12 Best Tips For Cooking Bacon In The Oven

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Americans love their bacon. In fact, the bacon market is expected to reach $19.8 billion in the U.S. by 2032, all thanks to its salty, crispy goodness. It's so delicious that some vegetarians even admit to indulging themselves with a few crispy slices from time to time.

Part of the allure, according to scientists, may be the smell bacon emits when cooking, with 90% of what we taste based on a food's aroma. Yet, frying bacon on the stovetop isn't a clean experience. No matter how hard you try, bacon grease splatters on the stove and leaves a residue on kitchen surfaces. There's also the lingering smell to contend with — though delicious when it's cooking, it's not a scent you want permeating the entire house. That's why cooking bacon in the oven is such a popular approach, especially when you're cooking a lot at once.

To learn what it takes to make crispy, evenly-cooked bacon, we talked to two experts: Maricel Gentile, chef and owner of Maricel's Kitchen, and Amy Casey, a private chef and owner of Amy Casey Cooks. They shared 12 tips to ensure perfectly-cooked bacon every single time.

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Whether you refer to bacon as speck (Germany), lard (France), or tocineta (Spain), this tasty pork comes in many different varieties and levels of thickness. While most types of bacon can be successfully cooked in the oven, there are some that perform better than others. The only bacon that may not bode well in the oven is turkey bacon, says Amy Casey. "It is low in fat, so it cooks differently and won't get crispy in the oven."

Instead, she suggests choosing some type of pork bacon. "It can be thin, regular, or thick-sliced. As the bacon is marbled with fat, it will cook more evenly and crispy than other types of less fatty bacon." If you're cooking bacon with added sweeteners like maple syrup or brown sugar, she suggests watching it closely as it cooks. "The added sugar can cause the bacon to cook more quickly, and it has a tendency to burn more easily."

Maricel Gentile says she prefers thick-cut bacon when using the oven because it "renders slowly and stays meaty." She explains, "Center-cut bacon also cooks evenly because the slices are more uniform. Very thin bacon can overcook quickly, so it needs close attention."

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Part of the joy of cooking bacon in the oven is that you have less mess to deal with at the end — as long as you select the right type of pan and prepare it appropriately. In fact, Amy Casey says that using a baking sheet that is too thin or warped can leave you with a mess, such as an oil-splattered oven and a smoky kitchen.

"I use a sturdy, rimmed baking sheet," says Casey. "The rim is essential for preventing the bacon grease from dripping in the oven. When bacon fat drips in the oven, it can cause a greasy, smoky mess." Also, she notes that bacon will cook more evenly and quickly when it cooks in its own grease.

A rimmed baking sheet will contain your grease to the pan, while a thin baking sheet can buckle when cooking at such a high heat, causing the grease to splatter in the oven. For easy clean up, Casey suggests lining the pan with aluminum foil. Drain the grease when it's cool and remove the foil. You might have a bit of grease residue to wash away, but it's nothing like cleaning a frying pan after cooking bacon on the stove. (Of course, you can also use parchment paper if you prefer, but there might be more cleanup involved.)

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While some Reddit users insist that the best way to cook bacon in the oven is to overlap the edges to prevent shrinking and rippling, others argue that this thought process is flawed and you'll end up with a pile of bacon pieces that are all stuck together. Both Amy Casey and Maricel Gentile agree.

"When placing the bacon on the baking sheet, I recommend leaving a little bit of space between each slice of bacon," says Casey. "This ensures crispy bacon as the slices won't stick together as they cook."

If you do choose to overlap your bacon or crowd it into the pan, you run the risk of trapping steam around the bacon while it's cooking. This, then, creates bacon that is rubbery or soggy in spots, rather than boasting that mouthwatering crispiness. Instead, bacon-cooking experts recommend leaving space around each slice. If your rimmed pan is not big enough to do so, try cooking your bacon in batches before resorting to overlapping your bacon.

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Cooking bacon in the oven is not an exact science, especially because this type of pork varies in size and thickness. Plus, ovens notoriously cook differently. Not only can their heat output vary, but each oven can also have different hot spots and other differences that make determining an exact cooking time hard to calculate. Your oven wasn't designed to maintain an exact temperature from the moment it's turned on. Instead, the heating element cycles on and off, which means the temperature inside your oven is always in a state of flux.

This can be frustrating for home cooks, especially if you're a beginner. But with a little practice, you'll learn the exact time it takes for bacon to cook in your oven. The key is to start on the low end of the time allotted, or even a few minutes before that, and then start checking on your bacon. This will save you from accidental overcooking.

Generally speaking, Maricel Gentile says that bacon can take anywhere from 18 to 25 minutes in the oven, depending on the type and thickness you're using. However, she warns that things can change fast. "Bacon goes from perfect to burnt fast in the last few minutes," she says. "Set yourself a timer. It helps remind you to check your food."

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Some folks on Reddit recommend starting with a cold oven and setting the temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. They claim that in 17 to 22 minutes, you will be blessed with the best bacon you've ever had. But both Amy Casey and Maricel Gentile say starting with a cold oven is a big mistake when cooking bacon.

Not only can skipping the preheat step cause your bacon to cook unevenly, but it also could make it more difficult to determine the overall cooking time, says Casey. "The best and most evenly cooked bacon is achieved when the oven is completely preheated," she says. "I recommend 400 degrees [Fahrenheit] for bacon that's crispy and doesn't need to be flipped over while cooking."

Additionally, a fully preheated oven will render the fat more evenly and produce bacon with a better texture, says Gentile. "A cold start can lead to uneven cooking and chewy sections, especially with thick-cut bacon." If you consider preheating your oven a waste of time and don't want to wait, make preheating the first step to cooking bacon in the oven. Then, prep your pan with foil and lay your bacon strips on the pan while the oven preheats. You can also start preparing your other menu items. By the time you have all of that done, your oven will be preheated and ready to go.

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Almost every oven has a hot spot or two, or the area inside where the heat is the strongest. Typically, these hot spots are around the edges of the oven, closer to the metal. Depending on where your oven's heat source is located, it can be either near the top of the oven or near the bottom.

Gas ovens have the largest inconsistencies, with some areas of the oven being 20% hotter than others. Meanwhile, you can expect a difference of 5% to 15% in your electric oven. It might sound small, but this is a big enough difference that you still need to consider its effect on your food, particularly when cooking bacon.

You don't want to end up with some pieces with burned tips while others are flabby and undercooked, so rotating your pan halfway through the cooking process may be your best bet. "My oven, like many ovens, has hot spots," says Casey. "I rotate the baking sheet halfway [through] the cooking time so the bacon cooks evenly."

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Part of the allure of bacon is that fried, crispy exterior. But sometimes you'll have a little extra grease remaining on the strips after it's cooked — even when you prepare it in the oven. Consequently, many recommend blotting it with thick paper towels or placing it between two paper towels.

Amy Casey is no exception. "For the crispiest bacon, after it's done cooking, place it in single layers between sheets of paper towels to soak up any extra grease," she says. "Let the bacon rest for a minute or two before serving. It'll continue to crisp up as it sits."

Opt for a nice, thick paper towel to blot your bacon — preferably one that is double-ply or more. As for whether or not dabbing off that excess grease will lower the calories or make it healthier, there's a colorful debate about that on Reddit. In fact, one user claims dabbing off the grease is not going to make the food any better for you. Others highlighted the fact that the Food Network's "Food Detectives" previously found that blotting can cut a small number of calories, which may add up in the long run.

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There's nothing worse than a burned piece of bacon — unless you're one of the few who prefer it that way. Most people prefer their bacon crisp but not blackened. Once it reaches that point, it's hard, salty, and tasteless. But, how do you get perfectly crisp in the oven without overdoing it?

Amy Casey suggests watching it closely and remembering that it will still cook somewhat after it's removed from the oven. "Watch the bacon closely during the last few minutes of cooking," she says. "It always seems to cook quickly at the end of the cooking time. Bacon can go from just right to a burnt crisp in no time at all."

If you're still having trouble, one Reddit user suggests that you start checking it at 15 minutes to see how close it is to being done. "I like mine at around 18-20 [minutes] and that gets it nice and crispy and firm but not over to the point of crumbly and brittle," they said. Meanwhile, another Reddit user said that when you start seeing a slight foaminess on the bacon, you should remove it from the oven. In their opinion, "that's the fat rendering and crisping the bacon, which happens right at the end."

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If you happen to have a wire rack that fits inside your rimmed baking pan, you may want to consider using it for your oven-cooked bacon. Not only does a wire rack elevate your bacon out of the grease, but it also allows the fat and moisture to drip to the bottom while you're cooking it.

While this step is not absolutely required when making your bacon in the oven, it may provide you with a less greasy product in the end, as per Maricel Gentile. "Place a wire rack on top if you want extra crisp bacon and less grease contact," she says. "If it [lies] in its own grease, it won't get as crispy."

As for the home cooks on Reddit, they have mixed views. One user feels that allowing meats to remain in the fat that's rendered adds a depth of flavor. Another user feels that a wire rack allows better circulation while allowing meats to stay in their grease could prevent browning. The decision, ultimately, comes down to how thick your bacon is and just how moist or juicy you want it.

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You don't have to be from the South to know that bacon grease is considered liquid gold. Even considering throwing it out would be considered a crime in some households. Some home cooks say it's versatile and can even be used to replace butter and oil. Amy Casey agrees that you should definitely save your bacon grease. "I use it to sauté vegetables, roast potatoes, and cook eggs," she says.

To preserve your leftover bacon grease, she suggests straining out any bacon bits and storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Then, you can use it for any fried or sautéed foods you're making. She says you can even make hot bacon dressing by combining bacon grease, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. And, when making steaks or burgers in a cast iron skillet, she suggests using bacon grease instead of oil or butter.

If you do decide to dispose of the grease, Maricel Gentile suggests putting it in a disposable container, a glass jar, or a metal can and letting it cool completely. Then, seal it up and throw it away, she says. But, don't pour it down the sink or in the toilet. "It hardens as it cools," she explains. "It can clog pipes and cause sewer backups."

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If your family is anything like mine, you probably won't have a lot of bacon left over. But on the off chance that you do, knowing how to store it properly is essential. Just make sure it's consumed within four to five days. You also have the option of freezing cooked bacon for up to a month and reheating it later. When you're ready to use it, you can reheat it in the microwave. Or, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it the next day.

If you choose to freeze your bacon before cooking, you can freeze unopened bacon for about one month. Cured meats can develop an unpleasant taste if frozen for too long. To help preserve freshness, they suggest wrapping it tightly in aluminum foil before freezing. If your bacon has been in the freezer for longer than one month, though, you don't necessarily have to throw it out. It's safe for up to four months. The only issue may be the taste.

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According to Amy Casey, cooking bacon in the oven is particularly helpful because it frees you up to do other things while it's in the oven. She also enjoys having the extra bacon on hand to make BLTs, put atop deviled eggs, or use in other dishes she's preparing.

"I recommend cooking bacon in the oven when I want a lot cooked at once," she says. "A whole pound of bacon can fit on a large baking sheet all at one time. I can make a big batch for a recipe, a party, the holidays, or, my favorite, for meal prep. I gently reheat it in the microwave on 60% power for perfectly crisp bacon."

Most Reddit users agree that reheating bacon, when done with care, still delivers a tasty bite. After all, it is still bacon, and unless you're too aggressive with your reheating method — oven, stovetop, or microwave — it will still taste good. And if you know you'll be using the bacon at a later time, one Reddit user suggests cooking it until it's just done and then storing it. Then, when you want to reheat the leftovers, it only takes a few minutes in a hot oven.