Stop the Splatter: How to Keep Bacon from Splattering in the Oven

Crispy, savory bacon is one of life’s most perfect foods However, cooking bacon on the stovetop often leads to annoying grease splatters all over your stove and countertops. The splatters create a messy cleanup situation you’d probably like to avoid. Luckily, there is a simple solution – bake your bacon in the oven instead!

Oven-baking bacon is a splatter-free cooking method that produces evenly cooked bacon with crispy edges every time. Once you discover how easy it is to bake bacon in the oven, you may never go back to stovetop cooking again.

In this detailed guide, I’ll explain my proven technique for oven-baking bacon that prevents grease splatters. You’ll learn the right tools to use, how to prepare the bacon, optimal oven settings, and most importantly – how to completely contain the grease while baking.

Follow these splatter-free steps and you’ll be able to enjoy delicious crispy bacon without spending time later scrubbing down your oven or stovetop. Let’s get cooking!

Why Bake Bacon in the Oven?

There are a few key reasons why oven-baking beats stovetop cooking when it comes to bacon

• No splattering grease – Baking contains grease so there’s no messy cleanup of spatters later.

• Even cooking – Bacon cooks evenly from all sides in the oven instead of curling up on the stovetop.

• Hands-free – No need to constantly watch and flip the bacon while it bakes.

• Cooks large batches – Fit multiple sheets of bacon in the oven at once to feed a crowd.

• Infuses flavors – Optionally add wood chips or spices to the baking sheet to infuse flavors.

Once you try baking crispy bacon in the oven, you’ll be hooked on this splatter-free method. Now let’s go over the supplies you’ll need.

Oven Bacon Baking Supplies

Having the right gear makes baking bacon in the oven easy. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Rimmed baking sheets – Contains the bacon grease and allows easy removal of the liner after baking.

• Aluminum foil – Covers the baking sheet to catch any escaped grease.

• Parchment paper – Prevents sticking and absorbs excess grease.

• Wire cooling rack (optional) – Fit inside the baking sheet to keep bacon elevated for maximum crispness.

• Bacon – Go for high-quality thick cut for the best texture after baking.

• Tongs – Helpful for transferring the cooked bacon slices after baking.

With these simple supplies, you’re ready to start baking! Now let’s go over how to arrange the bacon.

Prep the Baking Sheet

Properly layering your baking sheet is the key to containing grease splatters. Follow these steps:

• Cover a rimmed baking sheet completely in aluminum foil, pressing it into the corners and up the sides about an inch.

• Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the foil, smoothing it out to cover the entire surface.

• Optional – Set a wire cooling rack inside the baking sheet on top of the parchment paper for extra crisp bacon.

• Arrange raw bacon strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Don’t let bacon overlap.

Your baking sheet is now ready for the oven! The foil and parchment paper will prevent any mess.

Oven Settings for Perfect Bacon

For evenly cooked bacon without any monitoring or flipping, use these oven settings:

• Temperature – 400°F provides the best balance between crispy and chewy bacon texture.

• Placement – Set baking sheets in the middle rack position for optimal heat circulation.

• Time – Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on bacon thickness. Thicker cuts take longer.

• Convection (optional) – The circulating hot air of convection mode cooks bacon very evenly.

At 400°F, check your bacon around 15 minutes. For extra-crispy bacon, let it bake for up to 20 minutes. Now your oven is preheated and loaded up with sheets of bacon. Time to bake!

Baking Steps for Crispy, Splatter-Free Bacon

Follow these simple steps for mess-free oven baking:

• Put foil-lined baking sheets loaded with bacon in the preheated 400°F oven.

• Set a timer and bake the bacon for 15-20 minutes, depending on desired crispness.

• For very crispy bacon, increase the baking time to 18-22 minutes and check frequently to avoid burning.

• Once finished baking, use tongs to transfer bacon slices to a plate lined with paper towels.

• Let the bacon cool for 2-3 minutes before serving to allow the crispness to set.

• Enjoy your perfectly oven-baked, splatter-free bacon on its own or crumbled over salads, sandwiches, baked potatoes and more!

Baking bacon in the oven really couldn’t be much simpler. But you still have to deal with the grease left behind on the baking sheets. So how do you neatly clean up after oven-baking bacon?

Cleanup Tips and Tricks

Here are a few methods to make post-bacon cleanup a breeze:

• Once bacon is removed, carefully dump hot grease from foil-lined baking sheets into a heat-proof grease storage container.

• Allow baking sheets to cool slightly. Then, lift edges of foil and wrap it around grease to contain it. Discard foil ball.

• For easy grease removal, ball up and toss the foil, parchment paper and all into the garbage. No need to separate.

• Quickly wipe any bacon grease residue left on baking sheets using paper towels while still warm. Then wash with soap and hot water.

• Alternatively, fill hot baking sheets with water and dish soap. Let soak before scrubbing – the water emulsifies grease for easier cleaning.

With the right preparation and cleanup, baking bacon in the oven is a virtually splatter-free process. Once you discover how easy oven-baked bacon is, you may never fry bacon on the stovetop again! Adjust the baking time as needed to achieve your perfect level of bacon crispiness. Enjoy your grease-free oven-baked bacon on its own, in sandwiches and burgers, crumbled over salads and baked potatoes, or any way you love bacon.