How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
The easiest way to cook bacon is in the oven! There's no need to flip the bacon and the strips always come out perfectly crispy and delicious. Not only does this method save you time, but the cleanup is a breeze too.
Learning how to cook bacon in the oven is a total game-changer for achieving perfectly crispy bacon every time!
Unlike cooking on the stovetop, where you have to flip the strips and deal with grease splatters, baking bacon in the oven makes less mess with easy clean-up.
Lay the bacon strips on a sheet tray, place them in the oven, and let them cook until they're crisp and delicious. No flipping required—just easy, mess-free bacon!
The best part? The bacon cooks evenly, so you don't have to worry about some pieces being undercooked while others get too crispy.
It's a simple method that frees up your time to enjoy breakfast without the hassle. Perfectly crispy bacon with minimal effort!
Ingredients
- bacon
- parchment paper or aluminum foil
- large rimmed baking sheet
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Step 1: Arrange the bacon
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper covering the entire bottom of the sheet pan.
Lay the strips of bacon side by side in a single layer. Make sure they aren't overlapping.
Step 2: Bake
Cook the bacon for 10-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the bacon slices and how crispy you prefer them.
Using tongs or a fork, remove the bacon from the oven and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Carmyn's Tips
Bake at 400°F (204°C): This temperature is perfect for getting that ideal balance between crispy and chewy. It usually takes about 10-20 minutes, but keep an eye on it for your preferred level of crispness.
Watch the time: Bacon can go from perfectly crispy to overcooked quickly, so keep an eye on it during the last few minutes of baking. Thin cut bacon will generally need less time than thick cut bacon.
Line your baking sheet: Use parchment paper or aluminum foil to line your baking sheet. This makes easy cleanup by catching all the grease.
Drain on paper towels: Once the bacon is done, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra grease and keep it nice and crispy.
Large batch cooking: To cook a big batch of bacon, use multiple baking sheets and stagger them on different racks in the oven. Rotate the pans halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Save the bacon grease: After cooking and the pan has cooled down, carefully pour the bacon grease into a heatproof container or jar. Let it cool, then store it in the fridge. Just make sure to strain out any bacon bits in a fine mesh sieve before storing to keep it clean and smooth.
How to serve bacon
Bacon is the ultimate sidekick to so many dishes! Pair it with over-easy, over-hard, or sunny-side-up eggs for a classic breakfast combo.
It’s also perfect alongside sourdough waffles or pancakes—because who doesn’t love dipping bacon in a little maple syrup?
And don’t forget, crisp bacon makes a delicious topping for salads like blueberry goat spinach cheese or peach salad, adding that perfect crunchy bite!
How to Store
To store cooked leftover bacon, let it cool completely, then place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze the bacon by layering it between sheets of parchment paper and placing it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
EQUIPMENT
- large rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper or aluminum foil
INGREDIENTS
- 8 bacon slices
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil making sure to cover the entire pan. Lay the strips of bacon side by side in a single layer making sure they aren't overlapping.
- Cook the bacon for 10-20 minutes depending on the how thin or thick the bacon slices are and how crispy you prefer them. Check on the bacon after about 10 minutes, as some ovens cook more quickly (see notes).
- Using tongs or a fork, remove the bacon from the oven and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
NOTES
Nutrition
Bacon should be baked at 400°F. The higher temperature allows the bacon to cook faster and crisp up more evenly, resulting in that perfect balance of crispy edges with a slightly chewy center.
At 400°F, thin cuts of bacon usually take about 10-15 minutes to cook, while thicker cuts may require 15-20 minutes. Regardless of the cut, it's a good idea to start checking the bacon around the 10-minute mark to ensure it's reaching your preferred level of crispness. This way, you can avoid overcooking and get bacon just the way you like it!
There is no need to flip the bacon when cooking it in an oven.
I don't recommend cooking bacon on a cooling rack. The results are the same as cooking on a baking sheet and it's just another kitchen tool that will need to be cleaned.
Fantastic, makes clean up so easy. I got creative and spread a small amount of Pure Maple Syrup over the bacon and then put a small amount of cracked black pepper over that. My family now makes it this way all the time. The grand kids however do not like pepper.
great ,less messy, crisp bacon!
I find I don’t get any splatter if I put the bacon (as directed in your recipe ) in a cold oven. Then turn it on to 400 and leave it for 18-22 minutes depending on your oven and desired doneness.
Making bacon in the oven is great! This is the only way I cook bacon now. But I didn't care for the grease spatters so I also tried putting parchment paper on top of the bacon. That cut down on the grease spatter and still got crispy bacon.
This is the only way I cook bacon now. Here's an extra tip: Use extra wide foil to line your 9 x 13 metal cake pan. Fold it over the edges. Let the bacon grease harden, then carefully ball it up for disposal. Your pan will be clean!
Bacon is loved in this home.
Cooking bacon in the oven is something that I have done for about 50 years.
Depending on what you like, near the end of cooking time for the bacon, I sprinkle Maple Sugar over the strips for a maple flavor.
But you can use what ever flavor you want to add.