Baking bacon results in perfectly cooked bacon, every time! Everybody loves bacon, right? Let me show you how to make PERFECT bacon every time – you’ll never make it another way again! How to Bake Bacon for the most perfect bacon you’ve ever seen! Step by step instructions make this so easy – restaurant quality bacon is just an oven away 🙂
Baking Bacon: A How To Guide to Making Perfect Bacon Every Time!
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Baking Bacon
Making perfect bacon is easier than you might think. I used to forgo making bacon because the gigantic mess it made just wasn’t worth the amazing taste. A few years ago I learned about baking bacon and it has changed my life forever.
Why should you bake your bacon?
- Baked bacon does not curl – you get nice straight bacon pieces every time.
- Cooks evenly – no white fatty pieces on one end and burnt bacon on the other.
- No splattering of bacon grease all over the place.
- No need to babysit the bacon. You don’t even have to turn it over!
- Tastes delicious.
What you will need to bake bacon:
- Shallow baking sheet
- Foil (heavy-duty preferable)
- Metal Cooling Rack (optional)
- Non-stick cooking spray (optional)
- Paper towels
How To Cook Bacon In The Oven:
- Line the baking sheet with foil. (You will want to use a baking sheet that has enough of a rim that it contains the bacon drippings.)
- If using a metal cooling rack, spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray, and place the rack inside the baking sheet.
- Place the bacon slices in a single layer either directly on the foil or on a rack Make sure not to overlap slices.
- Turn the oven on and set to 400 degrees. Do not wait for the oven to preheat. Go ahead and place the pan in the oven.
- Cook the bacon for 12-17 minutes. Cooking time depends on the thickness of your bacon, and how long it takes for you oven to come to temperature. Start checking your bacon around 10 minutes to ensure your bacon doesn’t burn. (Nothing worse than burnt bacon!)
- When the bacon is golden brown, the bacon is done.
- Once the bacon has reached your desired level of crispiness, remove immediately and place on paper towels to soak up the bacon grease.
- Eat and enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Baked Bacon
- The oven should be cold when you put the bacon in – do not preheat.
- Make sure you are watching the bacon closely during the last few minutes of baking to ensure that the bacon doesn’t burn.
- Remove the bacon from the rack or baking sheet right after removing from oven. The bacon will continue cooking as long as it is left in the pan or bacon fat.
- It is easy to flavor up the bacon. Try black pepper or brown sugar sprinkled on the top before baking – it will give your bacon a whole new flavor.
- Want to freeze your bacon? Under-cook your bacon by a couple of minutes , let it cool and then place it in Ziploc bag. To reheat, pull out a couple of slices and cook in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds.
How To Bake Bacon
Baking Bacon: A How-To Guide to Making Perfect Bacon Every Time
Ingredients
- 8 oz bacon
- Shallow baking sheet
- Foil heavy-duty preferable
- Metal Cooling Rack optional
- Non-stick cooking spray optional
- Paper towels
Instructions
- Line the baking sheet with foil. (You will want to use a baking sheet that has enough of a rim that it contains the bacon drippings.)
- If using a metal cooling rack, spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray, and place the rack inside the baking sheet.
- Place the bacon slices in a single layer either directly on the foil or on a rack Make sure not to overlap slices.
- Turn the oven on and set to 400 degrees. Do not wait for the oven to preheat. Go ahead and place the pan in the oven.
- Cook the bacon for 12-17 minutes. Cooking time depends on the thickness of your bacon, and how long it takes for you oven to come to temperature. Start checking your bacon around 10 minutes to ensure your bacon doesn’t burn. (Nothing worse than burnt bacon!)
- When the bacon is golden brown, the bacon is done.
- Once the bacon has reached your desired level of crispiness, remove immediately and place on paper towels to soak up the bacon grease.
- Eat and enjoy!
Nutrition
Some yummy bacon recipes:
Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Breakfast Burrito Bonanza – A Freezer Meal Idea
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
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MomOnTimeout says
Hehe! I can’t tell you how many times when I was writing up this post that the phrase “baking my bacon” popped up and made me laugh. It is weird! I’m glad you are going to give not preheating your oven a try and thanks for stopping by – hope to see you back!
Misskopykat says
I avoid cooking bacon because of the popping grease and uneven cooking. Thanks for posting this idea for baking it instead.
Misskopykat says
Deanna…thanks for reminding me to set the timer. I am bad about saying/thinking “Oh, I won’t forget about it (whatever might be cooking in the oven at the time)”… and I usually DO forget.
Mnifye says
I love baking my bacon. Boy doesn’t that sound weird? I’ve always preheated the oven, I’ll have to try it without preheating today – BLT’s are on my mind today.
I love the tip to underbake some and freeze it – I’ve never heard of that and will try it today.
Nicole@Thrifty Decorating says
Great idea!!
Jessica @ Sunny Tuesday says
Mmmmmm Bacon! This is a great way to make a lotta bacon all at once! And it will keep me from eating the first batch while the second batch is cooking. 🙂
marcia says
I can’t get two cookies sheets in oven at same time so oven would already be hot for 2nd batch. Will this still work out? Just reduce time?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Exactly Marcie!
Deanna says
Yep! Been doing it for years! (http://poditan.blogspot.com/2009/03/bakin-bacon.html) I do mine at 350. And this made a bacon cooker out of my sister in law (who, like me, is no great shakes in the kitchen!)- and I *HAVE* to set my timer of I forget about the bacon- always!
Jordan McCollum says
I love baking my bacon but my results weren’t always the best. I hope that’ll change now! Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie says
This is the only way I will make bacon, now! A while back, I was making bacon on the stove and the grease popped up and literally hit me in the eye. It hit my eye ball, it was the WORSE pain ever! Well, almost ever. 🙂 I also microwave it in a crunch.
Mindie Hilton says
Following you with GFC!
Going to feature this on Bacon Time on Friday morning (how could I not 😉
Thanks for linking up, hope to see you each week.
Trish says
@tmonrose
That is an excellent idea! I will definitely be doing this in the future. How long does it store in the refrigerator?
tmonrose says
I have been using this method for years, I never was able to cook bacon on the stove (always burned it and made a smokey mess). I cook up several pounds of bacon at a time and store it in the fridge, my kids can quickly make a scrambled egg in the morning along with toast and a few pieces of bacon for a hearty breakfast. Also great to have in the fridge for BLT’s!
Trish says
@Larry Medina, Human Being
Thank you so much for the advice Larry – I couldn’t agree more!
Larry Medina, Human Being says
Similar to your comment about an oven not being pre-heated if the bacon is COLD when you start, it works better. I’ve found although it may take a little longer to cook, cold bacon results in a better finished product.
And as you mentioned with flavoring, it’s a great addition… but you need to press it into the uncooked bacon, so ‘season’ it, return it to the fridge, then after it has setup again cook it.
Amy says
Thanks for posting. Many people don’t know you can bake bacon. I have been baking my bacon for years now. But didn’t know it could be frozen, I will definitely try that!
Thanks for visiting Humble Pie, I am now a new GFC follower too.