How to Cook Bacon in the Oven Like Jamie Oliver

As someone who loves food, I’m always looking for new and better ways to cook classic dishes. One item that is a staple in many households is bacon. Crispy, salty, smoky bacon is delicious in sandwiches, salads, pastas – you name it! However, pan-frying bacon can be messy and uneven. The oven provides a great alternative method for getting perfect bacon every time. Jamie Oliver is one of my favorite celebrity chefs, so when I learned he had a method for oven-baked bacon, I knew I had to try it.

Jamie Oliver’s Method for Oven-Baked Bacon

Jamie Oliver recommends baking bacon in the oven at a high temperature for an even crispiness Here are the steps

• Pre-heat your oven to 375°F (190°C),

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This helps contain mess and prevents sticking.

• Arrange rashers of bacon neatly on the sheet making sure not to overcrowd them.

• Sprinkle both sides of the bacon lightly with black pepper. Jamie loves adding flavor!

• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the bacon is sizzling and beautifully browned.

• Remove from the oven and transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess fat.

And that’s it – perfectly crispy, evenly cooked bacon ready to enjoy! The high oven heat crisps up the bacon much better than frying it in a pan.

Why Bake Bacon in the Oven?

Baking bacon in the oven has some clear advantages over stovetop frying:

• Even cooking: With oven baking, the bacon cooks evenly from all sides instead of just browning on the bottom. No more undercooked fatty bits!

• Less splattering: Because the bacon isn’t submerged in hot fat, there’s less aggressive bubbling and popping. Much less mess to clean up afterward.

• Good for batches: Pan frying can only accommodate a few strips at a time. Oven baking makes it easy to cook a whole package efficiently.

• Hands-free: Other than rotating the pan halfway through, oven baking requires minimal effort compared to minding a pan on the stovetop.

• Complementary flavors: The dry oven heat allows you to add pepper, brown sugar, herbs or other flavors that bring out the best in bacon.

More Tips for Perfect Oven-Baked Bacon

Over the years, I’ve baked a lot of bacon in the oven and picked up some useful tips along the way:

• Use thick-cut bacon for the best texture – thin slices overcook quickly.

• Minimize curling by laying bacon strips evenly apart on the pan.

• Rotate the pan 180° halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.

• Pour off excess bacon grease as the bacon cooks for less smokiness.

• Add a splash of water to the pan to keep ends from overbrowning too fast.

• Bake extra bacon to use later as a quick topping for meals and snacks. It reheats well!

Fun Ways to Use Oven-Baked Bacon

Now that you know how easy it is to bake crispy, delicious bacon in the oven, what are some fun ways to use it? Here are a few of my favorites:

• BLTs: Layer baked bacon with lettuce, tomato and mayo on toasted bread for the perfect classic sandwich.

• Bacon mac and cheese: Crumble baked bacon on top of macaroni and cheese fresh from the oven for a smoky, salty twist.

• Bacon avocado toast: Top crusty whole grain toast with mashed avocado and baked bacon bits for a protein-packed breakfast.

• Bacon ranch salad: Toss crispy bacon into your favorite salad and drizzle with tangy ranch dressing for a hearty appetizer.

• Bacon-wrapped anything: Wrap baked bacon around chicken breasts, shrimp, scallops, meatloaf or vegetables for a quick upgrade in flavor.

• Bacon and eggs: Crispy baked bacon pairs perfectly with eggs any style – scrambled, fried, poached or an omelet.

• Bacon jam: Cook baked bacon pieces with brown sugar and spices to make a sweet and savory spread for biscuits, toast or cheese plates.

As you can see, oven-baked bacon takes recipes from basic to gourmet with just a little added crunch and smokiness. Now that I’ve learned Jamie Oliver’s simple method for baking bacon in the oven, I may never go back to pan frying again. The oven just gives more consistent, less messy results every time. Crispy bacon is a versatile ingredient, so get creative with how you use those perfectly baked strips! Your family, friends and taste buds will thank you.