How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
My quick and easy method for getting perfectly crispy bacon in the oven without making a mess.
Oven bacon is incredibly easy. It also tastes just as good as bacon cooked in a skillet, if not better. I’m pretty picky when it comes to taste. I’m also picky about the texture of the food I prepare. This method passes the test in both taste and texture. Although this is in the recipe category, it is more of a tutorial than a recipe. I cook bacon like this for my family almost every week. I want to share with you how easy it is to cook bacon in the oven!
Cooking bacon in the oven gives consistent results and you can make your bacon as crispy as you wish. It’s so easy and quick to make right on a baking sheet. You can also place an oven-safe cooling rack over a baking sheet to make the bacon even crispier and help the grease drip directly off of the bacon when cooking. I prefer to use just a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil because it is so easy to clean up afterwards.
Saving Money with Oven Cooked Bacon
Cooking Bacon in Bulk
The best part of making bacon in the oven is that you can make it in bulk easily. Whether you cook bacon in a skillet or in the oven won’t save you money in the method itself. But you can save money by purchasing bacon in bulk when it goes on sale, using the oven method to cook it and freeze it in batches. And yes, you can freeze it!
Seasoning Cooked Bacon in the Oven
Have you ever seasoned your bacon? Using some of your kitchen stock ingredients to season your bacon can elevate it tremendously. The Kitchn shares 5 Flavorful Ways to Season Bacon with Spices. The Balsamic-Brown Sugar Bacon flavor (#5 on the list) only needs balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and black pepper. Those are all kitchen stock ingredients you’ll already have on hand. These items will not cost you any extra trips to the store. This saves you both time and money.
Saving the Bacon Grease
If you like saving bacon grease, cook the bacon in the oven. This is a very easy way to collect the bacon grease for future uses. All you have to do is tilt the baking sheet into a bacon grease container. Do this after the bacon cooks and you have removed the slices.
Keep the saved bacon grease in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months. You can also freeze bacon grease. I recommend transferring the cooled bacon grease to ice trays to freeze and then transferring those to a freezer bag. This way you can pull out single servings as needed.
If you haven’t already, be sure to grab a copy of my kitchen stock list. All of my recipes on this blog are created with the kitchen stock in mind. This approach saves both time and money!
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
To make bacon in the oven, all you technically need is a rimmed baking sheet or sheet pan.
However, I’ll share a couple of additional items below. These can make it easier to clean up and make your bacon crispier.
When you cook the bacon, be sure to not overlap the slices in the pan. I can usually fit a standard package of bacon in one baking sheet pan. However, you may need two pans. Alternatively, you can cook in multiple batches.
To make it easier to clean up, you can line the pan with aluminum foil. Wrap the aluminum foil over the edges of the pan. This prevents the grease from sneaking under the foil.
To make the bacon even crispier, place an oven-safe cooling rack over the baking sheet. This technique helps make the bacon crispier. Using a cooling rack also helps the grease drip directly off of the bacon when cooking.
I prefer to use just a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. It’s so easy to clean up afterwards. I usually just move the bacon to a plate with paper towels after they cook to soak up extra grease.
Serving Bacon Cooked in the Oven
If you’re making the bacon for breakfast, it is great as a supporting side dish. Pair it with another protein like scrambled eggs or Greek yogurt. Add a carb like pancakes or muffins. Oven cooked bacon goes great with my Buttermilk Pancakes.
Making Bacon in the Oven in Advance and Freezing
I highly recommend freezing cooked bacon. It can save a tremendous amount of time in the mornings if you’re using bacon for your breakfast. It can also help cut down meal prep time. Use it for topping soups, burgers, or adding in sandwiches.
Making Ahead: Once the pancakes have cooled, store them in an airtight container or zip lock bag. You can keep them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Reheat: Reheat the bacon in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Alternatively, use an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes on a baking sheet. Another option is to use a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes. The skillet always gives me the best results. I recommend using a skillet to reheat bacon.
Freezing: After the bacon has cooled, lay them on a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Transfer the slices to an airtight zip-lock freezer bag. Freeze for 1-2 months.
Thawing: Thaw the bacon in the fridge overnight. Reheat according to directions above.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Equipment
- Baking Sheet Pan
- Paper Towels For collecting grease after bacon cooks
- Aluminum Foil (Optional)
- Oven-Safe Cooling Rack (Optional)
Ingredients
- 1 Package of Bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Place the slices of baking without overlapping on the rimmed baking sheet pan. *If using aluminum foil, add the aluminum foil first to the baking sheet. *If using aluminum foil and cooling rack, add the aluminum foil to the baking sheet and then top the baking sheet with the cooling rack.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack and cook for 15-20 minutes or to your desired crispness.
- Once bacon is done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined dish to allow the excess grease to absorb off the bacon.
- Serve the bacon warm or reference making ahead and freezing instructions for later use.
I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe and share it with your friends. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Find and follow Sweet Tea Meals us on social media.
Hi, Friends! Welcome! I’m Julia, the creator of Sweet Tea Meals. I’m a stay-at-home mom of two and a self-taught home cook. I’m on a mission to bring joy back to your kitchen with simple, low-cost and well-organized recipes. I’m so glad you’re here.
Did you make this recipe? Share your tips with others!