How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Amber Bracegirdle | Bluebonnet Baker

Learn how to cook bacon in the oven! It’s perfect for big batches.

Have you ever found yourself trying to fix breakfast for a crowd? Even four people can seem like a crowd when you’re trying to make pancakes or eggs, plus bacon.

What if you don’t have enough pans or space on your stove? How can you possibly make everything at once?

Bacon Photo

That’s when it makes sense to cook bacon in the oven. It’s a stress-free solution, because you don’t have to worry about flipping, and the cleanup is so much easier.

Are you sold yet? Here’s what you need to do.

Keep in mind it’s best not to preheat the oven before adding raw bacon. Bacon needs to cook slow, so the fat renders out gradually and produces an even result.

Bacon Picture

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

  1. Line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup. Parchment paper also works well.
  2. Lay the bacon slices out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. For crispier bacon, you can place a cooking rack on your baking sheet and place the bacon on the rack, so the air will circulate around it.
  3. Place the bacon in a cold oven and then heat it to 400 degrees F. Bake for 25-35 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like your bacon. Thicker bacon will take longer than thin.
  4. Lay the bacon on a paper towel-lined platter to drain and cool.
Bacon Image

How to Save Bacon Drippings

Did you know you can save bacon grease for use again? You’ll need to discard any remaining bits of meat though, since they’ll burn if cooked again.

  • Once your bacon is cooked, strain out the solid bits by pouring the drippings through a sieve and into a metal container.
  • If you want to use a glass jar, make sure the grease is no longer hot, so the glass doesn’t shatter.
  • Store bacon grease in the refrigerator for at least a month. You can use it in place of oil or butter when cooking.
Bacon Pic

How to Get Rid of Bacon Grease

Never pour bacon grease down your drain, or it will eventually clog your pipes. Let the grease solidify at room temperature or the refrigerator, then toss it in the trash.

Now that you know how to cook bacon in the oven, try making Brown Sugar Jalapeno Bacon, a Breakfast BLT, or use avocados in this BLAT with Spicy Candied Bacon.

And, if you’re wondering about cooking bacon on the stove or in the microwave, be sure to check out How to Cook Bacon for all the details.

Happy eating!

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Amber Bracegirdle

About Amber

Amber is a native Texan, born to a family of fabulous cooks. She shares her love of all things Tex-Mex and Southern both on her blog, Bluebonnet Baker, and here on Food Fanatic. She heavily endorses the use of the contraction "y'all".