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When I was growing up, there was always a Folgers coffee can of bacon fat in the freezer because my family loved salty pork slabs so much. We were always looking for the best way to cook bacon. We tried the traditional cast-iron pan method (with and without a screen), the microwave for a short time, and the air fryer with a silly pig-shaped press for a long time. One appliance, though, has always given us perfectly crispy B’s for our BLTs: the oven.
Crispy, crunchy bacon is a breakfast staple, but frying it on the stovetop can be messy and cause grease splatters. A great solution is to cook your bacon in the oven. Baking bacon on a cookie sheet ensures evenly cooked and crisped bacon strips every time with less hassle. Discover how to make picture-perfect oven-baked bacon on a simple cookie sheet with these helpful tips.
Benefits of Cooking Bacon in the Oven
Ditching the frying pan in favor of the oven offers many advantages when cooking bacon
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Less splattering grease – the oven contains it on the sheet
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Cooks evenly – no flipping required, just evenly crisped strips.
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Allows you to cook large batches easily.
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Perfectly crispy and flat bacon for sandwiches and burgers.
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Can bake alongside other dishes simultaneously.
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Easy cleanup with less mess on stovetop or risk of burns.
With the oven doing the work, you can pop in a sheet of bacon and focus on making eggs, pancakes, etc. Oven-baked bacon is sure to give you restaurant-quality crispiness with less effort.
Tips for Choosing the Right Bacon
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Opt for thick-cut bacon for the best texture. Thin slices overcook quickly.
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Avoid pre-packaged bacon slices stuck together. Get unsliced slabs.
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Seek out good quality bacon without too many additives or injected liquids.
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Applewood smoked or maple-flavored bacon provides extra flavor.
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For less mess, look for bacon packaged in a disposable foil tray.
Step-by-Step Guide for Baking Bacon on a Sheet
Follow these simple steps for crispy, evenly cooked bacon from your oven:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb thick-cut bacon slab
Supplies:
- Large rimmed baking sheet or cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Wire cooling rack (optional)
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
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Arrange raw bacon strips in a single layer on the sheet, making sure strips don’t overlap.
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Place sheet on the middle oven rack. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
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Remove sheet and flip bacon strips using tongs. Return to oven.
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Bake for 8-15 more minutes until desired crispness is reached.
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Transfer bacon with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
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Enjoy your crispy, oven-baked bacon!
Pro Tips for Extra Crispy Bacon
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Chill the raw bacon in the fridge or freezer for 30 mins before baking. The colder it is, the more it crisps up.
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Add a wire cooling rack on top of the cookie sheet. This elevates the bacon allowing air circulation for crispier results.
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Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar onto the bacon before baking to caramelize the exterior.
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Bake at a lower temp (350°F) for longer time if you prefer chewier, less crisped bacon.
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For bacon bits, chop up baked pieces and bake 10 more minutes until extra crispy.
How to Minimize Grease Splatter
While baking bacon produces less messy splatters than frying, the rendered fat can still cause a mess in the oven. Here are some tips to keep your oven clean:
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Line the sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat for easy cleanup.
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Place the bacon on a wire rack over a lined pan to elevate it – this contains grease drips.
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Cook at a lower temp (350°F) which reduces aggressive splattering.
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Blot bacon with paper towels after cooking to soak up excess grease.
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Keep an oven-safe container filled with water in the oven during preheating and cooking. The water catches grease particles.
Tasty Ways to Use Oven-Baked Bacon
Now that you know how to cook perfect bacon in the oven, here are some delicious ways to enjoy it:
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Crumble onto soups, baked potatoes, salads or pasta for a smoky, salty crunch.
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Make BLTs with crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, lettuce and mayo on toast.
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Whip up a hearty breakfast sandwich with eggs, cheese and bacon on an English muffin.
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Top brown sugar baked bacon with chocolate for a sweet and salty dessert.
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Roll up baked bacon with melon or dates for a tasty appetizer bite.
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Crumble onto casseroles, pizza or burgers right before serving.
Oven-baked baconStay crispy, unlike microwaved bacon. Feel free to double or triple the batch – baking multiples is just as easy. With perfectly crisped and flat bacon on hand, you can take any dish from basic to gourmet.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What temperature should I bake bacon? Between 375°F and 400°F is ideal. Higher heat cooks it faster. Lower temps allow for chewier texture.
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How long does it take to bake bacon? About 15-20 minutes total, flipping halfway through. Thinner bacon may take less time. Watch closely near the end to avoid burning.
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Can I use a glass baking dish instead of a sheet? Yes, but heat transmission may vary. Use a metal sheet for fastest, most even cooking.
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Should I preheat the oven first? Yes, always preheat so the oven is fully up to temp when you place the bacon inside.
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Can I reuse the bacon grease? Absolutely! Let it cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate and use for cooking.
Crispy, Even Results Every Time
With the perfect combo of a rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, and 400°F oven, you can achieve diner-style crispy bacon easily at home. Adjust cook times and temperatures to fit your desired crispness. Serve your oven-baked bacon on burgers, in breakfast tacos, crumbled on salads, or enjoy it on its own for a quick snack. This hands-off cooking method saves you time and messy splatters.
The case for oven-cooked bacon
Cooking bacon in the oven has many advantages over other techniques. The air fryer does make it crispy, but most models only let you cook six pieces of bacon at a time, which isn’t enough bacon most of the time. If you have to stand over a stove, you’ll have to deal with splattering fat (just ask the many favorite T-shirts I’ve ruined while trying to make bacon extra crispy). You’ll also have to clean a greasy pan. Even though a bacon press takes away the need to flip, it gives you another thing to clean.
With most of these methods, you need to give the bacon your full attention. If you take a moment to cut up a tomato for a BLT, your bacon might have a temper tantrum fit for a toddler. But bacon cooked in the oven lets you live your life for about 18 minutes while the pork does its thing. You don’t have to flip it, press it, or shield your kitchen from grease. And if you play your cards right, cleanup will take two minutes, flat.
Sheet pan + aluminum foil
Putting bacon on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil is my favorite way to cook it in the oven because it cooks evenly and gets crispy on both sides. Putting aluminum foil around the edges of your pan will help keep grease out. All it will need is a quick rinse or a trip through the dishwasher. That’s right, you should save your bacon fat. It’s easy to lift the foil, make a small chute, and pour that liquid gold straight into another container.
You can cook your bacon right on a metal sheet tray if you’d rather not use single-use items in the kitchen. The bacon will still crisp up nicely, but I found that it doesn’t cook as evenly without the foil. The edges are more likely to get charred while the middles aren’t quite done. You’ll also have to deal with a greasy pan, which might or might not be a turned-off for you.