Cooking bacon in the oven gives you crispy, evenly-cooked bacon every time! It’s mess free and the perfect way to prepare a big batch of bacon at one time. It’s the only way we make bacon!
Making perfectly cooked bacon is mastering a life skill, right? Gone are the days of standing over a hot frying pan, with grease splattering everywhere!
Thankfully, we’ve moved onto simpler times. After you try it, I’m convinced it will be the same for you!
Why bake bacon instead of fry?
- Bacon does not curl – you will have perfectly straight pieces of bacon every time.
- Cooks evenly – no under-cooked ends or extra toasty places on the same piece. Perfectly uniform!
- No splattering, flipping or babysitting the bacon – pop the pan in the oven and done!
How do you make thick bacon crispy?
There are two methods for making bacon in the oven: chewy and crispy.
Crispy is always our favorite way to go. Perfect for a BLT or breakfast!
- Crispy Bacon: place bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet and follow the cooking temperature and time.
- Chewy Bacon: place bacon on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and follow the cooking temperature and time.
What you need
We have Nordic Ware baking sheets that come with a rack. We love this brand and have found it to be super sturdy and durable. The cooling rack can be used during baking or just for cooling. It’s super handy!
The best advice for cooking bacon in the oven: keep a close watch on the oven! We bake our bacon at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Method for the perfect bacon in the oven
- Line your pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Evenly space bacon out on the foil-lined pan. Avoid overlapping for an even cooking process.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, depending on desired crispiness. If you want even crispier pieces, place under the broiler for a minute or two, but watch carefully!
- Immediately transfer cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Wait until the grease cools, then toss the aluminum foil with the grease or drain into a jar for later use. No mess! No draining!
One of the many perks of this recipe is that there is zero splatter, inside or outside of the oven.
Storing and reheating cooked bacon
Now, that you have a fresh batch of bacon made, you can inhale every crumb immediately or store it in an airtight container or baggie.
When you’re ready, nuke a few slices on a paper towel for about 15-20 seconds, or chop it cold to top a salad!
Recipe
Crispy Bacon in the Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon any kind
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line the pan with aluminum foil to catch the grease just as the first method.
- Evenly space bacon on the cooling rack. Don’t overlap!
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until you reach desired crispiness.
- Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
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