Perfect Oven-Baked Bacon Recipe
This recipe is the absolute best way I've found to cook bacon. There's no need to flip the bacon or stand at the stove watching it. You can cook a whole pound at once and the cleanup is very easy with minimal mess. Try it—I think you'll agree!
Servings: 6
Calories: 150kcal
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Metal cooking rack (optional)
- Aluminum foil
- Paper towels
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon, thin or thick-cut
Instructions
- Do not preheat the oven!
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Lay bacon on top of the foil in a single layer.
- Optional: Place parchment paper on top of the foil to aid in absorbing grease.
- Optional: For extra crispy bacon, fit a metal, oven-safe baking cooling rack on top of the foil-lined and (optionally) parchment paper sheet pan.
- Place pan of bacon in the cold oven. Close the door and set to 400 F.
- Bake until golden brown or to taste, for about 25 minutes. Watch carefully to as to avoid overcooking.
- Using tongs, move the perfectly oven-baked bacon to a paper-towel-lined platter.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Elevating the bacon on a cooling rack above the foil-lined sheet pan allows air to circulate more readily, resulting in an extra-crispy outcome. Because all ovens behave differently, begin monitoring at about 18 minutes so you know how quickly or slowly your oven will cook the bacon. This is especially important if using very thinly cut bacon. Once you become familiar with how your oven works with bacon, you'll be able to set the timer exactly right to eliminate the need to monitor.
Leftover bacon, wrapped tightly in foil or stored in a lidded container, will be good for up to one week when stored in the refrigerator. Frozen, up to 3 months.
To reuse leftover bacon, microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or to your liking.
Nutrition
Calories: 150kcal
