Simple tutorials are one of my favorite things here at Wholesome Yum, and today I want to show you the one I use multiple times a week: how to cook bacon in the oven! I’ve been baking bacon this way for years, and while it’s super simple, I have a few tips and tricks to share, so that you get perfect oven baked bacon that comes out crispy every time. You’ll never want to do it any other way again for making large batches, but if you want a smaller batch, microwave bacon and air fryer bacon both work surprisingly well. The trick I use for the oven bacon method came to me when making bacon wrapped asparagus, and I’ve used it when wrapping other things too, like bacon wrapped brussels sprouts and green bean bundles. The same concept works for baking bacon all by itself, too — that’s what I’m showing you today. Read on to learn my method for cooking super crispy bacon in the oven, and why it’s the best way to cook bacon…
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!
How To Cook Bacon In The Oven
This section shows how to cook crispy bacon in the oven, with details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below. I recommend this rack or this rack, depending on the size you need. They are both sturdy, oven safe, and don’t stick easily.
What Temp To Cook Bacon In The Oven?
I highly recommend cooking bacon in the oven at 400 degrees F. It’s faster than lower temperatures, plus the bacon gets more crispy. Any higher and you tend to risk burning the edges. But, the slices will shrink a little while cooking, so a tiny bit of overlap is okay. Blotting the extra grease away will help your bacon get extra crisp as it cools from hot to warm. You can also transfer to a paper towel lined plate to help soak up excess grease. When choosing the temperature for baking bacon, also consider how uniform the thickness of your bacon is:
If the slices are all fairly similar, a high temperature (400 or even 425) works best — it’s faster and you get the advantage of maximum crispness.If there’s a lot of variance in thickness, stick with a lower temperature (350 or 375).
I’ll give you the time estimates for each temperature to make it easy! 🙂
How Long Do You Cook Bacon in the Oven?
Cook time for oven bacon depends on the oven temperature and the thickness of the bacon. For average thickness, bake for 18 to 23 minutes at 400 F, which is the recommended temperature. If you want to try a different temp, use the chart below:
Can You Cook Thick Cut Bacon In The Oven?
Yes, you can! Thick cut bacon in the oven will take an extra 4-5 minutes compared to the regular kind. Typically, thick cut bacon takes about 22-26 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Does Bacon Splatter In The Oven?
No, bacon does not usually splatter while baking. The oven cooks more evenly than a pan, which means sizzling bacon instead of a splattering mess. If you find that you do get a few splatters, most ovens have a self-cleaning cycle that will make them easy to wipe away.
Storage Instructions
Store: Oven baked bacon is delicious made fresh for breakfast or brunch, but it also stores very well! Keep leftover bacon in the fridge for up to 5 days.Reheat: Reheat (previously cooked) bacon in the oven at 350 degrees F, covered in foil, for 10-20 minutes.
Can You Freeze Cooked Bacon?
Yes, oven baked bacon can be frozen for 1-3 months. For best results, wait for it to cool, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag. You can thaw and reheat using the method above.
What To Do With Bacon Grease?
A bonus advantage of cooking bacon in the oven on a rack is that the bacon grease drips down and is super easy to reserve.
To save the bacon grease: Simply tilt the pan over a container or jar, so that the bacon grease collects at the corner and drips down into the vessel. Do this while the pan is still hot, so that the bacon grease doesn’t solidify. Just use an oven mitt to hold the pan.To store the bacon grease: You can keep the bacon grease on the counter, but I prefer the fridge to be safe. It will solidify as it cools.What to do with the grease: You can use bacon grease in most savory applications in place of butter or oil, as long as the heat isn’t too high. My favorite ways include frying eggs or adding to stir fry vegetables toward the end. (Both also happen to be delicious with your crispy oven baked bacon added to them, too.)
Ways To Use Baked Bacon In Recipes
One of the advantages of baking bacon in the oven is you can make a big batch, which means you can use it in lots of different ways! Here are some serving ideas, as well as classic recipes for bacon lovers that can take advantage of your big batch:
Breakfast – Serve it on the side with pancakes, oven baked eggs, or the perfect omelette. Recipes for quiche or fritattas also often call for cooked bacon.Casseroles – Popular ones include chicken bacon ranch casserole or cheesy brussels sprout casserole.Soups – While you can saute the bacon before adding the liquid, adding it pre-cooked is even more convenient if you have some. My fave is bacon cheeseburger soup, but I’ve seen many readers add it to broccoli cheese soup as well.Salads – Cooking bacon in the oven is particularly convenient for salads, since you’re not usually cooking other parts of the dish, and can do it ahead. It’s a classic on a cobb salad, broccoli bacon salad, or wedge salad.Appetizers – This perfect baked bacon recipe is excellent to use as part of an appetizer, like Caprese skewers or bacon deviled eggs.Stir Fry – Add bacon to crispy fried brussels sprouts, Southern fried cabbage, or even rice or cauliflower rice.
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