The Easiest Way To Cook Bacon
We don’t have to tell you that cooking bacon is often messy. The slices splatter and spit as they crisp up in the frying pan. They cover your stove, cabinet, counters, and anything in a four-foot radius with a fine mist of slippery grease.
Most frying pans can only fit six to eight slices, if you’re cooking with the biggest pan in your cabinet. Otherwise, you’re left babysitting grease-spraying bacon for batch after batch. No thank you.
The next time you need to cook any amount of bacon, reach for a rimmed baking sheet, and turn on the oven, not the stove.
By cooking bacon in the oven, you can closely monitor and ensure each slice is cooked just as you want it. You can also easily reserve the bacon grease for other recipes, like Killed Lettuce, Bacon-Infused Bourbon, or Baked BLT Dip.
What Temperature To Bake Bacon At
There are many different temperatures that you could cook your bacon on in the oven. It depends on how quickly you want your bacon to cook. From experience, I feel that 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the best temperature to bake bacon at.
If you cook it on 425 it could start burning if you arent watching it closely and if you cook your bacon on 350 or 375 it may be a little too chewy unless you like softer bacon. You will have to try it and pick your favorite temperature depending on how you like it, but 400 is a good starting point.
You Should Be Baking Your Bacon Heres How
Baking bacon in the oven is easy, theres no spluttering of oil and it makes crispy slices of bacon heaven. Its also perfect for making big batches for a crowd!
We love using a cooling rack that fits inside a rimmed baking sheet for this. If you dont have a cooking rack that will fit inside a baking sheet, just line the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and place the bacon slices directly onto the foil . The fat wont drip away from the bacon, but it will crisp up nicely anyway.
Equipment you will need:
Depending on what you love, baking bacon leaves room for adding extra flavor to the bacon. Here are three favorites:
- For peppered bacon, grind fresh black pepper all over the bacon slices before or towards the end of baking.
- For maple baked bacon, bake for 12-15 minutes and remove from the oven. Brush maple syrup onto the bacon slices then place back into the oven for another 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- For honey sriracha bacon, bake for 12-15 minutes and remove from the oven. Brush honey and sriracha onto the bacon slices then place back into the oven for another 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Recipe updated, originally posted October 2011. Since posting this in 2011, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear and added a quick video. Adam and Joanne
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How To Cook Bacon In The Oven Step By Step
You only need 1 ingredient for this recipe bacon! You can use any type of bacon thin-cut or thick-cut.
STEP 1: Place bacon slices side-by-side on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The slices shouldnt overlap.
The pan is lined with parchment paper for easy clean up. You can also use aluminum foil.
STEP 2: Bake the bacon at 400°F until crispy.
Temperature for baking bacon: Its best to bake bacon in a hot oven 400°F .
How long to cook bacon in the oven?
The baking time may vary depending on the oven and thickness of bacon, keep an eye on it past the 12 minute mark.
Bake it for about 12-15 minutes for thin-cut bacon, 15-18 minutes for medium-cut bacon and 18-22 minutes for thicker bacon or until its reached your desired level of crispiness.
You can bake bacon in the oven without a baking rack. Baking rack is really not necessary to get crispy bacon and its so much work to clean it!
You dont need to flip bacon, unless its very thick to ensure both sides cook evenly.
You can also start cooking bacon in a cold oven.
Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess fat. Your bacon will continue to crisp up once it dries.
Enjoy!
Why Youll Love This Oven Baked Bacon Recipe
- Quick and easy. If you can arrange bacon on a rack and turn on your oven, well youve just learned how to bake bacon!
- Can make lots of bacon at once. Baking bacon is a great way to make large batches, and much faster than a skillet.
- Best way to cook bacon evenly. My oven method makes very crispy bacon, as it doesnt sit in the grease as it cooks.
- Not much hands on time. Pop the pan into the oven and go do something else. Much better than standing at the stove waiting for it to cook and no flipping needed!
- Minimal splattering. Ive never had this issue with oven baked bacon.
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What Is The Best Temperature For Cooking Bacon In The Oven
The most often recommended temperature is 400°. I normally use a convection oven set at 400°F. However, Ive used temperatures as low as 350° and as high as 450° while baking other items at the same time. If you wish, you can utilize convection. Keep in mind that a 400° convection oven is about similar to a 425° conventional oven. The bacon may be put into a cold oven, but it will take longer, and there is a lot of variation across ovens.
How To Safely Dispose Of Bacon Grease
If you decide that you dont want to save your bacon grease, dont ever throw it down your sink drain. It will clog your sink pipes and create a big problem.
Instead, just wait for it to cool off and then when its cooled off it starts to congeal so it will be easy to wipe out of the pan and throw it away, or chill it in a bowl or cup in your refrigerator and then when its hard just throw it directly into the garbage. This is more environmentally friendly than sticking it in a plastic container and throwing the whole thing away.
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How To Use Bacon As Leftovers
Bacon saves really well, so dont be afraid of having bacon leftovers! Our best recommendation here is to pat the bacon dry with a clean towel or paper towel, crumble it, and store the crumbled bacon in an airtight container or baggy in the fridge. Crumbled bacon makes for an excellent salad topper , the tastiest addition to a loaded baked potato, the perfect breakfast frittata filler, among so many other things!
How Long Does It Take To Cook Bacon In The Oven At 350
Parchment paper is a popular material to use when writing because it does not adhesive to paper. This makes the parchment paper perfect for writing on and also for drawing on.
However, some people are concerned about the potential of the parchment paper coming down when they write. To avoid this, it is important to be familiar with which side goes down when using parchment paper.
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What To Do With Bacon Grease
Im sure you have wondered what to do with the leftover bacon grease after cooking your bacon. It certainly does not belong in the garbage or down the drain.
Sometimes it can be used in preparing other foods if you are looking to add more flavor to your meal. We really like adding some of the leftover bacon grease to foods such as veggies. This is also helpful if you need to increase the fat for a low carb diet.
After the bacon pan has cooled off enough to handle, just pour it into a cup or plastic container and stick into your refrigerator to chill up. You can store it in your refrigerator for several months and then you can use it to fry things.
Benefits Of Oven Cooked Bacon
Heres why we like cooking the bacon on a baking sheet in the oven:
- This method is the easiest way to cook a lot of bacon for a crowd.
- The bacon slices stay flat.
- The strips cook evenly.
- The bacon doesnt need constant watching. Perfect for lazy mornings!
- The flavor is amazing.
You probably already have everything you need to oven cook bacon to crispy perfection:
- Large rimmed baking sheet pan
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Will Bacon Stick To Parchment Paper In The Oven
Bacon is a popular breakfast food that is often cooked in the oven. Some people may wonder if bacon will stick to parchment paper in the oven.
The answer is that bacon will not stick to parchment paper in the oven. Parchment paper is a non-stick surface that will prevent bacon from sticking to it. This means that cooking bacon on parchment paper is a quick and easy way to cook it without having to worry about it sticking to the pan.
Parchment paper can also be used to line baking pans. This will help to prevent food from sticking to the pan and make it easy to clean.
Is It Better To Cook Bacon On Parchment Paper Or Foil
There are many ways to cook bacon, but some methods are better than others. In this article, we will compare cooking bacon on parchment paper vs foil.
Cooking bacon on parchment paper is a great option, because the bacon will not stick to the paper. This method is also very easy and cleanup is a breeze.
Cooking bacon on foil is also a good option. The bacon will not stick to the foil, and it will cook evenly. However, cleanup can be a bit tricky, because the foil will be greasy.
So, which is the best method? In our opinion, cooking bacon on parchment paper is the best option. It is easy, cleanup is a breeze, and the bacon will not stick to the paper.
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Does Parchment Paper Make Things Crispy
If youre like most people, you probably grease both sides of parchment paper at least once a month. Lets take a look at some factors to help decide which option is best for you.
There are many reasons why you might want to grease both sides of parchment paper. Some people think that the grease helps keep the paper from sticking to your fingers, and makes it easier to remove markings and mistakes.
Others simply find that it makes the paper softer and more resistant to damage.
There are several types of parchment paper that can be used, depending on what youre planning on using the parchment for (e.g.
Cooking Bacon In The Oven
When it comes to the most perfectly crispy, evenly cooked bacon you really cant beat cooking bacon in the oven. But its amazing how many people have never tried it. It seems the stovetop reigns supreme.
Today Ill share with you why you should change your habits and cook bacon in the oven. And trust me, once you cook bacon in the oven, youll never cook it on the stovetop again!
Cooking bacon on the stove creates splatters all over your stove top and produces hot spots on the pan. This means certain pieces of bacon may cook faster than others. And its why you might have some bacon slices that accidentally charcoal a bit too much while other slices are still undercooked.
Cooking bacon in the oven cooks all of your bacon slices evenly as the heat surrounds them. They slowly sizzle, dont splatter and end up evenly cooked. Its a beautiful thing.
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Is Parchment Paper Safe At 450
Parchment paper is often used in baking and other kitchen tasks because of its heat-resistant properties. However, some people are concerned about the safety of parchment paper at high temperatures.
To answer these concerns, a study was conducted to find out if parchment paper is safe at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The results showed that the paper did not suffer any damage whatsoever during the heated process.
Is Baking Bacon Healthier Than Frying
You may wonder how healthy oven-baked bacon is in comparison to bacon fried in a pan on the stove. Its easier to clean, but is it healthier?
When you think of baking other meats in the oven rather than frying them, typically baking is always healthier. The same is true of baking bacon because the grease drips off if you use a baking rack. When you fry bacon it sits in its own grease, and too much of that is never a good idea.
Bacon is allowed on so many diets, for instance, Keto/low carb, Gluten-free. And since everyone loves bacon, its a nice compromise to be able to eat such delicious food, especially when you have to give other foods up.
That doesnt mean you should go hog-wild. Even if you are doing the Keto diet, you shouldnt be making bacon the #1 ingredient in your diet. Do yourself a favor and dont consume the whole pound yourself in one meal. Share it with others or spread it out to multiple meals or days.
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Bacon Deviled Eggs Variations
While this recipe is incredibly delicious as written , you can always tweak it a bit.
- Vinegar: If youve made my classic deviled eggs you know that I used vinegar, rather than pickle relish in that recipe. Both ways are delicious, so its up to you.
- Cheese: When bacon and chives are used, cheese seems like a no-brainer. A little sprinkle of sharp cheddar, gruyere or goat cheese added to the filling is delicious.
- Spice: If youre craving a little more spice, you could always add paprika, tabasco, or sriracha hot sauce.
Whatever you do, just make sure to add plenty of bacon. You guests will keep coming back for seconds and thirds, because the bacon is what makes this recipe utterly addictive. So remember big chunks of bacon, no light dustings around here.
How Does Rachael Ray Cook Bacon In The Oven
Cooking bacon in the oven is one of the easiest methods. You can bake it on a wire rack so the fat drips away, or on a foil-lined baking sheet.
If youre using a wire rack, place the bacon on the rack in a single layer. If youre using a baking sheet, place the bacon on the sheet in a single layer. For even cooking, dont overlap the bacon.
Bake the bacon in a preheated oven until its browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.
Remove the bacon from the oven and let it cool on a paper towel-lined plate.
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The Trick To Baking Bacon Perfectly
If you want to cook crisp bacon in oven, the main trick is to use an oven-safe cooling rack instead of placing the bacon directly on the sheet pan. The rack is my #1 tip for baking bacon perfectly, because it lets the fat drip down. You want the fat away from the bacon because that gets it CRISPY!
Recommended Rack For Bacon:
I recommend this rack or this rack, depending on the size you need. They are both sturdy, oven safe, and dont stick easily.
Here’s How To Get Perfectly Cooked Bacon Every Time
If we’re being honest, the perfect batch of crispy, delicious, evenly-cooked bacon is difficult to achieve. If you pan fry it, you run the risk of having hot spots that burn pieces while others are limp and chewy. If you cook it in the air fryer, sure, it’s well cooked, but most air fryers can only hold four or six pieces. And microwave bacon? I know it can be done, but should it?
So what is the best way to cook bacon if you want every slice evenly cooked and perfectly crisp? Try cooking bacon in the oven.
Crisp bacon slices are easy to achieve if you cook bacon in the oven. That’s because the even temperatures of the oven and the wide surface of a baking sheet help each piece cook precisely the same so no ends are burnt while the middle is chewy and raw.
Here, we explain how to cook bacon in the oven, whether it’s four slices for your own breakfast or you need 40 slices for a crowd. Keep reading to also get answers to some of the most common questions about baking bacon in the oven.
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How Long Do You Cook Bacon In The Oven
The amount of time it takes to cook bacon really depends on a few factors, every oven is different so you may need to experiment a few times to find what works for your oven. Also, the thickness and fat content of your bacon will also affect cooking times. Following this guide on how long to bake bacon in the oven will help you achieve perfect bacon:
For oven temperature of 425 degrees:
- Bake your bacon for 10-15 minutes checking every 2 minutes after the 10 minute mark
For oven temperature of 400 degrees:
- Bake the bacon for 12-17 minutes checking every 2 minutes after the 12 minute mark.
For oven temperature of 375 degrees:
- Bake the bacon for 15-20 minutes checking every 2 minutes after the 15 minute mark.
Feel free to experiment when baking your bacon, I LOVE this easy Sweet and Spicy Candied Baconwhich is, in my opinion, the BEST way to cook bacon.