Crispy Oven-Baked Bacon - Perfectly Cooked Every Time

Cooking Bacon to Crispy Perfection in the Oven

Bacon is a breakfast staple loved by many for its savory, salty, crispy goodness. While frying bacon in a skillet on the stovetop is likely the more common preparation method, the oven offers a handy alternative with several advantages. Using the oven to cook bacon means you don't have to stand over a hot pan while all that lovely bacon grease splatters. So if you want perfectly crispy, flat bacon without the mess and hassle of the stovetop, then the oven is the way to go.

Why Cook Bacon in the Oven?

Cooking bacon in the oven has quite a few benefits over the stovetop:

• It's hands-off - once the bacon goes in the oven, you don't have to watch it closely like you would in a skillet.
• Fewer splatters and less mess - the contained environment of an oven tray catches all that rendered bacon fat for easy clean up.
• Even cooking - bacon comes out crispy and flat without curling up.
• You can cook a large batch all at once.

How to Cook Perfect Oven Bacon

To bake a tray of crispy bacon in the oven, just follow these simple steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on the lined pan, making sure none of the slices are overlapping.
4. Place pan in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until bacon reaches desired crispness.
5. Remove from oven and transfer bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
6. Pour grease from tray into a heatproof container once cooled for disposal or save for another use.

Tips for Crispy Oven Bacon

Follow these handy tips for getting the crispiest oven bacon results:

• Use thick-cut bacon - the thicker the bacon slices, the better it crisps up.
• Make sure bacon lays flat - overlapping causes some pieces to steam instead of crisp.
• Bake at 400°F - this high heat helps render out fat and crisps up the meat.
• Line pan with parchment - prevents sticking and easy cleanup.
• Drain on paper towels - removes excess grease for crisper texture.

Oven Bacon Times and Temperatures

While 400°F for 15-20 minutes works well for most bacon recipes, cooking times can vary slightly depending on thickness and if you want it extra crispy. Refer to this handy bacon oven guide:

Thin-Sliced Bacon

• Oven Temp: 400°F
• Cook Time: 8-12 minutes

Regular Sliced Bacon

• Oven Temp: 400°F
• Cook Time: 15-18 minutes

Thick-Cut Bacon

• Oven Temp: 375°F
• Cook Time: 18-25 minutes

Check bacon frequently towards end of cooking time range. Take pan out when bacon is an amber color and as crispy as you prefer. Map any remaining undercooked areas and bake 2-3 minutes more if needed.

Cooking Other Foods Alongside Bacon

One bonus of cooking bacon in the oven - you can bake other ingredients at the same time! The hot rendered bacon grease gives a nice crispy exterior and infuses everything with that delicious bacon flavor. Try cooking these foods on a baking sheet along with the bacon:

• Breakfast potatoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Baked eggs
• Bread or biscuit dough
• Chicken thighs or wings

Simply arrange bacon on one half of parchment-lined pan and additional ingredients on the empty half. Bake as directed until bacon reaches desired crispness. Drizzle any excess bacon grease over other ingredients for extra flavor if desired before serving!

FAQs

Does baking bacon make it crispy?

Yes, the high heat of the oven crisps up the bacon nicely. Baking yields flat, evenly cooked crispy bacon without the curling that happens in a skillet.

Should you flip bacon when baking it?

Flipping isn't necessary when cooking bacon in the oven. The heated air circulates all around the baking sheet, cooking the bacon evenly on both sides.

Can you bake bacon from frozen?

It's best not to bake frozen bacon straight from the freezer. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking for evenly cooked results.

What temperature should you bake bacon at?

400°F is the best temperature for getting crispy oven bacon. Use 375°F if baking thick-cut bacon, which takes longer to cook through.