How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Cooking bacon in the oven creates perfectly crispy, delicious bacon. It’s also super easy, creates less mess than cooking it on the stovetop and allows you to multitask in the kitchen. If you’ve never baked bacon, give it a try!
So what do you serve your bacon with? Well, everything! Including my poached eggs, soft and hard boiled eggs and fried eggs. And you can’t forget my paleo pancakes (and dipping bacon in that maple syrup – yum).
Cooking Bacon in the Oven
When it comes to the most perfectly crispy, evenly cooked bacon you really can’t beat cooking bacon in the oven. But it’s amazing how many people have never tried it. It seems the stovetop reigns supreme.
Today I’ll share with you why you should change your habits and cook bacon in the oven. And trust me, once you cook bacon in the oven, you’ll never cook it on the stovetop again!
Cooking bacon on the stove creates splatters all over your stove top and produces hot spots on the pan. This means certain pieces of bacon may cook faster than others. And it’s why you might have some bacon slices that accidentally charcoal a bit too much while other slices are still undercooked.
Cooking bacon in the oven cooks all of your bacon slices evenly as the heat surrounds them. They slowly sizzle, don’t splatter and end up evenly cooked. It’s a beautiful thing.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
It’s incredibly easy! Though it always helps to watch a quick video tutorial. Watch the video below!
Oven Baked Bacon – In 5 Steps
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lay the bacon slices on the baking sheet.
- Cook the bacon for 10 to 20 minutes or until it’s as crispy as you’d like.
- Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Benefits of Cooking Bacon in the Oven
- First, you can cook for a crowd (and sometimes that crowd is just your immediate family). This is key for the holidays or when lots of people descend on your house. It’s also HUGE for helping you keep your sanity in the kitchen with the masses.
- Second, cooking bacon in the oven is way cleaner than cooking bacon on the stove. I’m notorious for getting splatters all over the stovetop because I probably cook my bacon a bit too hot. But when you cook bacon in the oven you don’t get any splatters because the bacon just sizzles until it’s perfectly crispy (or done to your liking).
- Lastly, cooking bacon in the oven allows you to multitask in the kitchen. Because once you toss that sheet pan of glorious bacon in the oven, you’re free for about 15 minutes to whip up some eggs or make a batch of pancakes or waffles.
A Few More Tips
- Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper (or don’t line it at all – but that’s messy). With parchment paper it’s as simple as tearing off a piece, placing the bacon on top and cooking.
- Should you place the bacon on a cooling rack to cook? I don’t think so. I tried it and the difference is negligible. But then I had to clean a cooling rack (and those buggers are hard to clean).
- 400 degrees fahrenheit works well for both regular and thick cut bacon. Heat your oven and cook the bacon for 10 to 20 minutes or until it’s reached your desired level of crispiness. I do rotate the pan halfway through, just to ensure even cooking, but that’s it. And remember that your bacon will continue to crisp up once it dries.
What to do with Bacon Grease? Save it!
If you purchase organic bacon, as I do, definitely consider rendering and saving the bacon grease. Not only does bacon grease impart a richness of flavor into braised meats and other dishes, it has a high smoke point which means it’s far more stable to cook with.
Here’s how to render bacon grease:
- Once you’ve cooked your bacon, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Line a fine mesh sieve with another paper towel (you could also use a nut milk bag or cheesecloth) and pour the hot bacon grease over the sieve and into a glass jar.
- Note: it’s important to use glass and not plastic, as you’ll melt plastic with hot bacon grease.
You can see in the photo above that I had some previous bacon fat already in my glass jar that’s opaque and lighter in color. When I have a new batch of bacon, I just pour this straight on top then cover the jar and refrigerate it.
So what do I use my rendered bacon grease for? Oh, just about everything. It’s what I fry my eggs in and how I sear pretty much any meat. It’s also great for sautéed or roasted vegetables to add depth and flavor.
Tasty Recipes with Crispy Bacon
- Bacon Deviled Eggs
- Cobb Salad
- Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro, Lime and Bacon Slaw
- Broccoli Salad
- BLT Salad with Avocado and Sprouts
- Baked Eggs in Avocado
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven (Easy & Crispy)
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 8 bacon slices
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper, then place the bacon side-by-side on the tray.
- Cook the bacon for 10 to 20 minutes or until it's reached your desired level of crispiness. Make sure to check on it after about 10 minutes, as some ovens cook faster. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the bacon with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate.
- If you're rendering the bacon fat, line a fine mesh sieve with a paper towel. Then place the sieve over a glass storage container and pour the bacon fat from the sheet tray into the sieve. Cover the glass storage container and place it in the refrigerator for future cooking needs.
Lisa's Tips
- If you don't have a heavy-duty baking sheet I recommend purchasing some. They never warp or bend in the oven!
- Please note that all ovens cook slightly differently. It's best to keep an eye on the bacon past the 10-minute mark so you can ensure it's cooked to your personal preference. If you scroll through the comments you'll see some people have raw bacon at 15 minutes and some have burnt bacon at 15 minutes. After years of comments on this recipe, I've widened the cooking time to 10 to 20 minutes, as all ovens do bake differently.
Nutrition
Recipe originally published December 2016, but updated with new photos and information.
Cooking bacon in the oven is by far the superior method to cook bacon and makes it super easy to render the bacon fat, which is like the best part! I always like to coat it in brown sugar and make candied bacon too!
Hi Jacob- It really is the best method! And loved how you added a bit of brown sugar. Sounds delicious :)
Question… where is that shelf in the background from. I’m looking for a good shelf like that to install in my kitchen. Please let me know. Thank you!
I DIY’d that shelf myself. :)
Thanks Lisa! I just tried this method and it worked great!
Hi Jasmen – wonderful! I’m so happy to hear it!
Thank you! This means a lot during stay-at-home, because of the busy use of our kitchen these days.
This is definitely my all time favorite way to cook bacon :)
It makes mornings with our family easy!!
I agree! Oven baked bacon is the best. :)
IF YOU WET THE BACON SLIGHTLY IT PREVENTS IT FROM SHRIVELING UP. GOOD TO DO THIS IF YOU ARE GOING TO WRAP IT AROUND SCALLOPS OR JALAPENO POPPERS . LAY IT ON PARCHMENT PAPER AND BAKE AS OTHERS SUGGEST.
Can I use foil don’t have parment paper
Hi Mack- Foil is fine :)
I dont know who’s oven is wrong here but it took, no kidding, 45 minutes to do 10 strips. 20 minutes in and the bacon still looked fresh off the pig. What are all you guys setting your ovens to? Ive had this oven for 2 years and never had a temperature problem.
Hi Jill – it should definitely not take 45 minutes to cook bacon in an oven. Did you make sure to preheat your oven first?
Thank you for such amazing tips! I always prefer cooking bacon in the oven using the oven racks. Following this method, bacon turns out to be crispier and perfectly cooked.
Hi Terry- Glad you found this recipe to be extremely helpful!
Easy to follow no nonsense. I like that you only discuss the topic or recipe rather than a bunch of jibber jab. how refreshing!
Easy to follow no nine cents talks about the subject and not herself how refreshing
I was really excited to try this, I love crispy bacon and was in the mood for BLTs. Unfortunately, at about 14 minutes smoke was filling the kitchen and the bacon was burnt completely black. Not sure if it’s an elevation thing or just the oven. Next time I’ll try 350 for 12 minutes.
Hi Amber – elevation can definitely affect recipes (though typically more on the baking side). If you’re at a higher elevation I’d recommend tweaking the recipes to suit higher elevations.
Easier? Yes. Better, no! Thought I’d give this recipe a try and was disappointed. If you’re new to cooking bacon give it a try but don’t settle without trying pan frying. It’s more complicated, messier but done right It’s *much* better!
Thanks for giving this recipe a try Keith. Sorry you didn’t love it. I guess we all have our favorite cooking methods at the end of the day. :)
Wait… how do you not get splattered bacon grease EVERYWHERE? I once had a British friend tell me we needed to cook the bacon in the oven. We used my broiler pan and OH MY GAWWWWWWWD it was the biggest oven mess I’ve ever seen in my life. I am terrirrrrffied of this recipe. So this really won’t splatter all over the oven? And how do you clean a cheese cloth that has bacon grease on it? Are these one time use items? I’m still learning here.
Hi Ella – From my experience and many other fellow Downshifters, there’s been no oil splatter problem from cooking bacon in the oven. The bacon will just sizzle in place and is much cleaner than using the stovetop method :) Give it a try and let me know if this works for you! Also, I don’t normally use a cheese cloth to place the bacon on top, just a sheet of paper towel.
Hi Downshiftology. In the method, cheescloth was used when straining the fat whilst rendering, not to place the cooked bacon on. I think, certainly in my experience that paper towels are a cleaner and easier option for straining fat. I also do this when deep fat frying
Hi Ian- Yes, you can also use a paper towel as well if you’d like!
I love using the oven method for cooking bacon especially when I have the family come to visit. That means bacon for 10. Can I do two trays on Convection or is better to do on Regular to have bacon ready at same time? Thanks.
Hi Valerie – It’s best to cook the bacon in a regular oven so that oil doesn’t splatter :)
I live at almost 9000 feet in elevation. For perfect crispy bacon at this altitude in a Wolf oven…. It took 425 F for 22 minutes. I wanted to say that the parchment paper was far superior to foil. On the foil it tended to pop at that temperature but not so with the parchment paper. Thanks for the recipe!!
I find a cooking rack gives me way crispier and less greasy,and yes they are hard to clean
Had been using foil previously and wished the bacon would be crispier. Got a little too much of what I wished for- 18 minutes at 400F and the bacon came out cartoonishly burnt (kitchen filled with smoke, nothing left but little black charred rectangles). Going to try again with same temp and much shorter time, but keep a close eye on it- the timing apparently varies drastically from oven to oven and that should really be noted clearly in the recipe!!
Hi Casey – oh no, that’s a bummer your bacon came out overly cooked. Yes, all ovens cook slightly differently and even the placement of the tray in the oven can affect it. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on it and I’ll add a little note. I hope your next batch comes out perfect!
Thanks for adding a note! Fortunately had two packs of bacon. 13-14 minutes was perfect for crispy bacon here- updating to 5 stars
Wonderful! I’m so glad you found your perfect cook time. :)
Yummy!!!
Glad you loved this method of cooking bacon Monica :)
Perfect every single time and easy cleanup. Allows you to do other kitchen prep work vs cooking the bacon on the stove top and it can be a mess fest. Lately I’ve been doing 20 minutes at 425 degrees and for me it comes out perfect to my liking. Encourage to adjust as needed since all ovens are calibrated a bit differently. Winner all day every day! fits a nice package for lunch of 3 strips, 3 hard boiled eggs, seaweed snack pack and 1/4 cup macadamia nuts and I’m golden. Thank you Lisa!
Hi Travis – You’re definitely right, it allows you to work on other prep work while the bacon is cooking in the oven! Glad you found a time that works for you, as everyone’s oven cooks differently and at different temperatures.
I tried this and it works PERFECTLY! I like how you can still save the bacon drippings for future use.
Hi Amy – So glad this method worked out for you! :) And I always save the bacon grease!
This is my favorite way to cook bacon! Such an easy to follow recipe.
Bacon in the oven is my absolute fave! I only make them in the oven now and it’s so much easier in terms of avoiding a mess from frying!
Hi Shankika – Yes! I also love how this keeps your kitchen a bit cleaner :)
Once I discover the trick to cook bacon in my oven, I never look back. And so much yes to saving the lovely grease. They make everything I cook with it tastes a million times better. :)
Hi Anita – This is definitely my favorite way to cook bacon :)
What a brilliant idea for cooking bacon! It’s a family favorite but fixing it is so messy. This is perfect!
Hi Vicky – This is a great way to keep your stove top clean :)
This is hands down the BEST way to make bacon!
Hi Deanne – It gives the best crispy texture! :)
Hi Lisa,
Just a very small catch that the oven time You offer as a guide in written form and then with the video are different.
We always do bacon in the oven just to have on hand. I bake off one pkg at a time and the portion it in glass containers or foil for all sorts of uses.
We also create rounds of deli meat appetizers out of salami, pepperoni, bologna and tavern ham also on parchment at 400* for a cheese tray or appetizer platter.
Hi Hillary – Yes, I did make a slight change in my recipe as my current oven needs a bit more cooking time compared to my old oven! So, the timing will really depend on how hot your oven cooks. Just make sure to keep an eye on it, but the timing should be between 10-20 minutes :)
Thank you for the recipe. That’s a life saver for me + no cleaning needed (if you use Perchment paper) 😉
Hi Helen – Glad you found this method effective for you :)
How long does the bacon keep in the fridge vs freezer? Also, how long does the rendered fat keep? Thanks for all the tips!
Hi Eliza – cooked bacon will last 4-5 days in the fridge and several weeks (if not months) in the freezer. The rendered fat keeps for months in the fridge as well. :)
Instead of parchment I use a Liner of heavy duty foil to rise 1″ above sides and a second bottom only Liner of non stick foil. No mess in cookie pan.
Best to use a oversized rimmed Teflon or similar cookie sheet.
Temp at 350 only and cook for about a half houruntil medium brown. Take pan out of oven and place on stove placing a pothole or similar under one corner in order for fat to drain down one area. Bacon will stay flat.
When cooled place bacon in large zip lock bag. Will keep up to a month in coolest part of frig. To reuse: take a plate, place paper towel on it, layer your bacon and nuke on high for about 35 seconds. As good as freshly made and can use for. It’s etc.
No splattering in oven by using this method and less than a smoky smell while baking.
I realize its been more than a year since you left your comment but I scrolled through all the questions for this information! I enjoy bacon but just a couple pieces at a time and try to spend one day a week pre cooking as much as I can. You have made my life so much easier, thank you.
Worst experiences of my life. I have tried it twice I cooked bacon for 15 minutes then 15 more and then grabbed a skillet and finished it by frying. My kitchen was a total mess but after 39 minutes int the oven the bacon was as raw as it was when I put it in and showed no signs of browning
If the bacon was in your oven for nearly 40 minutes with no sign of browning, I’d double check the temperature of your oven. It sounds like your oven is off somehow.
This sounds amazingly easy and I will be having a go this weekend. I am guessing the bacon would be perfect for a classic bacon, lettuce and tomorrow sandwich too?
Hi Caroline – Yes, I always make my bacon this way and I’ll use leftovers for a BLT salad, or my Cobb salad. Enjoy! :)
This is the only way my wife and I cook bacon now. But we start with a cold oven. We use foil to line the cookie sheet, place the tray of bacon in the cold oven, set temp for 400, and cook for about 25 minutes. Almost perfect every time.
Hi David – Thank you for contributing advice on cooking bacon in the oven! I know others find it helpful to read the comments for alternative methods! :)
I have been cooking bacon in the oven off and on for 20 plus years. Long story involved, caring for mom with dementia who sometimes wanted her daily slices oven or cast iron skillet or microwaved . Learned to ask ahead of time.
Fact is though you can cook bacon at any temperature and only vary the time. Even at 325 they will still come out crispy. For me it depends on what else I may be doing for brunch. If it’s just bacon, eggs and toast then I go for upper temperatures. I didn’t read all your intro but one of bonusses of oven is they come out straight for not sandwiches!
Hi Jan – yes, you’re right. You can cook bacon at a wide variety of temperatures and just adjust the cooking time. I do love that the pieces come out perfectly straight as well. And it’s less mess. ;) Enjoy!
Wow, This sounds yummy also looks easy to make. I also love crispy bacon. Why I have never tried this before. I will try it for sure. Thanks for the sharing this interesting idea.
You’re welcome! It’s amazing how much easier it is to cook bacon in the oven. I hope you enjoy this new method!
What a fantastic, wonderfully informative post! Definitely wondering why I’ve never cooked bacon in the oven now :)
Thanks Emma! I think most people are just in the habit of cooking bacon on the stove. But once you cook bacon in the oven, it’ll become your preferred method for sure. :)
I love crispy bacon! Looks so delicious and I love how easy it is to make, instead of frying ♥
You and me both! ;) And it’s so much easier than frying.
Such a great way to cook bacon, keeps grease from popping back up on you!
Yes! It’s so much cleaner and there’s no bacon grease mess all over your stove or countertop. That’s always a win for me. ;)
Also enjoy this method because it frees up the stove for other uses at the same time; like eggs and pancakes!
Cooking it in the oven is much easier than fighting with it on top of the stove. Plus is makes the stove top free to make other food.
Very true! I’ll usually whip up some scrambled eggs at the same time and not have to worry about watching the bacon closely. Much easier!
Great tips on rendering bacon fat. So many uses for it, it’s incredible when you think about it how it is just thrown away without second thought. Not me! :)
Thanks Cathy! And I’m with you, definitely don’t want to throw away that bacon fat – so many uses! :)
Make sure to COOL the bacon grease for a few minutes before pouring into GLASS (or plastic, like I do). Right out of the oven will shatter that glass, and melt a plastic container!
Yes, that’s a good reminder! :)
great video thanks for the bacon
You’re welcome! :)
Thanks for teaching me how to cook bacon in the oven. I usually set up an electric skillet out on our screened in porch and cook several packages. Then, I save the bacon fat in small glass containers and put them in the freezer. The good thing about doing it outside is that my house doesn’t end up smelling of bacon for days. The bad thing about doing it outside is that I do have to keep a watch on it. Cooked bacon can be frozen and then reheated in the microwave. That’s what I do. I make huge batches of bacon and then freeze it for when the summer tomatoes are ripe. I also do this and freeze the bacon for holidays.
Sounds like you’ve got it down Alice! Though my only difference is that I’m okay having my house smell like bacon. Ha! ;) x
This was great. And the bacon in these photo’s looks so yummy, too:) !!
I can assure you it was! ;) The hard part of shooting food photos is not wanting to eat it all first. Lol!
Hi, Lisa :) Your cooking is great, i really like it. And your bacon looks like it came out fabulous! ?
What a great how to! perfect when catering for a crowd at breakfast or brunch – one less thing to watch on the stove!!
Yes, and one less thing on the stove is always a good thing!
I love making bacon in the oven – so easy to roast up a big batch when I’m hosting brunch!
Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Ha, this is my chosen way of cooking bacon, but word of warning: never put bacon to cook in the oven and go to blow dry your hair. It may just end with firefighters coming to visit! ;)
Oh no!!! That totally sounds like something I’d do though! Haha. ;)
Wonderful cooking method! And you can’t beat a home-cooked breakfast with loved ones :)
Agree! And those home-cooked breakfasts are even better when my bro is doing all the work. Lol! ;) x
I love that this will keep my stove top clean from all the grease! Love it!
Totally! Wiping up your stove after cooking bacon seems like such a chore. But you don’t have to do that when you cook it in the oven! :)
Why have I never thought of cooking bacon in the oven? We usually just fry bacon on a pan with lots of oil! Gotta try your method!
I know, I was the same up until last year. Then this became life changing! ;) x