The Simple, Clean Method for Cooking Bacon

The Issue: Bacon grease is everywhere.

The Answer: Bake your bacon.

Why should you ditch the traditional stovetop frying and bake your bacon instead? We've got 11 solid reasons to make the switch:

1. Cook an entire pound of bacon in minutes.
2. Baked bacon stays flat — no more curling.
3. No flipping required.
4. Keep your skin safe from splattering grease.
5. No greasy stains on your clothes.
6. Your kitchen stays splatter-free.
7. Free up stovetop space for other dishes.
8. Use the cooking time to focus on other tasks, like mixing mimosas.
9. Cleanup is a breeze.
10. Experiment with fancy options like candied bacon.
11. Because, let's face it, bacon is reason enough to cook bacon.

How to Make Bacon in the Oven (Two Methods)

To preheat or not to preheat? That is the question. Here are two foolproof methods that lead to the same delicious result: perfectly crispy bacon!

Method 1: Begin with a Cold Oven

Discover the recipe for Joseph's Ultimate Easy Bacon Recipe.

Joseph shares, "This recipe is the first thing I do when I wake up on weekends. I place the bacon in a cold oven, brush my teeth, prepare other breakfast items, and after 14 minutes, the bacon is ready to be taken out — simple! My bacon theory is that starting with a cold oven allows the bacon to gradually heat up as the oven reaches 425°F (220°C), turning from limp, raw strips into sizzling, crispy perfection by the time it hits 425 degrees. Enjoy!"

Ingredients

• 1 pound thick-cut bacon

Equipment

• Large rimmed baking sheet
• Aluminum foil
• Baking rack (Optional: Cooking the bacon on a rack makes the bacon crisper, and lets the grease drip off the bacon as it cooks. If you go the rack route, you should still line your baking pan with foil to make cleanup easy.)

Instructions

1. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, ensuring the entire pan is wrapped. Make sure the foil goes up the sides of the pan to catch all the bacon grease, making cleanup a breeze.
2. Place the bacon strips on the prepared baking sheet or a rack if you're using one. Don't worry about slight overlaps, as the bacon will shrink during cooking. Place the pan in a cold oven.
3. Set the oven to 425°F (220°C). Let the bacon cook as the oven heats up for about 14 minutes, or until it's done to your preference. No need to flip it during the cooking process.
4. Once cooked, move the bacon to paper towel-lined plates and let it cool for about 5 minutes to achieve a crispy texture.

Method 2: Preheat the Oven First

Prepare your baking pan as described, but this time, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) while you get everything ready. Once the oven reaches the right temperature, place the pan inside and bake for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is done to your liking. Remove from the oven and allow it to drain on paper towels before serving.

Tips from Home Cooks

• No baking rack? No problem. Line the baking sheet, then crumple up some more foil and lay the bacon on that to hold it up out of the grease. If you can spare a minute or two, you can make neat accordion folds in the foil instead.
• Your baking time may differ. How long does the bacon cook in the oven? Well, that depends. No two ovens bake at exactly the same temperature. You'll probably need to test this method a couple of times to find the right time/temperature that works for you.
• Prevent oven splatters. This from Cindy Capps Lepp: Lay a layer of foil over the bacon; this will keep grease from spitting all over the oven. Remove the foil for the last few minutes of cooking for "final crisping."
• Cleanup is a snap. As if we need another reason for making bacon in the oven. Just let the bacon grease cool in the pan, then roll up the aluminum foil and toss it.

Explore our delicious Bacon Recipes and dive into our selection of Breakfast Bacon Recipes.