Cooking bacon in the oven is hands-down the best way to make it come out perfectly crispy every time. By baking bacon on a sheet pan instead of frying it in a skillet, you avoid all the splattering grease and have an easier clean up. The oven heat surrounds the bacon strips evenly, producing crisp bacon from edge to edge without burning.
Baking bacon on a sheet pan also lets you cook a large batch all at once. No need to fry it in multiple rounds. Just fill up a rimmed baking sheet, pop it in the hot oven, and crispy bacon for a crowd is ready in minutes.
I’ll walk you through step-by-step how to bake bacon on a sheet pan in the oven. You only need a few basic supplies and a little know-how to master this game changing technique. Once you try oven baked bacon, you may never want to fry it again!
Benefits of Cooking Bacon in the Oven
Switching from skillet to oven for cooking bacon offers several advantages:
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Even cooking: Oven heat crisps up the bacon more evenly than the hot and cool spots of a pan. No more limp undercooked pieces next to burnt ones.
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Less splattering Baking contains the grease so you don’t get popped by hot bacon grease splatters, Much cleaner and safer,
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Multitasking Just pop the sheet pan of bacon in the oven and you’re freed up to make eggs pancakes etc while it cooks hands-off.
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Large batches: Sheet pans hold more bacon than a skillet so you can cook a lot at once for a crowd.
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Easier clean up The rimmed baking sheet contains the grease for fast clean up No scrubbing greasy skillets!
Once you discover how easy oven-baked bacon is, you may never fry it again. The results are that much better!
How to Bake Bacon Perfectly in the Oven
Cooking crispy bacon in the oven takes only a few simple steps. Here’s a walkthrough on how to bake bacon start to finish:
1. Select Good Quality Thick Sliced Bacon
Look for high-quality artisanal bacon whenever possible instead of mass produced thin sliced bacon. Thicker slices hold up better in the oven. Features to look for:
- Thick cut slices, at least 1/4 inch thick
- Generous streaks of fat marbling through the meat
- Dry cured or uncured
- Smoked or unsmoked – up to you!
- With rind on or off
Avoid super skinny bacon slices that overcook too fast. Thick cut makes baking bacon much easier.
2. Arrange Bacon on a Rimmed Baking Sheet
You want a baking sheet with raised edges to catch all the lovely bacon grease. Cover it with:
- Parchment paper – easy cleanup!
- Aluminum foil
- Unlined for cast iron pan – carefully pour out grease after
Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer without overlapping on the pan. Overcrowding leads to steam instead of crisping.
3. Bake at 400°F For 15-20 Minutes
Cooking times can vary a bit based on your oven and thickness of the bacon. Some guidelines:
- Thinner sliced = 15-18 minutes
- Thick cut = 18-22 minutes
Bake at 400°F for the first 15 minutes. Then keep checking every 2-3 minutes after that until desired crispness is reached.
4. Flip the Bacon Slices Halfway
For even cooking, flip each slice with tongs after about 8 minutes. Careful of hot grease! Continue baking until crispy as desired.
5. Transfer and Drain on Paper Towels
As soon as your bacon reaches the perfect level of crispy and brown, transfer slices from the baking sheet to a plate lined with paper towels. This absorbs excess grease for crisper bacon.
Let the bacon cool for a minute before eating so it firms up. Then dig in and enjoy the crispy bacon goodness!
Pro Tips
- Save that lovely bacon grease for cooking veggies, eggs, etc.
- Make a big batch and freeze extras to reheat anytime.
- Play with different woods, spices, sugars as a rub before baking.
- Crumble over salads, baked potatoes, mac and cheese, greens, etc.
How to Reuse Your Bacon Grease
Don’t pour that liquid gold of bacon grease down the drain! Save it for cooking other foods. Bacon grease adds incredible depth, smokey flavor, and richness. Here’s how to save it:
Strain Out the Bits
Pour the hot grease from the sheet pan into a heatproof bowl through a mesh strainer to catch any crispy bits.
Refrigerate in an Airtight Container
Pour the strained grease into a glass jar or container. Let cool completely then refrigerate. It keeps for months!
Use for Sautéing, Roasting, Eggs, etc
You can cook nearly anything in your saved bacon grease instead of oil or butter. Try veggies, brussels sprouts, meats, eggs, etc. It adds flavor town to any dish.
More Tips for Perfect Oven-Baked Bacon Every Time
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Season it up: Sprinkle brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne, herbs before baking for flavored bacon.
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Make bacon candy: Coat slices with brown sugar or maple syrup before baking for sweet and salty candied bacon.
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Line with foil: For easier cleanup, line your baking sheet with foil instead of parchment.
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Blot afterwards: Draining on paper towels absorbs more grease for crispiest bacon.
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Cook thicker bacon: Buy the thickest sliced bacon you can find. It holds up better in the oven.
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Freeze extras: Fully cook then freeze bacon to reheat anytime. Microwave or low oven does the trick.
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Watch carefully: Ovens vary so keep an eye on it as it bakes past 10 minutes to avoid burning.
Common Baking Bacon Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about cooking bacon in the oven:
Should you flip the bacon when baking it?
Yes, for evenly cooked bacon, it helps to flip the slices at least once midway through baking. This exposes both sides directly to the heat.
How long does it take to bake bacon at 400°F?
Most bacon takes 15-20 minutes baked at 400°F. Thinner slices cook faster while thick cut bacon takes longer, up to 20-25 minutes. Check often past 10 minutes.
What can you do with leftover baked bacon grease?
Strain then refrigerate bacon grease in an airtight container. Use it for sautéing veggies, cooking eggs, roasting potatoes, or making baked goods.
Is baking bacon healthier than frying?
It can be! Baking uses less added fat and allows excess grease to drain off. But cured, smoked bacon is still high in saturated fat either way.
Can you bake bacon from frozen?
You can bake frozen bacon straight from the freezer but it may take almost twice as long to fully cook through and crisp up. Thaw first for faster results.
Enjoy Perfectly Cooked Bacon Every Time
Cooking bacon in the oven using a baking sheet is hands-down the easiest, least messy way to get perfectly crispy bacon every time. With an hour of active kitchen time freed up while the bacon bakes, you can make eggs, pancakes and anything else to go with it. Once you try baking bacon in the oven, you may never want to skillet fry it again!
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I call this 425 Bacon. I put it in a cold oven. Set for 425 degrees and turn on the oven. When the temperature is reached, the bacon is done (sometimes it needs one more minute). The slow rise in temperature lets more fat escape from the bacon, making it healthier. LOL.
Oddly, it doesn’t splatter in the oven. This was recommended to me by my brother-in-law. I was skeptical at first, but I tried it and haven’t looked back since. The only drawback is eating more bacon.
We brush the bacon with maple syrup before baking.
You can also use parchment paper instead of foil. I couldnt believe that it worked, but it produced even less mess.
An NPR interview with a brunch chef talked about this method. He said it was very important to put the bacon in a cold oven. It takes longer, but it’s the only way I cook it.
I have been doing this for years now and it is so great. Also, I use parchment paper – not foil! I can then put the parchment into compost.
We don’t eat a lot of bacon, so I cook a package this way until partially done. After the strips have lost most of their fat, I drain them on paper towels and then wrap them in parchment paper. Roll up the paper and bacon strips, pop into a freezer bag and freeze. When needed, one or two slices can be removed and quickly finished in a frying pan.
This method is the best! Doesn’t splatter. I use a lower oven temp, 325°F for thick-cut bacon. The fat that comes out is clear and clean. Once you strain out the bacon bits, you can store the fat in the fridge for later use. Cooked slices of bacon are uniformly crispy – even the fatty parts. Even though it takes longer, you can make the rest of your breakfast while the bacon cooks. I wonder if the higher temp oven would burn pan bits & make the rendered fat unpalatable?.
I bake at a lower temperature. 450 is too high. 350 will render much more fat.
So turns out bringing it up to 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes is actually the better path forward. 450 gets too hot and singes the bacon more than I cared for. Relatively thick cuts at 400/22 mins had a nice chew to them.
I use parchment paper instead of foil
I start the bacon in a cast iron skillet in a cold oven set for 350. Perfectly done in 20 min or so, depending on the thickness of the bacon.
This works GREAT. Started doing this to reduce overall fat content of weekly “big” breakfasts. I am a Pancreatic Cancer Survivor and have to be careful about fat. But giving up a weekly treat like bacon (limit myself to 2 slices) is NOT an option. I use wire racks and disposable broiler pans that are lined with tinfoil so that the pans can be used more than once. Let the rendered fat cool and throw away wrapped in the foil.
And if you’re really worried, place a piece of parchment on top. Does not affect the cooking.
It doesnt splatter, surprisingly. Ive been doing this for years. Best bacon ever.
Please don’t leave! This is the only way I can cook bacon now that I have a glass-top stove that I hate cleaning. Its so easy to burn oven bacon, so I dont leave the kitchen when cooking it this way.
Ive been cooking bacon in the oven for about 20 years. I lean each rasher against the side of the baking dish (I use a small Pyrex roasting pan) or the mushrooms and tomatoes to keep it standing up. I do this because I love a cooked breakfast. All of that and a pot of water to boil for poached eggs are the best parts. Then I take a shower. When I get dressed, most of the time, the eggs and bread are already poached and sliced. No fussing over everything while its cooking!.
Lined baking sheets with parchment paper. Easy-peasy pan cleanup.
I had a pound of bacon stick to the rack over my sheet pan. Now I know to grease the rack — to avoid loud kitchen cursing.
If you use parchment paper, this is a great way to cook bacon! It’s easy to do, and you should only turn it over once during the baking time.
I’m in the parchment camp and a bit lower temp – 350-375 F. Crispy bacon and easy cleanup.
For easier cleanup, use parchment paper in your pan. If you’re careful and let the grease cool, you don’t even have to wash the pan! No kidding’.
It helps me keep my baking sheets clean. Once the bacon is done, I put the pans in the freezer for 30 minutes to cool down. The fat hardens and sometimes lifts off completely leaving the pan clean. Use the fat however you want.
We all agree that the oven temperature is too high. I use 375 degrees and don’t heat the oven up first. Put the bacon in a cold oven and let it come up to temperature for best results.
These are all great tips from others posted, Thanks! But. if you read the package on the parchment paper, it says safe up to 425 degrees. I wont use parchment paper above the 425. Reynolds seems to know what they’re doing, no matter how you look at it. By the way, I buy their parchment paper.
Far better to use English back bacon – less fat and more delicious meat.
When I use convection in my oven, the temperature drops by 25 degrees automatically. I think this can be made at a lower temperature, between 375 and 400 degrees. The last time I made it the way it said to, it almost burned, but we like our bacon crispy. I’d just watch for this but otherwise a pretty straightforward one.
Yield: 4-8 servings. Yield at my house tonight: 1 generous, delicious meal (I will add two over-light eggs).
I made this as directed and it works great. The bacon turns out flat, which is nice. Another time, I liked it even more when I put parchment paper over the foil in the pan’s bottom. It soaks up some of the grease. The thought of cleaning up bacon grease on the stovetop was a big reason why I didn’t cook bacon in a frying pan. It’s worth the extra time to cook it in the oven instead. Highly recommended.
Best to use a cast-iron skillet. Cleanup is a breeze.Private notes are only visible to you.
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