Oh, bacon, why do you have to be so delicious? There really aren’t that many things that bacon can’t improve, and it’s basically its own food group at this point! We like to have bacon with pancakes or waffles, and I don’t know about any of you… but my only problem with bacon is that I don’t like the mess and the grease splatters that come from frying it in a pan. To solve this problem, I’ve been baking it in the oven for quite a while now. While I’m still not a huge fan of having to manage the grease, at least it isn’t popping all over my stovetop (and me) and making a mess. My favorite way to cook bacon is by far in the oven. So I wanted to make sure and get this easy post up for How to Cook Bacon in the Oven, so you can always have a place to find the temperature to cook it at and for how long.
Some people like to put a baking rack over a sheet pan to cook bacon in the oven, but I find that just makes one more really greasy thing to wash. Wrapping your entire rimmed cooking sheet in foil is probably the cleanest way. Once you remove the bacon and the grease cools, you can just carefully roll/wad up the foil and toss it. I use foil sometimes, but sometimes I’m too lazy to do that. I also like to keep the grease sometimes for other recipes or to fry eggs. Foil or not, the only way to cook bacon in the oven is with a rimmed cookie sheet or a 9×13 pan, if you are doing a smaller batch of bacon. Otherwise, you will have a very huge mess and possibly a fire in your oven from the bacon grease.
My Favorite Recipes with Bacon
- Loaded Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Corn Chowder
- Classic Broccoli Salad Recipe
- Sarah’s Salad
- Easy Clam Chowder
- Layered Salad
Step-by-step pictures for how to cook bacon in the oven
Frequently Asked Questions for How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
what is the best type of pan to use?
It’s important to use a rimmed baking sheet or a 9×13 pan so that the grease does not spill onto the bottom of the oven as the bacon cooks.
how should I arrange the bacon on the pan?
Place the bacon slices next to one another on the baking sheet, trying not to touch or overlap one another. I put the slices really close to each other so I can fit more on the baking sheet.
how do I know when the bacon is done cooking?
When the bacon is golden brown, it is done, but you can cook it longer to reach the desired crispiness. Thick slices of bacon will take longer to cook than regular sliced bacon.
do I need to turn the bacon over halfway through baking it?
No, there’s no need to turn the bacon. It cooks evenly on both sides using the oven method.
do you recommend lining the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper?
You can use either aluminum foil or parchment paper. Both methods make for easier cleanup. When using aluminum foil, let the grease cool before wrapping up the foil to throw away. If you choose to use parchment paper, make sure to immediately pour the grease off the parchment paper. Otherwise, the grease will soak through and onto the pan.
how long does cooked bacon last in the fridge?
Bacon can be stored in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing the cooked bacon, consider putting it in an airtight ziplock bag and also wrapping it in foil to prevent freezer burn.
how should I store bacon grease?
If you plan on saving the bacon grease to use later, let it cool down a little bit, but don’t let it become solid. Strain the grease using a cheesecloth or coffee filter into a heat-proof container like a Mason jar. Seal the container with a lid and place it in the fridge or freezer so it stays fresh longer. If you always save bacon grease, consider buying a bacon grease container with a strainer–just one more way to make life easier. 🙂
chef’s tools:
More "How to" Recipes
- 12-16 ounces of sliced bacon
- 1 rimmed cooking sheet
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Arrange bacon on a cooking sheet, trying not to touch one another, if possible.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 14-20 minutes, depending on the crispness level you prefer for your bacon.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- Bacon can be stored in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months. *If freezing the cooked bacon, consider putting it in an airtight ziplock bag and also wrapping it in foil to prevent freezer burn.
- Enjoy!
Serve with...
This is the only way I cook bacon! For easy cleanup, wrap your pans with foil, no greasy mess!
Yes, It’s definitely a game changer! 🙂
I used to work in a large industrial-sized commercial kitchen and this is how we cooked bacon. But it made a mess of the inside of the oven. Is there any way to prevent that? Thanks.
I haven’t noticed it causing an issue in my oven, maybe the oven temp matters. Or was the industrial oven convection? You could also try putting a layer of paper towels on top of the bacon if you are worried about splatters.