I don’t love making bacon. It pops and sizzles all over the place and really has to be babysat. Don’t love it at all. BUT, now I know how to make bacon in the oven with minimal mess. And it really couldn’t be easier. If you haven’t ever tried this method…try it next time!! It’s awesome!
How to Make Bacon in the Oven
Bacon.
We all love it, yet it’s not that fun to make. It pops and sizzles and has to be babysat when cooked in a skillet.
Well, don’t cook it in a skillet! Cook it in the oven on a cookie sheet. It takes the hassle out of cooking bacon (not to mention there is practically zero mess to clean up).
Step 1: Grab a cookie sheet and line it will foil (I like to use Reynolds Grilling Foil. It’s large enough to cover the edges of the cookie sheet and it’s non-stick as well).*
Step 2: Place the uncooked bacon on the foil-lined cookie sheet. Place the bacon close to each other, but without touching. If you want to do a huge batch of bacon then use 2 cookie sheets.
Step 3: Place the cookie sheet in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F. Set your timer for 15 minutes.
Step 4. After the 15 minutes is up, check your bacon. If you like it more crispy or if you have thick slices of bacon, you may need to cook it for 5-10 more minutes.
Step 5. When bacon is cooked to desired doneness, remove cookie sheet from oven. Use tongs to place slices of bacon on a couple of layers of paper towels. Top the bacon with another layer of paper towels and press down gently to absorb any extraneous grease.
Step 6. Carefully fold the foil and toss it, with all the mess, into the garbage.
Step 7: Eat your bacon and enjoy (or use it in one of the recipes below).
*Some people have said that they line their cookie sheet with foil and then place a rack on top. Then they put the bacon on top of the cooling rack. The grease drips down onto the foil and leaves the bacon nice and crispy. I haven’t tried this method yet but I plan to soon!
We use a pan that has a rack. so the grease isn’t swimming around on the bacon. The oven is set for 390° and cook 10 minutes for regular and 12-14 minutes for crispy. Works every time.
Good tips! Thanks!
Didn’t work, maybe it’s my oven. But we waited about 25 mins and finally decided to finish them off on the griddle.
I turn my oven on to 325 F. It’s slower but it’s much easier to get the bacon just right.
I use 2 sheets of parchment paper. Two sheets are necessary because the grease WILL get through the first one. Nothing will stick!!! Much better than foil. You must use a pan or cookie sheet with sides.
I can’t give you the time because I use really thick cut deli bacon. For me it’s between 20 and thirty minutes.
Clean up by putting enough paper towels on the parchment to sop up the grease and then wrap the parchment into a little parcel and put in garbage. Put the pan away., It should be clean. With the lower temperature, here will be less splatter on you oven walls to clean later.
Thanks for the good tips Sarah!
I will be trying this real soon. Sounds amazing. I like to fry up a lot of bacon at a time & put it in zip-loc in the ‘fridge to make BLT’s while the tomatoes are in season. This will be so much easier & a whole lot LESS messy. Thanks.
I LOVE BLTs!!!
I tried this multiple times and my oven gets super smoky and when I open the door smoke rolls out and sets off the smoke detector and the bacon isn’t even done cooking! Ugh! What am I doing wrong?
Get a thermometer for your oven.
Did this last night for crispy bacon bits on our salads for lunch today. This was the best idea ever!!!! Thank you!! I will be cooking bacon ALOT more now!
Sounds nice & easy, but I’m wondering if you’ll get the oven all splattered up with bacon grease while the bacon is cooking?
I haven’t had that problem!
Put a piece of parchment paper on top of the bacon so it doesn’t splatter all over.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for this great article. I cooked bacon, just the way you explain it, and it was perrrrfect!!
how wonderful to hear, Jennifer!
I need to start doing this…we all love bacon here and I always make such a mess!
This will be so much better!
Jessica, that is so smart. I will try that next time. Thanks for the tip!
I've made bacon like this for years. I wouldn't do it any other way! I've started putting a metal cookie rack on top of the foil so the bacon doesn't sit in the grease. Works like a charm!