This oven bacon recipe has quickly become my favorite method for cooking bacon. For perfectly crispy results, set the oven temperature to 400°F and cook the bacon for 20 minutes on the middle rack.
I haven't pan-fried bacon in years! Perhaps it makes sense to pan-fry it if you only need a few slices. But for anything more than that, the oven is the best and easiest method. When prepared this way, the bacon cooks evenly and comes out perfectly, neither too chewy nor too crispy.
Ingredients
You'll simply need 8 ounces of bacon. That's typically one package. I like to use medium-thickness slices. If you use any other thickness, slightly adjust the cooking time. Note that some bacon packages contain 12 ounces. If you use one of these packages, you'll need to use two sheet pans.
You can sprinkle the bacon slices with spices before baking, but this is completely optional. Tasty options include freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. You can also use a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like spicy food.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. You can use a wire rack, but that's optional.
Place the pan in an oven preheated to 400°F for 20 minutes. There's no need to flip the bacon midway.
Pull the pan out of the oven. Use tongs to transfer the bacon slices to a plate. If you use a wire rack, there's no need to place the bacon on paper towels to drain it. If you don't use racks, place the bacon on paper towels for a couple of minutes, then serve.
Crispy vs. Chewy Bacon
I experimented with different cooking times for oven bacon. If you like chewy bacon, I suggest you start checking it after 15 minutes in the oven. The photo below shows what it looks like after 15 minutes - fully cooked but definitely chewy.
For somewhat crispy bacon, start checking after 20 minutes. The photo below shows bacon that I baked for 20 minutes.
And for very crispy bacon, start checking after 22 minutes. The image below shows extra-crispy bacon, which is exactly how I like it!
Remember that oven temperatures vary, so the time it takes to achieve your desired results in your oven might differ from these guidelines.
Recipe Tips
A Wire Rack is Optional
I like extra-crispy bacon, so I arrange it on a stainless steel wire rack. The rack can be washed in the dishwasher, so cleanup is easy, but it's not mandatory. You can simply line your sheet pan with foil or parchment paper and arrange the bacon slices directly on them, as shown in the photo below.
Preventing Grease Splatters
The bacon shouldn't splatter too badly. But if preventing splatters is important to you, a simple method is to loosely cover it while it cooks with a sheet of parchment paper.
Fatty vs. Leaner Bacon
Very fatty bacon will come out crisper than leaner bacon. See the photos below - I started with one pan of very fatty bacon and one pan of leaner bacon.
After baking for 25 minutes, the fatty bacon came out crispier than the leaner one, as shown in the image below. It also lost more volume compared to the leaner bacon, because the fat melted in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
It's best to set the oven temperature to 400°F. At this temperature, the bacon should be crispy after about 20 minutes. A lower oven temperature (such as 350°F) will take longer, while a higher one (such as 450°F) risks burning the bacon.
I experimented and was surprised to find that there is no significant difference between using foil and parchment to line the baking sheet. Both produced almost equally crispy bacon, as shown in the photo below.
One rimmed baking sheet fits an 8-ounce package or about eight slices. If you need to cook more than one package, simply use two or three baking sheets. The bottom or upper pan will cook faster than the middle one, so you should monitor all pans and remove the ones that are ready from the oven.
Please don't pour it down the drain. It will clog your sink! You can mop it with paper towels and throw them in the trash.
If you'd like to use it (it's delicious), strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a glass jar. Then seal it and keep it in the fridge for up to three months.
You can use it in any savory recipe that requires fat for cooking, including soft-scrambled eggs, egg white omelet, fried hard-boiled eggs, and spinach and eggs.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days. Reheat them, covered in a paper towel, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also eat the leftovers cold. Seriously, cold leftover bacon is delicious. Kind of like eating cold deli meat, but even better because it's bacon.
Serving Suggestions
Most of us serve bacon for breakfast with eggs. It pairs well with fluffy scrambled eggs, and you can cook the bacon first and then use the rendered fat to cook the eggs. One of my favorite breakfasts, shown in the image below, is a plate of crispy bacon, fried eggs, and fresh berries.
Oven bacon can also be used in lunch and dinner recipes, such as:
Recipe Card
Oven-Baked Bacon (Crispy or Chewy)
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bacon - about 8 strips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and fit it with a wire rack.
- Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the wire rack. You can also arrange them directly on foil or parchment paper instead of using a rack.
- Bake until the bacon is as crispy as you want it. As a general guideline (but remember that ovens vary), bake for 15 minutes for chewy bacon, 20 minutes for crispy bacon, and 25 minutes for extra crispy bacon. There's no need to flip the bacon midway.
- If you didn't use a rack, place the cooked bacon briefly on paper towels to drain before serving.
Notes
- Whether you use a wire rack or not, please use a rimmed baking sheet to prevent grease from dripping onto the oven floor.
- The bacon shouldn't splatter too badly. But if preventing splatters is important to you, a simple method is to loosely cover the bacon while it cooks with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Make sure to wear long oven mitts when removing the pan from the oven.
- I experimented and was surprised to find that there is no significant difference between using foil and parchment to line the baking sheet. Both produced almost equally crispy bacon.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days. Reheat them, covered in a paper towel, in the microwave at 50% power, or enjoy them cold.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Allison says
Thank you for this foolproof recipe! I agree with you that the oven is perfect when you need to cook bacon for a crowd. We're a family of six, so pan frying would be too time consuming.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you find this recipe useful, Allison!