handle will not stay attached to the screw which makes the press pretty much useless. We followed the exact cleaning instructions to keep it from rusting, but it happened anyway. While this is a great looking product and worked well for a little while, it is now trash.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for grilled cheese & peanut butter sandwiches, too. December 29, 2009

By Ethelanne Sherman

I have a pig collection but this is great anyway. I use it for every piece of meat I fry. I do not use oil so want the meat to sear and this fits the bill.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I love it, for the most part... July 16, 2010

By ktillett

Amazon Verified Purchase

This item really helps create crispy bacon that's super flat, which I love. I'm not sure for certain, but I could swear it's also cut down the cooking time, which is also a plus. The only downside is that it's a little difficult to store after usage. Since it's cast iron, it can't be, or shouldn't, be cleaned, but only wiped down. This leaves the item greasy, which is fine if you have a place to keep it that doesn't get other things greasy at the same time. I've taken to putting in a Tupperware, which I don't really like, but it works. Overall, I would definitely recommend this product! Oh, and it's a totally cute pig!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bacon Press November 9, 2006

By S. Magers

This is a great product, which I use every time that I prepare bacon! After it has been seasoned, according to product instructions, all you do is towel off the excess grease! It really does keep the bacon nice and flat, as well as crispy. I wouldn't want to cook bacon without this great tool!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute form for functional item January 19, 2013

By Jeff Finch

Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this along with a different press to use making bacon on an oblong antique cast iron griddle. My family initially thought this was kind of a goofy, frivolous purchase but they have been amazed at how much better the bacon is using this. It makes it nice and flat and more uniformly cooks it without as many "rare" fat spots. If you prefer the rare spots you simply would cook the bacon for a shorter time. I think it shortens cooking time somewhat by holding heat on the top of the meat. The bottom of this is cast with raised lines of about 1/16" that mimic the recessed lines that outline the pig's features on the top. I've also used a press for frying cornbread and get a much more uniform cooking of it than I used to. I've only had this one now for a few days but I'm sure I'll think of many more uses for it. I looked at a number of these but was restricted in size by the flat area of my griddle. I was concerned that this wouldn't cover all my bacon but before this press arrived I used only my other press (I've done a review of that one as well), switching it from end to end of the griddle. With bacon this worked about as well as having 2 presses. There's a hole in the tail casting through which you can hang this on a squared cup hook or nail. The casting is of good quality with a pretty smooth surface and no flaws. It comes with directions on how to season it for use but I think the directions using flaxseed oil that can be found at a blog is a superior method. Search for 'chemistry of cast iron seasoning.' The handle unscrews so you can insert a bolt as a handle while you are baking on the seasoning....

The only reason I didn't give this a 5 star rating is that some of the cute markings on the bottom are so close together that they would create a challenge if for some reason you were to get food stuck in the recess. Nothing comes to mind of what might cause this condition but I thought it worth mentioning in case you have different uses than what I have done. I usually just wipe my cast iron cooking tools with a paper towel between uses so haven't tried washing this. There are other presses that weigh more but the weight of this has proven sufficient for bacon but it might be too light if you want to use it for thicker/heavier things like thick steaks or big hamburgers. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Much BIGGER than I imagined! September 18, 2008

By Linda Procopio Davis

Amazon Verified Purchase

I ordered 2 of these bacon presses as a gift for my son, thinking that when he made a lot of bacon he would need 2 to keep it all flat. But the 'Pig' was so big that I just gave him 1, and kept the other for myself! It's really heavy and high quality and looks more expensive than it was. (cute, too!)