Everyone loves oven cooked bacon! It is just as crispy and delicious as in a frying pan, without the mess! Once you try it, you’ll be converted for life!
Everyone run to the kitchen, this is not a drill! We’re cooking bacon in the oven and you don’t want to miss it! We love bacon, but it is a pain. How many grease-stained shirts and 1st degree burns from oil popping can we tolerate before saying “ENOUGH!”? Well, a lot. Because it’s bacon. However, once we discovered cooking it in the oven, we couldn’t go back to the old-fashioned way.
Cooking bacon in the oven is so stinkin’ easy! It’s going to take longer than you’re used to, but we promise you, it’s worth it. Plus, it’s all hands-off cooking time. No more watching the stove and dangerous flipping of the bacon! So, get out your favorite pancake recipe, squeeze some fresh orange juice and pull out that bacon, because it’s breakfast time!
Is bacon good leftover?
Bacon is always good. Really though, leftover bacon doesn’t retain it’s crispiness well, so it is great to use crumbled up as a topping or in a baked good. Why throw it out, when you could instead use it to make Cheesy Corn, Bacon and Scallions Pizza?
How do you know when the bacon is done?
If you are using thin bacon or want soft, chewy bacon, then you should aim to bake for 15-20 minutes. If you are using a thick cut of bacon or want crispy bacon, then aim for 25-30 minutes.
What should I use? A baking sheet or parchment paper?
The best way to cook bacon in the oven is on parchment paper because it allows for an easy cleanup. Once you’re done and it’s cooled down, simply roll all that grease up into the center of the parchment paper and throw it away! A baking sheet works, and we love reducing waste, but it does require more time cleaning up to scrub all of that grease out of both sides of the mat.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious bacon recipes:
- One Pan Breakfast Bake with Bacon, Hash Browns, and Eggs
- Spicy Maple Candied Bacon
- Sweet Potato Bacon Mac and Cheese
- BBQ Bacon Jalapeño Popper Puff Pastry Twists
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
How To Bake Bacon in the Oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place bacon in a single layer on parchment paper on a baking sheet.*
- Cook for 15-20 minutes for chewy bacon or 25-30 minutes for crispy bacon.
- Remove from oven and place on a paper towel lined plate.
Notes
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Amy Gilliam says
Thank you so much for this! I tried making bacon this way yesterday, the bacon turned out perfectly, my family loved it, and the clean up was so easy. Definitely the only way I’ll make bacon from now on. Thanks again!
Kathleen says
Does the bacon need to be turned over to cook the other side?
Rachel (The Stay At Home Chef) says
No. That is one of the best things about baking bacon in the oven!
Roy Bergen says
This beats a skillet any day of the week.
Kimberly says
I love to prepare bacon this way. During BLT season I’ll often cook up several packages this way, but only partially bake them. Let them cool on a plate, but don’t drain fat. Then I roll up the slabs in wax paper and freeze in a gallon size ziplock bag. When I want a few for sandwiches or with eggs, just unroll what’s needed and finish frying on the stove top or even just microwave for a bit. Comes out like from scratch, with less time and cleanup.
Karen says
Thanks for the tip to make it ahead!
William Poplaski says
She is great
Karen A Whitney says
I agree this is the best way to cook bacon. For those who like peppered bacon, sprinkle cracked pepper on mine before putting it in the oven. Yum!!
Deborah Torres says
Do you use the same cooking time for turkey bacon?
Rachel (The Stay At Home Chef) says
Yes, it should be very similar cooking times.
Niki Simmons says
I have been cooking my bacon in the oven like this for awhile now since I have a large family. It is great and the bacon cooks while I’m concentrating on cooking the rest of the meal. I almost always save the bacon grease. I have a jar in the fridge. I then use the bacon grease for many different recipes. It is great with veggies (green beans), as a little extra flavor in casseroles, to saute peppers, onions & mushrooms for various dishes like my tuna casserole. Just a table spoon of bacon grease substituted for another oil/fat can make a big difference. And cooking in the oven keeps the grease from burning like it can when frying on the stove top. If I don’t need the grease, I always keep an extra pickle jar or such to put grease until it can be thrown away.
Susan Newell says
Sounds great! I LOVE bacon just hate the time it takes and the clean up!
Thank you, Sue
Linda Barnhart says
What? ? Throw away good bacon grease? 😉 I use aluminum foil, and when the pan cools down a little, I can lift the foil and pour off the fat. I use nitrate/nitrite/sugar-free bacon so I tell myself that tasty fat is okay! Then I use it to saute or caramelize onions. I use it where I want a little smoky flavor, but not bacon pieces. Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
Debra Chauncey says
my teenager cooked bacon in the oven when I wasn’t home. She poured the grease down the kitchen drain. OMG did we had a long talk about how to save the grease and how to dispose of it.
Thomas Razo says
I tried cooking bacon in the oven for breakfast this morning. Loved it so much! I will only cook bacon in the oven from now on. I planned to have leftover bacon. I chopped it up and stored it in a clean parmesan cheese container to use as a salad garnish for a few days!
Kathleen says
Love making bacon this way. I cook a whole pound. The rashers I want to eat right away I cook till crisp. The rest I take out when almost done and freeze. Then I can grab a slice or two and pan fry till crisp very quickly. Easy to cut up for scrambled eggs when precooked too.
Janet Grant says
I LOVE BACON This is perfect.
Russ McKenzie says
If I don’t have parchment paper I line my cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Love cooking the bacon this way.
Gail McIntosh says
Does this leave grease in your oven? Does it splatter when baking?
Rachel Farnsworth says
nope! It’s my absolute favorite way to cook bacon because it’s such a breeze!