Perhaps you’ve heard tales of delicious, crispy oven baked bacon that doesn’t cover your stove in grease splatter? An extraordinarily savory morsel that’s not only delicious, but is easy to make? And maybe you’ve heard that you can do this right in your oven?! Well, if you’ve ever wondered how to cook bacon in your oven, you’re in the right place. And let me tell you, it is a game changer!
Why do I use Oven Baked Bacon instead of frying?
The short answer? To avoid the Mess! I am a mega fan of bacon, but I have never been a fan of cooking bacon on the stove top. It spurts and splatters grease everywhere and gets the house all smoky! Honestly, the cleanup isn’t that fun either. That’s where oven baked bacon comes in.
Baking bacon in the oven makes quick work of a messy job. I don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on the stove or getting bacon grease on my clothes. Not to mention that since I line my pans with tin foil, there is hardly any cleanup involved. That’s a total mom win!!
How do you make oven baked bacon?
Step 1: Crank up the Oven.
Get it really hot, I’m talking – 400 degrees. While it’s pre-heating, move on to step 2.
Step 2: Break out the foil.
Grab your favorite baking sheet, and cover it with tin foil. This is going to catch all the drips, so make sure you bring it up and around the lip of the pan. The better job you do here, the less you’ll have to clean up later.
Step 3: Drop the rack.
Place a cooling rack in the center of the foil-covered pan. I have a rack that I use for cooling cookies that doubles as my magic bacon maker. Don’t worry, if you don’t have a cooling rack, you can still make some amazing bacon – it’ll just be a little more chewy. Using the cooling rack allows the bacon to cook on all sides, reduces the amount of grease and just makes for an overall crispier slice.
Step 4: Layer in the bacon.
Arrange the bacon on the rack in an even layer without the bacon slices touching or overlapping. Sprinkle fresh cracked pepper over the top according to taste.
Step 5: Throw it in the oven
immediately place the pan with the bacon in the oven. Let it cook for 15 minutes before checking on the bacon for desired crispness. I usually go about 17-18 minutes because we like it really crispy.
Step 6: Save the grease
By this time you are probably deep into your 2nd slice of oven bacon, but I want to remind you to save the fat! Pour it into a glass jar and keep for adding flavor to other dishes.
If you’re looking for some more incredible ideas for that leftover bacon grease, take a look at this article from Bon Appetit.
If you’ve tried the Extra Crispy Oven Baked Bacon Recipe, I would be so grateful if you would rate it. Let me know what you think in the comments below. I just love hearing from you and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours!
PrintExtra Crispy Oven Baked Bacon
Want to bake thick cut bacon? You totally can, but you will need to increase the baking time and just keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn!
Don’t forget to rate the recipe, and let me know what you think about this Oven Baked Bacon in the comments below. I just love hearing from you and your reviews/comments really help other people that visit This Mess is Ours!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 1 pack of bacon 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pack gluten free bacon, we really like Applegate, not thick cut
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil then place a baking rack on top. (I have a rack for cooling cookies that I use for making bacon too.) Arrange the bacon on the rack in an even layer without the bacon slices touching or overlapping. Sprinkle fresh cracked peper over the top according to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and immediatly place the pan with the bacon in the oven. Let cook for 15 minutes before checking on the bacon for desired crispness. I usually go about 17-18 minutes because we like it really crispy.
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So now you have your meat, it’s time for our 3 favorite veggie main pairings!
Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Salad || Seriously, who doesn’t LOVE huevos rancheros in all of its forms? We’ve made just about every version imaginable of this classic Mexican breakfast and it never gets old! Whichever version I serve, my kids and I always douse ours in a hearty dose of bacon “sprinkles” for an extra layer of flavor.
Crispy Eggplant Bacon Breakfast Bowl || While the star of this recipe is the crispy eggplant bacon, the rest of the bowl is a pretty phenomenal recipe on its own. Todd loves the veggie based version. Our kids pile theirs high with crispy oven baked bacon. I greedily pile my bowl high with both! To each their own!
Fried Green Tomato Po’boys || I’m from the south and you know what they say, “You can take the girl out of the south, but you can’ t take the south out of the girl!” Fried green tomatoes are my jam. I just love how they take me back to my Papa’s garden as a little girl. This rich sandwich screams for salty strips of bacon to balance the tart green tomatoes and spicy Cajun rémoulade sauce!!
Frequently Asked Questions
Been cooking bacon this way for years! Spray the rack with pam or other type of spray for easier clean up. Also good with brown sugar and chopped pecans on top of bacon! Yum Yum….
Oh Pam! You are speaking my love language! Pecans and brown sugar over bacon – YUM!!! I love your cooking spray tip. That is brilliant – thanks for sharing!