Learn How to Cook Bacon in the Oven for perfectly cooked bacon every time! Enjoy delicious, crispy bacon and less mess with this oven-baked bacon recipe.
Crispy, slightly salty bacon is one of my very favorite foods! It’s so good in many other dishes and perfect eaten piece by perfect piece! So when I learned what has to be the easiest way in the world to cook the best, most evenly cooked, crispy bacon, I was hooked!
Learning how to cook bacon in the oven is an essential cooking tip that I think you’ll love! It is the perfect way to cook to serve with breakfast with scrambled eggs and biscuits or platters of amazing French Toast or buttermilk pancakes! You can make a lot at once, which also makes it great for recipes that use bacon, such as BLT Pasta Salad, and as a topping on a big, juicy hamburger.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven Recipe
Cooking bacon in the oven is so simple. Once you make it this way, you won’t want to cook it any other way!
Make sure you begin with a cold oven.
Lay the bacon slices in a single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Additionally, you can place the bacon onto a wire rack and then place the wire rack onto a baking sheet if you prefer extra crispy bacon.
Place the baking sheet with the uncooked bacon into a cold oven. Turn the oven to 375º F and bake bacon for 15 to 20 minutes. The baking time depends on the desired amount of crispness for bacon.
Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate for serving.
Benefits of Cooking Bacon in the Oven
There are so many benefits, I can’t even begin to think of them all, but here are a few main ones that come to mind.
- No hot bacon grease splattering me as I cook!
- Easy cleanup.
- Great when cooking for a larger group.
How to Render Bacon Grease
Once you’ve cooked your bacon, remove it from the baking sheet and pour the rendered bacon grease into a container. You can use a metal, glass, or crockery-style container. I use a container designed for storing bacon grease that is fitted with a fine mesh strainer. If you use another style container, line a fine mesh strainer with paper towels and pour the bacon grease through the strainer to remove any bits of bacon.
Store the bacon grease in the refrigerator for three to six months and in the freezer indefinitely.
How to Use Rendered Bacon Grease
From time to time, I add rendered bacon grease to recipes where I would enjoy the depth of bacon flavor. These recipes include roasted vegetables, scrambled eggs, quiche, biscuits, and more.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
To make ahead. Cook and cool leftover bacon. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat and serve.
To Freeze. Cook and cool. Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, reheat, and serve.
Here’s my Oven-Baked Bacon Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
How to Cook Bacon Recipe
Equipment
- Wire Rack optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
- olive oil spray optional
Instructions
- Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a parchment or aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
- If you prefer extra crispy bacon, place a wire rack on the baking sheet and spray it with olive oil spray. Place the bacon in a single layer onto the wire rack.
- Place the baking sheet into a cold oven. Turn the oven to 375º F and bake bacon for 10-20 minutes, depending on the desired amount of crispness.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined platter to remove any excess drippings.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
When cooking bacon in the oven does is platter all over the oven instead of the stove top?
I’ve not had issues with is splattering all over my oven.
I love this method of baking bacon, but I must be doing something wrong. I followed these directions and it isnt even close to done. I need at least a half hour for the bacon to be edible. Am I missing something?
Hi William,
I’ve not had this problem of it not being done in the time given in the recipe with these directions. Sometimes ovens vary in temperature from what the temp gauge says and they have to be recalibrated from time to time. Thicker cut bacon may require a bit longer to cook too. Hope this helps! Thanks!
i love this idea on thanksgiving and xmas breakfast I need to cook a lot of bacon ,and to know that I can freeze it ,is wonderful ,this saves me a lot time thank you for the idea:)
It’s perfect for making ahead and those times when you need to cook a lot of bacon! I’m glad this helps you too! Thanks!
Line the pan with a sheet of heavy aluminum foil. Cleanup is easier!
Worked like a charm. Thank you!
I’m so glad you like this method of cooking bacon, Susan.
all proper good