The Easiest Way to Cook Bacon may be even easier than you think! With this simple bacon baked in oven recipe, you can have delicious crispy bacon without the hassle or mess!
We are huge bacon fans in my house and I have cooked it every way possible, but once I tried oven baked bacon I knew I had found the best method. There is no hot stove, no grease splatter or cleaning the stove afterwards, just incredible perfect baked bacon every time.
Baked Bacon
This recipe is the holy grail of bacon cooking. It is an easy two step process that results in perfect bacon every time and I can’t rave enough about it. With a baking sheet and some bacon, you too can make a batch of this oven baked bacon in no time! Make a big batch of crispy bacon for future recipes or for Saturday morning breakfast and you will never be disappointed. Give this bacon cooking method a try today transform the way you make this salty and savory dish.
WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS EASY BACON RECIPE
Not that you need anymore convincing to give this recipe a try, but here are our top reasons why we love it so much and think you will too.
- You can make it in large batches. If you are hosting a brunch and need to make a large quantity of bacon, this is the method to do it. Or if you just love bacon and want a bunch of it, this is the easiest and fastest way to do it. Line a baking sheet or two, bake, and voila!
- Quick and simple. This recipe is made with just one ingredient and two pieces of equipment, both of which are basic kitchen items. You will never find yourself without the items to make this easy baked bacon recipe, which is good because it is AMAZING!
- Perfectly crispy. I have never had bacon as evenly cooked as I have with this recipe. It really does make making bacon so easy and the results are incredibly crispy and perfect bacon every time.
Oven Baked Bacon Ingredients
Bacon: Yes, we only need bacon to make our BACON recipe. So grab a package of your favorite bacon and get started!
Foil: While this is not an ingredient, it is a great tool to save you from even more messes later. Line a baking sheet with foil and the clean-up will be so simple!
Baking sheet: For the last item needed it is a simple one, a baking sheet or as some call it, a cookie sheet.
How to cook bacon in the oven
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Then, line a baking sheet or jelly roll pan (something with sides) with foil.
Proceed to arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the lined pan. The bacon can be touching on the sides, but try not to overlap the pieces. As the bacon bakes they will shrink, but if they are overlapping that spot won’t cook as crispy.
Bake
Continue to put the bacon in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the desired level of crispness has been reached. I typically set a timer for 10 minutes, then I rotate my baking sheet in the oven to ensure all sides cook evenly.
Once baking is complete, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to help drain excess grease.
Let the bacon cool for about 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy!
The Easiest Way to Cook Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 lbs sliced bacon
Instructions
- Prep: Start by preheating the oven to 400degrees F. Then, line a baking sheet or jelly roll pan (something with sides)with foil.
- Proceed to arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the lined pan. The bacon can be touching on the sides, but try not to overlap the pieces. As the bacon bakes they will shrink, but if they are overlapping that spot won't cook as crispy.
- Bake: Continue to put the bacon in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the desired level of crispness has been reached. I typically set a timer for 10 minutes, then I rotate my baking sheet in the oven to ensure all sides cook evenly.
- Once baking is complete, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to help drain excess grease. Let the bacon cool for about 5minutes, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Is this baking method a healthier bacon option?
Yes, it actually is much healthier to make bacon in the oven because more grease and fat can be cooked off. So not only do you get an easier cooking process, but you also get a healthier piece of meat too! Win-Win if you ask me!
Do you have to flip bacon in the oven?
No you do not, that is the beauty of this recipe. Just lay the bacon on the sheet and let it be. No need to flip anything. This is just another reason why you will love this super simple and easy bacon cooking process.
How long is cooked bacon good for?
Cooked bacon will typically last up to 4-5 days, if stored in an airtight container or ziplocked bag in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it up to 1 month if desired. Also, you can save bacon grease in the fridge for up to 6 months and in the freeze for 9 months.
How do I know if my bacon is bad?
Like many foods, you can give it the smell test to determine if it has gone bad. If the uncooked bacon has an ammonia odor or smells sours, chances are it is bad. The color of the uncooked bacon is a good indicator too, if it is still pink in color with the fat being white or yellow, that is a good sign. But if the bacon looks slightly brown or gray, that is an indication is has spoiled. Don’t risk getting sick from bad bacon, it might ruin this delightful treat for you and that would be a shame.
Need some new Breakfast Ideas? Try these Breakfast recipes:
- Protein Breakfast Wraps
- 3 Cheese Breakfast Casserole
- Loaded Breakfast Burrito recipe
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Pockets
- Best Ham & Cheese Scrambled Eggs
- Easy Breakfast Nachos
- Savory Breakfast Rolls
- Fiesta Egg Bites recipe
- Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole
- Easy 15-Minute Maple Bars
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Best Blueberry Muffin recipe
- Nutella Banana Muffins
- Apple Bread Pudding
- Berry Protein Pancake Bites
The Easiest Way to Cook Bacon is so much easier than you think! With this bacon baked in oven recipe, you can have delightful crispy bacon without a lot of effort or mess!
Lisa O says
I love baking bacon! I use parchment paper instead of foil
Susan Leslie says
I like to deep fry my bacon in bacon grease. I save my grease from each time. If I want bacon bits I use kitchen scissors to cut the bacon into small pieces before I cook them and if I want slices I leave the slices whole. Deep frying ensures even cooking with no large pieces of uncooked fat. it also prevents splashing and flare-ups. I paper towel dry and refrigerate. Will keep for a couple of weeks to be used in all of your recipes. Strain grease each time, to keep clean. I change the grease completely once a month. I didn’t learn this from anyone….I figured it out myself and I wouldn’t cook bacon any other way.
Jessica says
Great idea!
Mary Jean noska Hanewich says
Does anyone know how to make the restaraunt O’Charley HotBacon sauce
laura Naab says
it made a mess of my oven, not worth it. had to really scrub it. any way around this
Jessica says
Tent a large piece of foil over the top of the bacon- that helps a ton! I usually just plan to run the oven cleaner after mine’s done.
Hilda says
Mine turned out really well…….no mess……crispiest bacon…. I use parchment paper…choose pan that fits your foil or parchment so there are no seams( paper should come up sides)…..Also works at 350 degrees. Too much grease while cooking??? Tilt pan, use clean paper towels to remove excess grease then back in oven to finish.
Donna says
I use the tinfoil method but in the propane barbecue. Roll up the sides of the foil a bit to contain the grease. Once the bacon has started to cook and released some grease it browns nicely. Remove cooked bacon to a plate with paper towel. Leave tinfoil on cold barbecue until grease becomes solid then you can just throw out grease and foil. Less grease down the kitchen drain too!
Betty says
No need to ever pour bacon grease down the kitchen drain. Let the grease get cold and solid. Then scoop it out, or wipe it out with a paper towel into the garbage can. Keep the drains clean.
Sandy says
I cook my bacon in the microwave. No mess at all. Lay the bacon on a paper towel and lay another piece over it. Then put that inside some newspaper. All the grease gets soaked up.
Sarah G says
If you put a cookie cooling rack on the foil/parchment lined jelly roll pan then put the bacon on that, the bacon cooks better and the grease all drips down into the jelly roll pan. No need to drain the bacon grease off on paper towels when it’s done!
Nellie says
Thanks for the tip – what a great idea!
Susan says
I always cook bacon in the oven. I set the oven to 375°F and cook thin sliced bacon 6-8 minutes, drain grease from pan, flip and cook 6 more minutes. Thicker sliced bacon takes 8-10 minutes per side and thick cut bacon 12–14 minutes per side. Bacon turns out dark and crispy but not burnt or over done. Thank you for the easy oven baked bacon method.
Nicole says
Sounds perfect *drool*