Who doesn’t love bacon? I assume if you’re here, you do. But. I don’t love the mess afterward. And to be really honest, I’m lazy and I really don’t like having to babysit the bacon while it cooks so I know when to turn it.
So for the cleaning-averse and lazy cook, I present Baked Bacon!
Baking your bacon in the oven still provides you with a crispy cook, with half the mess. By containing the pan to the oven, any grease splatters are safely kept inside and away from searing my fingers. Or face. And by using a rimmed baking sheet, all the fat released by the bacon while it cooks is nicely kept in an easy vessel. Especially when you line the sheet with parchment paper which acts as a pouring funnel when time for collecting the grease. Nothing is easier!
The downside to baking the bacon instead of frying it up in a pan is that this is a slower method of cooking. Pan-frying is the faster trip to bacon in your face. But I don’t mind the slightly longer cooking time. Mainly because I can toss the bacon into the oven, go grab a shower, and come back to delicious crispy slices ready for my consumption. Or pet my doggo. Or catch up on Reels. Yanno, stuff you can’t do when the skillet is on the fire.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven (in 7 easy steps)
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2:
Crumple parchment paper so it will lay flat and not roll up. Uncrumple the parchment paper and line baking sheet with it. (Or use aluminum foil if no parchment is available. No crumpling necessary.)
Step 3:
Lay bacon strips out on baking sheet, trying to keep them from touching. None of the bacon should be overlapping, or those portions will not cook correctly.
Step 4:
Bake bacon for 15-20 minutes, depending on your desired level of crispiness and the thickness of the cut. Thicker bacon will take longer to cook, as will larger pieces.
4a. Turn bacon over 5 minutes from the end of cooking time. This is optional The bacon will fully cook on both sides, whether you flip or not. If it’s very thick bacon, the bottom side may be more crisp than the top side without a flip. ymmv
Step 5:
Remove bacon from oven. Place bacon strips on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pat tops of strips with additional paper towel to remove excess grease.
Step 6:
Enjoy bacon! (Maybe share bacon with people you like. Maybe. Or not. Because bacon.)
Step 7:
Pour bacon fat into a heat-safe container and allow to cool. Personally, I adore my piggy bacon bin. Store bacon fat in the fridge for cooking later. Don’t throw it away! It’s free cooking fat and flavor. And I know you aren’t some sort of Bacon Wasting Heathen.
There you have it, the lazy method of bacon cooking. If you’re in a super hurry and need your bacon faster, go check out my post on how to pan-fry bacon. It’s a legit need! Before you scuttle off to your kitchen, leave a comment and lemme know how you plan to use all that delicious bacon you’re cooking.
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Eat well, Momma
Baked Bacon
Baking your bacon in the oven is the easiest way to crispy bacon, with minimal mess. This method is fantastic for those who don’t want to babysit a skillet waiting to turn the bacon over.
Ingredients
BACON!
large baking sheet
parchment paper or aluminum foil
fork or tongs, for turning
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. (see note on foil)
- Lay bacon strips out side by side on the baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bacon has reached desired crispiness
Optionally, turn bacon over 5 minutes from end of cooking time for more even doneness. - Remove bacon from oven and transfer strips onto a paper towel lined plate or platter. Pat top side of bacon with additional paper towels to remove excess grease.
- Enjoy delicious bacon! Consider sharing tasty bacon with people you like. Maybe. Because bacon.
- Pour bacon fat into heat-safe container, allow to cool, and store in the fridge for later use. Do NOT dispose of grease down the sink or it will clog the pipes. (Also, why would you waste good bacon fat? You’re no heathen.)
Notes
- Foil isn’t the recommended lining for the baking sheet. Some people object to cooking with aluminum. Personally I have had bacon stick and rip on the foil. This doesn’t happen with the parchment paper. At least for me. However, I do recognize that not every kitchen is going to have both foil and parchment paper available. If all you have is foil, do use it. Otherwise, the bacon will stick to the pan and lose you precious salty pork.
- I have also attempted to use a silicone mat for baking bacon. It will work, but the grease seeps under the mat, which makes everything harder to clean at the back end of cooking. Silicone mats will stop the bacon from sticking, but won’t serve you in terms of grease control.
- Bacon that is not turned over mid-cook will still cook fully. However, the underside can potentially cook more than the upward facing side. This is especially true for a thick-cut bacon. If you prefer a more even final product, turn the bacon over the last 5 minutes of cook time.
