To cook bacon in the oven, follow these straightforward steps for crispy, evenly cooked bacon with minimal mess:
- Preheat the Oven
Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) for best results. Some recipes suggest starting with a cold oven and heating to 375°F or 425°F, but 400°F is a common and reliable temperature
- Prepare the Baking Sheet
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. You can place bacon directly on the lined sheet or use a wire rack on top of the sheet if you want the bacon fat to drip away and the bacon to crisp more evenly
- Arrange the Bacon
Lay the bacon slices in a single layer on the sheet or rack without overlapping. The slices can touch but should not overlap to ensure even cooking
- Bake the Bacon
Place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the bacon and your desired crispiness. Start checking around 10-12 minutes to prevent burning. Thinner bacon cooks faster, thick-cut bacon may need up to 20 minutes or slightly longer
- Drain and Serve
Once done, use tongs to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Let it cool for a few minutes as it will crisp further while cooling
- Optional: Save the Bacon Fat
You can pour the rendered bacon fat through a paper towel-lined sieve into a container for future cooking uses
Tips:
- Check the bacon early because ovens and bacon thickness vary.
- For large batches, use two baking sheets and rotate them halfway through cooking.
- No need to flip the bacon during baking.
- Using parchment paper tends to yield crispier bacon than foil
This method is cleaner than stovetop cooking, reduces splatter, and frees you to multitask in the kitchen
. In summary, preheat to 400°F, line a baking sheet, arrange bacon in a single layer, bake 10-20 minutes until crispy, drain on paper towels, and enjoy perfectly cooked oven bacon
