Learn how to cook bacon in the oven for perfectly crispy bacon. Baked bacon is so easy since there’s no need to flip it and you don’t need a wire rack. Using a baking sheet allows you to make a big batch for a crowd and it’s hands-free so you can work on the rest of your breakfast menu while the bacon sizzles in the oven.
Bacon makes everything better from Cobb Salad to Omelettes and Burgers. If you are a bacon lover this Oven-baked bacon recipe is a must-try and it’s perfect for regular or thick-sliced bacon.
Why you’ll love Baked Bacon
Bacon is at the top of our family’s favorite foods list and half of the bacon is eaten before it ever gets to the table with all the ‘sampling’ going on. This is my favorite method for cooking bacon and here’s why:
- Stays flat – unlike stovetop methods, the bacon will stay relatively flat without curling in the oven.
- Clean – you won’t mess up your stove with oil splatter and if you cut your parchment paper to size, you probably can just toss your parchment paper and don’t have to wash your baking sheet either.
- Convenient -You don’t need to flip or babysit the bacon so you are free to multi-task
- Big Batch – perfect for cooking bacon for a crowd
Baked Bacon Video
Watch Natasha bake bacon in the oven and stay tuned till the end to see how you can use those pan drippings. You will be surprised at how easy this is. Now go forth and bake some bacon.
How to buy the best bacon
There are so many options and types of bacon, it can be overwhelming. You may not have something available that checks all these boxes, but you can pick better quality bacon. Here’s what to look for:
- Uncured (bacon without sodium nitrate added to it)
- Ingredients – bacon should have a small list of ingredients that you can easily understand.
- Center-cut – has 25-30% less fat at the ends
- Humanely raised or certified humane
- USDA Organic – ensures non-GMO feed
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Arrange bacon slices so they are touching but not overlapping.
- Bake Regular cut bacon for 15-20 minutes and thick-cut bacon for 20-30 minutes, or to your desired crispiness
- Transfer bacon from the baking sheet to a paper-towel-lined plate and serve.
Pro Tip: Keep the rendered pork fat (especially if you have high-quality bacon). Use it for making Hash Browns or Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Let the bacon grease cool for 10 minutes then pour it into a container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Common Questions
A rack is not necessary and we prefer not to use a rack. Bacon can stick to a rack even if it’s non-stick and it doesn’t brown and crisp as well since it isn’t cooking in its own fat. You’ll have prettier bacon without a rack.
We prefer using parchment paper, but you can use foil if that is what you have on hand.
You can double the amount of bacon and bake 2 baking sheets at a time on 2 separate racks, just be sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway for even baking.
Absolutely! We have a tutorial for Air Fryer Bacon and it’s faster, but you will have to air fry in smaller batches.
A half sheet will fit 12 ounces of thin-sliced bacon or 16 ounces of thick-sliced bacon. Make sure you don’t overlap your bacon slices or they will stick together. They can be touching, but not overlapping.
Pro Tip: Use a heavy-duty baking sheet that won’t warp in the oven. These are extra-thick aluminum pans and the types used in a commercial kitchen.
To store Baked Bacon
- To Refrigerate: Let bacon drain on paper towels then cool completely to room temperature. Transfer to a zip-top bag, remove excess air and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- To Reheat: You can re-crisp bacon on a skillet, in the oven, or in an air fryer. I don’t recommend reheating in the microwave because it gets chewy and rubbery.
Oven baked bacon is the most efficient way to cook up a bigger batch of bacon. We love this method for a lazy Saturday morning, paired with our fluffy Scrambled Eggs and sliced avocado for the perfect breakfast.
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