Ohhhhh, the things you can do with oven cooked bacon! The list is endless! Bacon adds that perfect salty crunch to nearly everything, from salads to sandwiches. But there is nothing worse than wanting to add a crispy bite to your dish, only to find that the bacon is limp and greasy. Stove-top bacon is wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re like me, you inevitably burn yourself from the popping grease or end up with a slimy mess to clean up afterwards. That’s why I’ve perfected the art of making oven cooked bacon.
This method is simple, easy to clean up, and creates the perfect bacon every time. Plus, the grease is minimized, and there are fewer dishes to clean afterward. Let me walk you through the steps for a hassle-free bacon experience.
Step 1: Prepare Your Equipment
First, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, making sure to pinch the edges over the sides. This will help contain the bacon grease and make cleanup a breeze. The aluminum foil prevents grease from spilling and allows you to fold it up when you’re done, saving you from scrubbing the pan.
Next, place a wire rack over the cookie sheet. The rack will allow the grease to drain away from the bacon as it cooks, ensuring that you get perfectly crispy results. I prefer using wire cooling sheets with raised edges for this step. They allow the bacon to cook evenly from all sides, helping it crisp up beautifully.
Step 2: Arrange the Bacon
Once your pan is prepped, it’s time to place the bacon. Lay the slices of bacon perpendicular to the wires of the rack. Don’t worry if the slices overlap slightly, the bacon will shrink during cooking, giving it room to crisp up. You can stack them a little deeper if you need to make a large batch. Just make sure there is enough room for air to circulate around each slice for even cooking.
“Stack them deep! Don’t be afraid to layer your bacon. A little overlap won’t hurt.”
Step 3: Bake the Bacon
Now it’s time to pop the bacon into the oven. Set the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake the bacon for about 15 minutes. The baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon and how crispy you like it. Keep a close eye on it, as bacon can go from perfectly crispy to overdone very quickly.
If you’re using thick-cut bacon, you may need to extend the cooking time by a few minutes. It’s a good idea to check the bacon at the 10-minute mark and then monitor it every couple of minutes until it reaches your desired doneness.
Step 4: Remove the Bacon
Once the bacon is cooked to perfection, carefully remove it from the oven. Be mindful of the grease that has accumulated on the aluminum foil. It can be hot, so handle with care.
“Look at that pan! Not a drop of grease on it. Talk about easy clean-up!”
Let the bacon rest on the rack for a moment. If you want to reduce any residual grease, you can pat it dry with a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb any extra grease, leaving the bacon crispy and ready to go.
Step 5: Dispose of the Grease
The best part of using this oven method is that most of the grease has already drained into the aluminum foil. Carefully fold it up and dispose of it. It’s a simple step, but it saves you time cleaning the pan and gives you a healthier, less greasy bacon.
Step 6: Enjoy Your Oven Cooked Bacon
Now that your oven cooked bacon is ready, the possibilities are endless! It’s perfect for a BLT, on top of a cobb salad, or as a side to your eggs and toast. Be warned, this bacon is so good that it’s hard to save for later. My husband usually eats most of mine before I can even get it into a sandwich!
I often use this style of bacon in dishes like Chicken Bacon Ranch Paninis, or I chop it up and add it to my Freezer Friendly Potato Cheese Soup or sprinkle it on top of a Grilled Chicken Artichoke Salad.
“Can’t you just hear the crunch and taste the salt?”
This oven cooked bacon method is perfect for those who love bacon but want to avoid the mess and hassle. Whether you’re making a quick breakfast or prepping for a dinner party, this is the way to go.
The Bacon Crunch You Crave
There you have it, the perfect, crispy, and easy-to-clean oven cooked bacon. What is your favorite way to use bacon? Do you prefer it in sandwiches, salads, or something else entirely? Let me know in the comments below. Happy cooking, y’all!
