Looking to make the best most flavorful bacon ever? Then you need this oven baked bacon recipe in your life!
Oven Baked Bacon is life changing. It is the most flavorful, perfectly cooked bacon you will ever have.
Bold statement I know- but I stand by it.
Why bake bacon?
Baking bacon- especially starting with a cold oven and bringing everything up to temperature together, renders the fat perfectly- which means it is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Plus, it makes the most perfectly crunchy but not burned bacon.
Like your bacon on the softer side? Just bake it a little less- that's easy.
That's what I did to make these tasty bacon roses!
Baked bacon also helps avoid all the splatter (and occasional burns to the forearms- ouch!) from frying on the stove-top and since it is baking in the oven it frees up the stove to cook other delicious things!
How to Bake Bacon?
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (foil will crisp the bacon a little more)
- Place bacon in a single layer spaced evenly
- Place in oven- when it’s cold!
- Preheat oven to temp and set a timer
- Check the bacon when the timer goes off- then bake a little longer if needed.
- Enjoy!
Can I make a large batch and then reheat the bacon?
Yes! Make sure to store leftover bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To reheat simply toss in whatever cooking pan you are using until warmed through- flipping to heat both sides.
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You can also microwave the bacon to reheat but I’d recommend turning the power lever on the microwave to 50% and heating it for 10 seconds- you want to avoid cooking/burning the already-cooked bacon.
The bacon is also really delicious cold- there I said it!
What to do with the leftover grease on the baking sheet?
The fat from the bacon will be perfectly rendered and you can save the drippings for use in cooking.
Just pour the rendered grease into an airtight heat-safe container- (be careful because the grease will be hot!) and refrigerate. Use for frying, sautéing, or adding extra flavor to gravy!
What kind of bacon should you bake?
You can use any bacon but the baking time will vary based on the thickness. The thinner the bacon the less time it will need to bake and you will want to check it a little more often.
The last 10 minutes of baking make sure to check the bacon a few times so you don’t over cook it. No one wants burned bacon!
Can you bake turkey bacon?
Yep! Check out my How to Bake Turkey Bacon recipe here! It will still be delicious but it won’t be as delicious as pork bacon.
Turkey bacon is a combination of mostly dark meat with some white meet. The fat content is different and well it’s just not real bacon.
That being said it is still tasty and can still be baked.
What to use bacon in?
- Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
- Breakfast Tacos
- Breakfast Burritos
- Apple Chutney Bacon Burger (AKA the best burger ever!)
- Green Chile Burger (also delicious!)
- Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese
What is your favorite way to eat bacon? Are you team crunchy or team soft?
Let me know in the comments below!
Video
Oven Baked Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacon
Instructions
- Place bacon on a foil or parchment lined rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
- Place bacon in cold oven.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and set a timer for 15 minutes.
- By the timer hits 15 minutes your oven will most likely be preheated- check your bacon and depending on how crispy you want it bake it for another 2-5 minutes.
- Bacon is done when it is golden.
Notes
- The thickness of your bacon will determine how long it needs to be baked- thicker will need a little longer
- If your oven heats unevenly then turn the tray halfway through baking (~8-10-minute mark)
- Make sure to keep an eye on it those last few minutes of baking- you don’t want to burn the bacon.
- Store leftover bacon in an airtight container.
- The fat from the bacon will be perfectly rendered and you can save the drippings for use in cooking. Just pour the rendered grease into an airtight heat safe container- (be careful because grease will be hot!) and refrigerate. Use for frying or sautéing.
Tom says
Fantastic! Quick and simple. Put the bacon in the oven then work on the rest of breakfast. It comes out perfect. With my oven it takes 22 minutes for them crispy to my taste. I can plan pancakes or eggs around that time frame and have everything ready and hot at the same time.
Lisa says
So glad you enjoyed it! It really is so nice to have it cooking in the oven while freeing up the rest of the stove for all the other tasty breakfast things!
MALLORIE says
You saved my breakfast again!!
Lisa says
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed it!