How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Posted Mar 22, 2024, Updated Apr 10, 2024
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Learn how to cook bacon in the oven and make perfectly cooked bacon every single time! Oven baked bacon is an easy way to cook a large batch of bacon at once will less mess than the stovetop!
Do you struggle with cooking bacon in a fry pan? Want to avoid grease splashing all over your stovetop? Well, in this post I will teach you how to cook bacon in the oven to avoid all that mess and bother.
Cooking bacon in the oven no only avoids messes, but it also ensures that you can achieve your desired level of doneness easily.
Enjoy oven baked bacon as a side to your favorite breakfast dishes, use it to make the best BLTs, potato soup, and so much more.
Baked Bacon: Ingredients & Substitutions
- 10 oz bacon. There is only one ingredient in this recipe – bacon. Use your favorite variety. Keep in mind, the thickness of your bacon will affect cooking times. This recipe is based on a bacon with standard thickness, if using a thick cut, you will need to increase baking times.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Let’s walk through the process of cooking bacon in the oven step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.
Then, line a large plate with a single layer of paper towels. This will be used to transfer cook bacon to so some of the grease can be absorbed and the bacon remains crispy.
Then, lay bacon in an even layer on a 13×18โ baking sheet
Next, bake the bacon in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Baking time depends on 1) the thickness of your bacon and 2) your desired level of “doneness.”
Bacon is done when itโs pink, ripples, and achieves your desired crispiness.
How Long to Cook Bacon in the Oven
There are many differing views on how long to cook bacon in the oven. Some like it soft, some – extra crispy. I err on the crispy side, while my husband prefers his bacon softer.
The beauty of this recipe is that you can pull pieces of bacon out at different times to get a variety of final textures. Below shows bacon cooked to 15, 18 and 20 minutes.
Once the bacon is finished, use tongs to transfer it from the baking sheet to the paper-towel lined plate.
Let it cool slightly on the plate.
Serve
We use oven baked bacon for so many non-breakfast recipes like potato soup , broccoli salad, and BLT sandwiches!
You can crumble it, store it in a glass jar and use in on your favorite salads – like BBQ chicken salad, or as a topper for your favorite soups.
More obviously, you can serve baked bacon with your favorite breakfast recipes, here are some suggestions:
Breakfast REcipes
Store
Store leftover bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I suggest reheating in the oven set to warm or on the stovetop for the best taste and texture.
Or, you can crumble the bacon and store it in a glass jar in the refrigerator to use on salads, soups, etc.
Oven Baked Bacon Recipe FAQS
No, I find flipping the bacon messy and time consuming. There is no need to flip it while cooking.
I suggest cooking bacon in the oven at 400ยฐF for the best results.
15 to 20 minutes at 400ยฐF depending on the thickness of your bacon.
Of course, you can cook as much bacon in the oven as you need. Just be sure to arrange the bacon in a single layer on the baking sheets so they do not overlap.
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How to Cook Bacon in the Oven (Oven Baked Bacon)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces bacon (8-9 slices)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a large plate with a single layer of paper towels, set aside.
- Lay bacon in an even layer on a 13×18โ baking sheet
- Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes (this depends on the thickness of your bacon, thicker bacon takes longer to cook).
- Bacon is done when itโs pink, ripples, and achieves your desired crispiness.
- Use tongs to transfer the bacon from the baking sheet to the paper-towel lined plate.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- 10 oz bacon. There is only one ingredient in this recipe – bacon. Use your favorite variety. Keep in mind, the thickness of your bacon will affect cooking times. This recipe is based on a bacon with standard thickness, if using a thick cut, you will need to increase baking times.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.