Cooking bacon in the oven is hands down the best way to get perfect crispy bacon every single time. It's super easy to make a big batch while creating less mess!
There's nothing better than perfect, shatteringly crisp bacon. Not only is it one of everyone's favorite breakfast foods, it's so delicious on sandwiches, burgers, crumbled on salads, or mixed with veggies for that irresistibly salty, crispy bite.
I love having some cooked bacon ready to add a little extra to some of my favorite recipes like these Loaded Burger Bowls, Bacon Jalapeño Deviled Eggs or Creamy Potato Leek & Cauliflower Soup!
I am a serious bacon connoisseur and cooking it in the oven is hands down my favorite way to do it. I'm not a fan of cooking bacon in a frying pan, it's just not the easiest way. It can hard to cook evenly and it's likely you'll be dealing with bacon grease splatter all over the stove, and probably your clothes, as you stand there and and fuss over it. The good news - oven baked bacon is simple to make with easy cleanup.
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Why the Oven-baked Method is a Bacon Game Changer
If you love bacon, but making it feels like a chore, prepare for your life to be forever changed by this easy oven bacon recipe. You will love this method because:
- You can make a lot of bacon at one time.
- Baking it in the oven on a lined sheet pan means easier cleanup.
- You won't have to babysit it so you can be cooking eggs, toasting bread or doing other things so that everything is ready at the same time.
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
- Bacon - you can use any thickness of bacon that you like. I prefer medium to thick cut bacon over thinner slices, but this method will work with any type of bacon that you prefer. I get bacon in every order from Butcher Box and it's my favorite! This tried and true method works with cured or uncured pork bacon and turkey bacon.
- Rimmed baking sheet - it's extremely important to cook bacon on a rimmed pan. A flat sheet pan will allow bacon grease to run all over your oven and create a mess or possibly a fire.
- Aluminum foil or parchment paper - either works but a big sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil crimped over the edges of the pan really eliminates any cleanup at all. You just wait until the bacon grease cools and then ball up the foil and throw it away!
How to Make Crispy Bacon - Cold Oven Start Method
The secret trick to the crispiest bacon is to start with a cold oven. That's right, don't even turn the oven on until you put the pan in there! As the oven reaches temperature, the low and slow heat will render out the bacon fat, beautifully crisping the slices as it cooks.
Step 1: Line your baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper and lay the bacon strips right up next to each other in a single layer. It's ok if they are touching as the bacon will shrink as it cooks, but make sure they are not overlapping. Place the baking sheet in the oven and turn it on to 400 degrees f.
Step 2: Cook bacon for about 15-20 minutes or until you reach your desired level of crispiness. Baking time depends on the thickness of the bacon, how many slices are on the pan and your particular oven. I usually take a peek when I start to smell it and go from there.
Once you determine that you have perfect bacon, use tongs to transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the extra grease.
How to tell when bacon is done
In short, bacon is done when it looks crispy! Good bacon will change color from light pink with portions of white fat to deep, reddish or golden brown with the fat having a yellowish hue as it cooks. This is a good indicator that you have perfectly cooked, crispy bacon. If it turns really dark brown or black, unfortunately it's overcooked or burnt and may taste bitter. For best results, start checking the bacon when it starts to smell wonderful and go from there.
Are you chewy bacon lover? Take it out the oven a little sooner - the edges should be a little crispy, the fat mostly rendered but the strips will still be quite flexible. If you like extra crispy bacon, take it out when its deeper and color and more of the fat has rendered. When you see foam, it is a good sign that most of the fat is rendered out and it's almost done. Keep a close eye on it because it's easy to burn bacon in the last few minutes as you get close to
Keep a timer and note the cooking time for your oven. That way, next time you will know exactly how long it takes. You can pop it in and come back to stress-free, perfect bacon!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Many people swear by placing the bacon slices on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan. This allows for air to circulate on all sides. This also is a great way to get crispy slices, but in my opinion, it creates extra clean up. Scrubbing a cooling rack is the worst!
Store unopened bacon in it's original packaging, or if you get it from the butcher, tightly wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Always check the expiration date on the package. Store unopened, uncooked bacon in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Store opened, uncooked bacon tightly wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container in the meat drawer of the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If not previously frozen, you can also freeze it to use within 3 months. To defrost, thaw in the refrigerator or submerge the plastic wrapped bacon in cold water until thawed.
How much bacon per person?
Plan on 3-4 pieces per person or about one pound for every 3-4 people. There is a slim chance of a leftover slice or two, but us bacon lovers know, there's nothing worse than to be left wanting more.
Yes. Plain bacon is naturally gluten free. It's always best to check the packaging for any additives or flavorings. Most packages are labeled appropriately.
Bacon shrinks as it cooks and sometimes it will curl up a bit on the pan. If need be, about halfway through the cook time, use tongs to flip any pieces of bacon over once so that they cook more evenly.
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How to Cook Perfectly Crispy Bacon in the Oven
Ingredients
- 16 oz bacon
Instructions
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Lay strips of bacon onto the pan in a single layer. It's ok if they are touching, just be sure not to overlap.
- Place baking sheet into the middle rack of a cold oven and turn it on to 400 degrees f.
- Bake bacon for 15-20 minutes until desired level of crispness.
- Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
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