Oven-Baked Bacon
Oven-baked bacon starts in a cold oven, allowing fat to render slowly and evenly for consistently crispy strips without the mess of stovetop cooking. This hands-off method cooks a full pound at once with no flipping required.
Oven-baked bacon starts in a cold oven, allowing fat to render slowly and evenly for consistently crispy strips without the mess of stovetop cooking. This hands-off method cooks a full pound at once with no flipping required.
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Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and arrange the bacon strips in a single layer.
Place the sheet pan into a cold oven.
Set the oven temperature to 400°F.
Bake for about 17 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked to your desired crispiness.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
For easy cleanup, allow the grease on the foil to cool and solidify, then crumple up the foil and discard.
Cool bacon completely, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month; reheat in a 350°F oven until warm.
rimmed baking sheet (9×13 inch or larger)
Starting in a cold oven allows the fat to render gradually, resulting in more even cooking and crispier bacon with less curling and uneven browning.
Bacon is done when it reaches your desired crispness, typically 15–20 minutes depending on thickness and oven calibration. Look for edges to darken and fat to stop sizzling.
Yes. Cool cooked bacon completely, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 5–8 minutes until warm.
Yes, thick-cut bacon works well with this method and may require an extra 5–10 minutes. The cold start still helps render the thicker fat layer evenly.
Use a rimmed baking sheet or sheet pan. Line it with foil or parchment for easy cleanup. Avoid non-stick pans with high oven temperatures above 400°F.
