How to Bake Bacon
Learn how to bake bacon in the oven for the perfectly cooked bacon every time! This simple cooking tutorial is perfect if you need to make a lot of bacon for a gathering, as well as excellent for cooks who don’t want to babysit bacon on the stovetop, get splattered or need to multitask in the kitchen.
Our family loves bacon, but it wasn’t something we made regularly until the early days of 2020, when we were all stuck at home.
Since, you know, we wanted to make ourselves something special for the weekends.
Since there was nothing that made the weekends super different than the weekdays.
We learned how to bake bacon during that time, and oh my goodness, was it a game changer.
No matter the type of bacon you have on hand—regular cut, thick cut or even turkey bacon—it can be baked in the oven and cooked perfectly every single time with less mess and clean up necessary.
What’s not to love about that?
Why I love this recipe:
Simply put: Frying bacon on the stovetop is messy, and I hate cleaning up bacon grease.
I also really don’t like smelling like I fried bacon for the rest of the day. (You know that bacon halo you get in your hair when you cook it in a pan? Yeaaaaah.)
When I learned how to bake bacon in the oven, I was blown away with how simple and easy it made the task. Basically, we went from being a family who rarely enjoyed bacon to one who did every other week.
Also, it’s great for entertaining because you can make a lot of bacon in the oven with very little fuss.
It’s also not nearly as messy or hands-on as frying bacon in a pan, which is a win, too! You still have to keep your eyes on it because nobody likes burned bacon, but it’s a lot more simple than the pan-fried stuff.
Whether you’re hosting brunch at home, making breakfast for the family or you need some perfectly crispy bacon for various recipes, this Oven Baked Bacon recipe is a good one to have in your pocket for any time!
You also get to customize the bacon to the crispiness you like, so please note that it will take a little tinkering on your part to end up with perfect slices. That said, I’ll walk you through how we do ours every time.
(Pro tip: Print out the recipe below, and make a note on the printed out recipe for how long you cooked it so you remember next time!)
Other breakfast foods to pair with oven baked bacon: Strawberry Lemonade Muffins | Chocolate Raspberry Overnight French Toast Casserole | Honey Butter Biscuits | Homemade Waffles with Strawberries and Cream | Old Fashioned Pancake Recipe
Need breakfast inspiration? Head on over to my Breakfast and Brunch recipe index for more ideas!
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Sheet pan—a rimmed baking sheet is essential because we don’t want the bacon grease to drip off the pan and into the bottom of your oven.
- Parchment paper—I really like to line my sheet pan in two layers of this because it prevents the grease from getting into the pan and makes for easier clean up. Also, you can reserve the rendered bacon fat after the fact pretty easily, too.
Before you ask, NO, we are not using a wire rack or a cooling rack for this recipe.
Why? I’ve tried it several times, and I don’t see a huge difference in the end result. Also, it’s a PAIN to clean.
Yes, the bacon will cook in its own grease, just like it does in a pan, and while it bubbles and sizzles, it cooks up beautifully every single time.
Is it healthier? No. But is it delicious? Absolutely.
What kind of bacon can you bake in the oven?
In addition to those tools above, you’re going to need some bacon to make this recipe work.
The good news is you can use any type of bacon!
Here are some of our favorites:
- Regular cut bacon—this is the most common bacon you’ll find at the store, and it works perfectly here every time!
- Thick cut bacon—this will take a bit more time, but it’s no less delicious! You might not be able to get it as crispy as the regular cut bacon, but goodness gracious, is it delicious.
- Turkey bacon—this has less fat, so I’ll drizzle it with a bit of olive oil before popping in the oven to help it crisp up. Check this at the 10-12 minute mark to confirm it’s not burning.
The different between these types of bacon is going to become apparent in their thickness and how long you need to roast them.
This is a choose-your-own-adventure type of recipe because you get to decide how crispy you want the end result to be. Which means you need to be paying a little bit of attention as the bacon bakes so that it doesn’t burn.
How to bake bacon in the oven
Prepare the sheet pan. Line a rimmed sheet pan with two layers of parchment paper. (This will prevent bacon grease from spilling onto your sheet pan and make for easier clean up.)
Place the bacon in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Give each strip of bacon a little space so it can roast without touching another. If the bacon is touching, it will cook slower and might not crisp up as much.
Transfer to the middle rack of the oven. Turn the oven on to 400°F.
Please note that we do not preheat the oven here. I learned this method from The Defined Dish’s Instagram years ago, and our family has tinkered with it and our oven for years because I love not having to preheat the oven. #lazygalwin
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Check on the bacon at the 15-minute mark to see how it’s doing. We want it to be crisping up, but not to be totally browned.
This could change depending on your oven and the type of bacon you’re baking, so please keep an eye on it.
Turkey bacon tip!
We like to check our turkey bacon at the 10-12 minute mark to see how it’s doing. Since it’s cut thinner and is significantly less fatty, it cooks up more quickly and can burn easily.
Remove from the oven, and flip the bacon using a pair of tongs. While a lot of recipes don’t call for this, I like to do it to ensure my bacon is completely cooked through and perfect.
Place the sheet pan back in the oven, and bake for another 6-10 minutes, or until the bacon reaches your desired crispness. Again, this will change based on the thickness of the bacon you have.
Remove from the oven, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Blot with another paper towel to remove excess grease.
Enjoy after the bacon cools slightly!
Frequently Asked Questions
We pop the bacon into the oven as we turn it to 400, so it takes about 15-20 minutes, just depending on your oven, plus a little extra if you like it crispy.
I line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper, and place the bacon directly on the parchment. Give it a little space so it doesn’t touch, and roast in the oven until crispy and delicious.
I’ve found 400°F to be the perfect temperature.
No. Bake the bacon uncovered until crispy and delicious.
Quick tips and tricks for the best bacon
- Use the right tools. Your sheet pan needs to have a rim so that the bacon grease doesn’t drip all over your oven. Parchment paper will make for a less mess clean up, too.
- Choose your favorite bacon and cook accordingly! I’ve made notes above and below for you to help guide you in cooking your favorite bacon in the oven perfectly.
- Drain before enjoying. Once the bacon comes out of the oven, we always transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and blot it to remove excess grease.
What to pair with this bacon:
How to Bake Bacon
Ingredients
- 12 oz. bacon
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Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with two layers of parchment paper. (This will help the bacon crisp up, as well as prevent bacon grease from spilling onto your sheet pan.)
- Place the bacon onto the prepared sheet pan. Give each strip of bacon a little space so it can roast.
- Place the bacon in the oven on the middle rack. Turn the oven on to 400°F.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. Check on the bacon at the 15-minute mark to see how it's doing. (If baking turkey bacon, check at the 10-12 minute mark.) We want it to be crisping up, but not to be totally browned.
- Remove from the oven, and flip the bacon using a pair of tongs.
- Place the sheet pan back in the oven, and bake for another 6-10 minutes, or until desired crispness. This will change based on the thickness of the bacon you have.
- Remove from the oven, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Blot to remove any excess grease.
- Drain and cool slightly, then enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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