I used to think I loved bacon. But honestly, I just don’t love it enough to cook it at home because of the mess. Spilling bacon grease is the worst, and my husband hates the smell of bacon in the house all day. Oh and then you have to deal with all the bacon grease. Ugh. So much work.
But my daughter Natalie loves bacon, and not just a little either. She really loves bacon. When she was little, if we put out a plate of bacon for breakfast, she’d eat it all in no time, even if there was enough for eight people. If it were up to her, we’d always have fresh bacon on hand so she could put it on everything.
Until one day, while scrolling through my Facebook feed, I saw something interesting. Someone was talking about cooking bacon in the oven. What?! How do you cook bacon in the oven? I was enamored with the idea. No more standing in front of a hot stove getting tiny burns from bacon grease splatter. No more bacon grease mess to clean up. Cooking bacon in the oven seemed like the perfect solution to making fresh bacon at home.
So we gave it a try and now it is the ONLY way we cook bacon.
As a bacon lover I’ve made my peace with the greasy splatters coating the inside of my oven every time I bake a batch. But after one too many frustrating oven cleanings, I decided enough was enough. There had to be a better way to cook bacon in the oven without creating a disaster area.
I finally found a simple way to bake bacon that gets rid of almost all the splatter after trying every tip and trick on the internet. You no longer have to clean the oven for half a day just to eat a few slices of bacon.
Here is a tried-and-true way to bake perfect, crispy bacon in the oven without making a mess.
Why Baking Bacon in the Oven Can Get So Messy
First, let’s look at why baking bacon in the oven often ends up so messy:
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Exposure – Laying bacon strips directly on a baking sheet leaves them exposed on all sides Grease splatters freely
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High heat – Typical oven temps of 375-425°F cause aggressive popping and splattering as the bacon fries
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No cover – With no lid to contain it, grease from baking bacon coats the oven interior.
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Rack and pan – The oven rack and baking pan also get coated, requiring scrubbing.
Simply put, baking bacon with no protection leads to grease coating every oven surface. But with the right technique, you can contain the mess.
How to Bake Bacon in the Oven Without the Splatter
The secret to clean, splatter-free oven bacon lies in protecting the bacon strips during cooking. Here is a simple, 6-step method to contain the greasy mess:
Ingredients/Equipment:
- Aluminum foil
- Parchment paper
- Bacon strips
- Rimmed baking sheet
Steps:
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Cover pan with foil: Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. This catches any drippings.
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Add parchment paper: Place a sheet of parchment paper over the foil, covering the whole pan.
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Arrange bacon: Lay bacon strips out in a single layer on the parchment paper.
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Cover with paper: Cover the bacon completely with another sheet of parchment.
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Bake at 400°F: Bake at 400°F for 10-18 minutes until crispy, depending on thickness.
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Absorb grease: Remove from oven and place on paper towels to absorb grease.
The parchment paper acts as a protective barrier, keeping pops and splatters contained while the bacon fries. Combine it with foil underneath, and cleanup is a breeze!
Tips for Getting Perfect Oven Bacon Every Time
Beyond containing the mess, there are a few other tips to ensure your oven-baked bacon turns out perfect each time:
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Use thick-cut bacon – Thinner bacon overcooks quickly. Opt for thick slices.
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Bake at 400°F – Higher heat = more splatter. 400°F gives crisp bacon without aggressive sizzling.
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Space strips apart – Don’t overcrowd. Space bacon at least 1/2 inch apart for even cooking.
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Use a thermometer – Cook until it reaches your desired doneness temperature. (145°F for chewy or 165°F for crispy).
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Adjust bake times – Increase time for thicker cuts. Start checking at 10 minutes.
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Drain well and pat dry – absorbing excess grease keeps it from being limp.
With the right technique, you can ditch fussy frying and enjoy perfect oven-baked bacon every time without creating a messy disaster zone.
Why Baking is My Preferred Method for Cooking Bacon
While the stovetop works, I hands-down prefer baking my bacon in the oven. Here’s why:
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It cooks evenly – No flipping required. The bacon cooks uniformly on both sides.
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I can walk away – Just pop it in the oven and go do other tasks until the timer goes off.
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No splatter burns – Baking contains the splatter so I don’t get hit with grease spatters.
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No babysitting – I don’t have to hover over a pan, flipping each slice.
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It frees up space – I don’t tie up valuable stovetop real estate.
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It yields consistently crispy results – Perfect texture every time.
For fuss-free, crispy bacon with less effort, baking it in the oven wins hands-down for me.
Step-by-Step Photo Guide for Mess-Free Oven Bacon
Here is a step-by-step visual guide demonstrating this splatter-free bacon cooking method:
Step 1: Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil
Step 2: Place parchment paper over foil
Step 3: Arrange raw bacon strips on parchment
Step 4: Cover bacon completely with another sheet of parchment
Step 5: Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes
Step 6: Transfer crispy baked bacon to paper towels
Common Questions About Baking Bacon in the Oven
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about splatter-free oven-baked bacon:
Should you flip the bacon while baking?
Flipping isn’t necessary. The protected bacon cooks evenly without flipping.
Do you need to preheat the oven?
Yes, always preheat for consistent results.Aim for 400°F before baking.
How long does it take to bake bacon?
10-18 minutes at 400°F depending on thickness. Check often until desired doneness.
Can you reuse foil and parchment paper?
Reuse foil a few times. Parchment absorbs grease so use fresh each time.
Is baking or frying bacon healthier?
Baking uses less added fat so it’s a bit healthier. But both are high-fat foods.
What oven setting is best for bacon?
400°F gives the best balance of crisping without aggressive splattering.
What is the best way to store cooked bacon?
Drain on paper towels then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Enjoy Splatter-Free Bacon Without the Messy Cleanup
While I love crispy bacon, I hated the aftermath of baking it in the oven. But using the double parchment paper method eliminates nearly all the usual mess and splatter without any special equipment.
Now I can enjoy oven-baked bacon anytime without dreading the cleanup. No more scrubs and harsh oven cleaners required! If you love bacon but hate the splattered aftermath, give this simple technique a try for mess-free oven bacon every time.
How To Cook Bacon In The Oven, Step-By-Step
First, you need baking sheets with edges to make sure the grease is contained. Also, this type of baking sheet makes it much easier to take off the foil when the bacon is done. Second, heat a convection oven to 400 degrees and cover each baking sheet with foil, making sure that any separate pieces fit over each other so that the whole sheet is covered. Then add one layer of parchment paper on top of the foil.
Third, put the bacon strips on the baking sheets so that they are close to each other but not touching. If you do this, the bacon strips will stick together. If I’m going to bake bacon, I want to make sure I bake at least two full packages at once. That way, we can eat a lot of it right away and save a lot to put in the fridge and use on pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, and burgers later.
Fourth, place all of the sheets of bacon in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. The bacon usually takes about 20 minutes to cook, but this can change from brand to brand. Set the timer earlier so you can carefully watch it for the last 5 minutes. In the blink of an eye, your bacon will go from almost perfect to charred, burned, and gross. Trust me. I’ve done it and it’s so sad.
Take the bacon out of the oven when it’s done and put it all on a cutting board or baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any extra grease. You can serve the bacon right away or put it in a container and put it in the fridge to eat later.
Bacon Grease Clean Up
Clean up for oven baked bacon is a breeze.
As you go around the edges of the baking sheet, take off the foil and fold it toward the middle. This will keep the bacon grease and parchment paper inside.
Fold the foil toward the middle of the baking sheet again and again until you have a foil ball that holds all of the mess. After that, we take the bacon grease balls wrapped in foil to our outside trash can and put the baking sheets away. Done!.
And that’s it. No grease splatter to clean up. No big mess. No pan or tray of bacon grease to clean up. Just delicious bacon.