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If you want to learn how to cook bacon in the oven, I’m excited to show you how easy it is to make perfect oven baked bacon that comes out crispy every time – and why you’ll never want to do it any other way again. In fact, I’ve been baking bacon this way for years!
The trick I use came to me when making bacon wrapped asparagus, and I’ve used it when wrapping other things too, like bacon wrapped brussels sprouts and green bean bundles. The same concept works for baking bacon all by itself, too – that’s what I’m showing you today. (Get more recipe ideas with bacon here!)
Read on to learn my method for cooking super crispy bacon in the oven, and why it’s the best way to cook bacon…
Why Oven Baked Bacon?
Why should you learn how to make bacon in the oven? Here are the main advantages of doing it this way as opposed to frying:
- It’s quick and easy. If you can arrange bacon on a rack and turn on your oven, well… you’ve just learned how to bake bacon in the oven! 😉
- You can make more at once. Baking bacon in the oven is pretty much
- It’s the best way to cook bacon evenly. No soggy pieces, yay! If you want crispy bacon, this is the way to get it.
- It’s hands off. Pop the pan into the oven and go do something else. Much better than standing at the stove waiting for it to cook!
- No splattering. It just won’t happen with oven baked bacon.
The Trick To Cooking Bacon in the Oven
If you want to know how to cook crispy bacon in oven, the main trick is to use an oven-safe rack.
What is a bacon rack for the oven, you ask? It’s simply an oven safe cooling rack, the same as what you’d use for cooling cookies.
The rack is the #1 key to baking bacon perfectly, because it lets the fat drip down. Even if you are on a keto diet where fat is a good thing, you want the fat away from the bacon in this case because that gets it CRISPY!
I like this rack or this rack, depending on the size you need.
How To Cook Bacon In The Oven
You have your pan with a rack. Now, how to bake bacon in the oven with it?
- Preheat your oven first. I like to cook oven baked bacon at 400 degrees.
- Arrange bacon. Place the rack over the pan, and arrange the bacon on the rack in a single layer:
Tip: For the crispiest oven baked bacon, make sure the bacon pieces are not overlapping! But, they will shrimp a little while cooking, so a tiny bit is okay.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake. It’s done when it’s crispy to your liking. Yep, the method for how to make crispy bacon in the oven really is that easy!
The only question left to answer is, how long to bake bacon in the oven?
How Long Do You Cook Bacon in the Oven?
How long to cook bacon in the oven depends on the oven temperature, and on the thickness of the bacon.
Thick bacon in the oven will take longer than thinner slices. And, a lower temperature will take longer than a higher one.
What temp to cook bacon in the oven?
What temperature do you cook bacon in the oven? The main choices are 350, 375, 400 or 425 degrees Fahrenheit (177, 190, 204, and 218 degrees Celcius).
I highly recommend cooking bacon in the oven is 400 degrees F! It’s a bit faster than lower temperatures, plus the bacon gets more crispy. Any higher and you tend to risk burning the edges.
When choosing the temperature for baking bacon, also consider how uniform the thickness of your bacon is. If the slices are all fairly similar, a high temperature works best and you get the advantage of maximum crispness. On the other hand, if some slices are thicker than others, stick with a lower temperature.
I’ll give you the time estimates for each temperature to make it easy! 🙂
How long to cook bacon in the oven at 350 F?
Bake bacon for 22 to 27 minutes at 350 F.
How long to cook bacon in the oven at 375 F?
Bake bacon for 20 to 25 minutes at 375 F.
How long to cook bacon in the oven at 400 F? (Recommended!)
Bake bacon for 18 to 23 minutes at 400 F.
(This is the temperature I recommend!)
How long to cook bacon in the oven at 425 F?
Bake bacon for 15 to 20 minutes 425 F.
Does Bacon Splatter In The Oven?
No, bacon does not splatter in the oven! The oven cooks much more evenly than a pan, which means sizzling bacon instead of a splattering mess. Yay!
What To Do With Bacon Grease?
A bonus advantage of cooking bacon in the oven on a rack is that the bacon grease drips down and is super easy to reserve.
To save the bacon grease:
Simply tilt the pan over a container, so that the bacon grease collects at the corner and drips down into the container. Make sure to do this while the pan is still hot, so that the bacon grease doesn’t solidify. Just use an oven mit to hold the pan.
How to store the bacon grease:
You can store the bacon grease on the counter, but I prefer the fridge to be safe. It will solidify as it cools.
What to do with the grease:
You can use bacon grease in most savory applications in place of butter or oil. My favorite ways include frying eggs or stir fry vegetables! (Both also happen to be delicious with your crispy oven baked bacon added to them, too.)
Ways To Use Baked Bacon In Recipes
One of the advantages of making bacon in the oven is you can make a big batch, which means you can use it in lots of different ways! Here are some serving ideas, as well as classic recipes for bacon lovers that can take advantage of your big batch:
- Breakfast – Obviously, this is probably the most popular! Just serve it on the side with pancakes, a fried egg, or the perfect omelette. Recipes for quiche or fritattas also typically call for cooked bacon.
- Casseroles – Bacon makes almost any casserole better. Popular ones include chicken bacon ranch casserole or cheesy brussels sprout casserole.
- Soups – While you can saute the bacon before adding the liquid, adding it pre-cooked is even more convenient if you have some. My fave is bacon cheeseburger soup, but I’ve seen many readers add it to broccoli cheese soup as well.
- Salads – Cooking bacon in the oven is particularly convenient for salads, since you’re not usually cooking other parts of the dish, and can do it ahead. It’s a classic on a cobb salad or wedge salad.
- Appetizers – This perfect baked bacon recipe is excellent to use as part of an appetizer, like bacon caprese skewers or bacon deviled eggs.
- Stir Fry – Add bacon to crispy fried brussels sprouts, Southern fried cabbage, or even rice or cauliflower rice.
Tools To Make Bacon In The Oven:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Bacon rack for oven – This pan comes with an oven safe rack to put on top. They have large and small versions!
How To Cook Bacon in the Oven (The Best Way!):
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RECIPE CARD
How To Cook Bacon in the Oven (Crispy & Easy Way!)
The BEST method for how to cook bacon in the oven! It's super quick (20 minutes) and EASY. Plus, this trick for oven baked bacon makes it SUPER CRISPY!
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Instructions
Get RECIPE TIPS in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line an extra-large baking sheet (at least 14 x 20) with foil for easy cleanup. Place an oven-safe cookie rack of the same size on top of the baking sheet. (Get the perfect pan + rack here!)
Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the rack.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes on the middle rack, until the bacon is done to your liking. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon.
After baking bacon in the oven, pat any excess grease to help it get crisp. Allow it to cool for a few minutes to get more crispy.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, cooked
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Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. (Learn about net carbs here.) We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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84 Comments
Sherrie
You are a genius! My husband loves bacon and I can’t stand making it, cuz it splatters grease all over the top stove. Hence making a laborous cleaning of the stove grates and the stove itself, let alone where it pops grease out onto the floor and I can\t tell you how many little grease burns I’ve gotten on my hands from slotting bacon grease. So, I came across this recipe for baked bacon. I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant…. IE: bacon grease all over the oven…I tried it with your “almost-promise” LOL, that it won’t sput grease. ALAS! I tried it and no grease in the oven and the most MARVELOUS crispy bacon. And it certainly tied down my cooking dilemna, and freed more time for me to cook other things, while the bacon was baking. THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have made an impact in my chef endeavors!
I adore your recipes, by the way… So much great inspiring cooking. Thank you always, Sherrie
Thee3
The bacon and grease did splatter everywhere it touched metal; be it the pan or the wire rack! I tried this method years ago and got the same result! Stick with the skillet method!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Thee3, I’m sorry you didn’t care for this method. It is very helpful when preparing a large amount of bacon at once.
Lorenza
thank you for this interesting post!
Clare
OMG! This is the best way to cook bacon! Crispy, heavenly-tasting, much easier to keep from burning it than in the pan. The only problem is I want to eat it all!
Thank you for the recipe. It’s really helping me stick with Keto.
Here’s how my keto journey has gone so far:
Day 1: I miss fruit! And bread! And rice! I don’t know if I can do this.
Day 2: So tired and hungry. This sucks.
Day 3: Meh. I might live after all. Dinner was yummy.
Day 4: While eating your delicious bacon for breakfast: “Keto forever! I am never going back!”
Thank you. 🙂
Niecey
Thanks for the great directions!
I like to pour bacon grease into a rectangle dish that I line with aluminum foil and then baking paper. I put the whole contraption in the freezer. Once the bacon grease is solidified, I wrap it with the baking paper and aluminum foil. I keep the little bricks in the freezer for longest-lasting grease. I shave off a little to add to SOUPS, STEWS, and any baking done in a pan! It adds a NICE richness to all of my dishes!
Lynne
Can you use turkey bacon?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lynne, Yes, but the cook time may vary. Be sure to keep an eye on it.
Lisa
This is one of our favorite ways to make bacon! Enjoyed reading the tips!
cjsbabygirl
I have never tried oven-baked bacon before, but I’m going to tonight (we’re having “breakfast for dinner”). Also, another great way to use bacon grease is to add it to your green beans when cooking (along with some garlic), and also to cook your pancakes in!
cjsbabygirl
Update: Just made these and PERFECTION! in MY oven I was able to bake thick-cut bacon at 400 degrees for exactly 25 minutes. I did spray my cooling rack with cooking spray first (the PAM grilling high-heat one) and line the pan with foil because it does make clean-up easier!
Laura
This recipe is delicious. I add some brown sugar on top and it comes out divine. I find that if I spray the racks with cooking spray before putting the bacon on, it doesn’t stick.
Annise’
Thank you so much for this awesome way to cook bacon!! I am so happy I happened upon your site! I’ve always cooked bacon the traditional way, the way my mom and grandmother showed me! I grew up in a farm and the only correct way to cook it was in a cast iron skillet! So happy times have changed and I’m ready and willing to change with them! Thank you again and you had me at “no splatter”! Take care!
Carolina Camargo
Hi… If we can’t find the bacon you recommend, which other brand option we can have?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Carolina, There are many brands of bacon that are very low sugar! Read the nutrition labels and try to find bacon that is either sugar-free or 1g or less.
Sherrie
We have a low sodium bacon at our grocery store…. and for some reason the low sodium bacon has 0 sugar in it. We always welcome lower salt and not too much sugar in our home. 🙂
Terry J
Thank you for such amazing tips! Always prefer cooking bacon in the oven using the oven racks. It is way much cleaner and bacon turns out crispy and perfectly cooked. I love bacon cooked this way and it turns out to be delicious!
Mike in France
Cooking bacon in the oven was very good. I wish the rack as easy to clean, that was hard, laborious work! after soaking over night I had to use a brush and steel wool. That is the only reason I won’t do it again. Find me a disposable one time use rack and I’m back.
Pete
How do you know if a rack is oven-safe?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Pete, An oven-safe rack should be metal and fit into a walled sheet pan as shown in the images. Please don’t use a flat cookie sheet, the grease will spill off the sides and make a huge mess.
Angela
Did the bacon at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes and they came out nice and crispy! I peaked in around the 8 minute mark to check on how fast it was cooking. Some pieces I removed at 15 minutes. I would definitely recommend checking periodically since it could go from crispy to burnt quickly. First time doing it in the oven and the clean up was easy (had parchment under the rack) and there were no splatters while it cooked. I’ll only be cooking bacon this way from now on. Thank you!
Deb
So easy and nice and crispy.
Gary Mcclintock
I love bacon cooked this way. The first time I tried it the bacon perfect but the rack was difficult to clean.
Now when the bacon is done and removed I drain the grease from the pan, remove the foil liner and set the pan (mine is almost 1 inch deep) across the sink , place a kitchen sponge under one end to level pan, set rack in pan upside down.run hot water into pan adding a little dish soap and let it soak a bit. The rack is easy to clean with just a sponge and warm soapy water.
Mimi
Too much wok to clean up the rack and pan. I line the pan with foil or parchment, bake at 400 until my preferred crispiness, drain the grease for later (yasss!) and throw the foil away. No cleaning needed!
Ruth Cooper
I’ll try it but I get perfectly flat bacon by sandwiching it between two cookie trays and baking in the oven. Then I drain off the fat to use for cooking and let the bacon sit on paper towels until cool enough to store in the fridge.
Damion
You should mention that thicknesses heavily vary the time it takes. In my oven at 400 degrees, even thick cut bacon is crispy in less than 10 minutes. Any more and I’m eating charcoal.
Laura
I think it depends on your oven. Thick bacon takes well over 20 minutes in mine as well as thinner bacon.
Deb Grossheim
Quick method – place bacon the rack of a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place in a cold oven, set temp to 400′ and set the timer 10 minutes. My oven usually takes 12 minutes, but I don’t like burned bacon.
Katy Gammons
Bacon grease is also great for popping popcorn on the stove! Just use bacon grease instead of oil- Best popcorn you’ll ever eat! My husband’s grandmother used to fry slices of hog jowl(which tastes just like bacon), pop popcorn in the grease, and then mixed the pieces of crispy fried hog jowl in with the popcorn. Not heart healthy but it tasted great! Lol
Kevin
I don’t know how I could have gone wrong here. I used a pan with a rack on it and cook the bacon at 400° for 18 minutes. Bacon came out black and way over cooked to the point it’s not edible.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kevin, Sorry to hear that happened. I’d guess that either your oven runs hot or your bacon was very thinly sliced – the thickness affects the cook time. So with the bacon you used, I’d recommend checking on it sooner next time.
Michelle
Prefect bacon at 400 degrees for about 22 to 23 minutes! My husband made bacon in the microwave for at least 30 years. Now that he’s having some health problems, I decided to try making it in the oven on my half-sheet pan with a rack, as making it in the microwave was messy and always required my cleaning the microwave afterwards. Your directions on wholesomeyum came up first and I followed your 400 degree directions to the T. The bacon was not only delicious but perfectly crisped and picture-perfect pretty, too. My husband said we’re never doing it any other way from now on. I’m just checking in this morning to refresh my memory as we’re heading downstairs in a bit to have some bacon with my famous blueberry pancakes!
JR
Never again. Oven was grease splattered. Whole house smells.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Sorry you had issues with it. I’ve made this about 100 times and never had it splatter in my oven. Did you do anything differently from the recipe? The bacon smell is expected and will happen when cooking bacon, even if you cook it using a different method. 🙂
Cathy Bjornberg
If you put aluminum foil on the bottom of the pan, it aids with greasy clean-up. It also makes collecting your bacon fat easier.
Arthur Morgan
Thick sliced is best for me. I like to go a couple more minutes longer at 400 deg than the 23 minutes in the recipe. I also like adding a sprinkle of brown sugar to the bacon and a little shake or two of liquid smoke over the sugar.
Michelle in New Orleans
Right before I made blueberry pancakes this morning, I looked up how most people make bacon in the oven and found your instructions. My husband normally makes it in the microwave but he’s going through chemo and is on a walker so I figured I’d try making it in the oven. He wrapped the sheet pan in foil and I put the rack on and 8 pieces of bacon fit on it with just a smidge of space between pieces. I preheated my oven to 400F and started out at 20 minutes because the bacon, while not being thick-cut, was a little thicker than the normal brand we use. After checking it and both of us thinking it needed a bit more cooking, I put it back in for 2-1/2 minutes. Took it out, patted the bacon with a paper towel and let it sit for a couple of minutes until the pancakes were ready. Even my husband said it’s too easy not to do it this way all the time. Delicious! Thanks for helping me out!
G. Poon
Recipe works very well. Five stars. Blog entry is too wordy…just get to the recipe and facts.
Sherrie
Ummm…. it’s a blog. LOL! Skip to “RECIPE” if you don’t want to hear of her interesting blog.
Virginia
Air Fryer Oven, would it work in it?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Virginia, Yes, and air fryer will do the job just as well!
Barbara blumer
If cooking ahead of time (day before) how would you reheat it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Barbara, You can reheat it either in the oven again at 350 degrees F or in a frying pan.
Jeanette Duval
We all need to remember that all ovens vary in temperature, evenness of cooking, and speed with which it heats up. Experiment and watch like a hawk the first few times you use this method… it is well worth it. I line my pan with foil and let the bacon cook in its grease, I remove it it immediately from the sheet and my bacon does not absorb too much of the rendered fat… my oven runs hot, so I tried 375 fir 20 minutes… way overcooked, not burnt just very well done… I will try 16 minutes next time. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Linda Axon
What if I don’t like my bacon crispy? I don’t want it uncooked or too limp, but prefer a little “bend- ability.” Should i cook it shorter, at a lower temp or what?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Linda, you can just cook it for slightly less time.
Diane
Wow, no kidding? It doesn’t make a mess in your oven, really?
I’ve known about this method for a couple of years but have not done it in the oven because I was sure I’d be having to do a big ol’ major oven clean right after! You almost have me considering it. I may try it.
Shea Wiley
I cook my bacon this way, but I rub brown sugar on it before I put it in the oven. My family loves it.
Adina
Try brushing bacon with a bit of chili paste or spicy ketchup. Gives it a nice little kick but won’t be quite as crispy. There are plenty of low carb options. Almost always cook my bacon in the oven, way less mess. Thanks for the temps/times. I usually have to guess.
Diana
It needed about 29 minutes at 400 degrees to be done. 90% of the bacon was so stuck on the rack that the only way I could remove it was to break it to tiny bits. Maybe if I had taken it out earlier when it still wet and translucent in parts, maybe that would have helped the sticking problem.
Wholesome Yum
Hi Diana, did you line your pan and/or use a rack? Both go a long way to prevent sticking.
Lynn Shipley
You don’t need to flip the bacon?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lynn, Nope, no need to flip it. It cooks evenly due to the air flow using the rack.
Shay L.
I only make bacon in the oven, it really IS the best way to make it!
J.R.
My family has been cooking bacon this way for years. If you don’t have a rack, no problem. We’ve cooked bacon with and without a rack and it does still get perfectly crispy.
Leslie
I totally agree! This is absolutely the best way to cook bacon! I’ve been doing this forever since culinary school!
Anne Lawton
I used to cook my bacon on the microwave because on top of the stove was too messy! And then I discovered the oven method, which is the best way and it smells so good! Thanks for the tips they are very helpful!
Katie
I’ve found this to be the easiest and least messy way to make bacon! I love this! Great tutorial as well 🙂
Jennifer
Definitely a life skill everyone should know!!!! Thanks for sharing
Zuzana
I just love this full proper instruction. Now I really have to try it.
Hope
Totally the best way to cook bacon! It gets so lovely and crispy and love that it is minus all the splatter!
Jean
So easy without all the splatter! This is the only way I do it when I’m cooking for a group.
Joni Gomes
This is for sure the best way to cook bacon!
Raia Todd
I love bacon in the oven so much better than from a pan!
Irena Macri
Once you go oven-baked, you never go back! Thanks for sharing the magic because someone needs to. Yum!
Kelly
I definitely need to do this. So much less mess!
Erica D.
We love doing bacon in the oven, even the toaster oven (after all, it’s just a tiny convection oven!).
Erin Dee
So quick and easy! This is bacon perfection!
Wilhelmina
I will never make bacon any other way!
Alyssa
Perfect bacon! Cooking it in the oven is a game-changer.
Cathy
Love making bacon in the oven, so easy and less oily and messy!! Thank you for the full explanation to how to make the bacon perfectly in the oven!
Mike Hultquist
Yes! This is the perfect way to make bacon in the oven. No fail! Thanks for sharing the info!
Lisa Huff
You had me at bacon. 🙂 Cooking it in the oven is the best! It’s perfect!
Juli
Crispy bacon is the best. When my mom cooks bacon she takes her electric skillet outside so she doesn’t make a greasy mess on her stove. I am going to share this tip with her!!! Thank you for sharing!
Anita
Cannot agree more. This too has been my way of cooking bacon, with oven. Not to mention one whole big batch at once, super helpful.
Pam Forrester
What about clean up of the rack? I just do mine in the oven on foil. I have some racks but don’t want to have scrub off bacon debris…Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Pam, Great question! With the non-stick rack, it cleans pretty easily if I clean it when it’s still warm (not scalding hot, of course). There’s usually no need to scrub it if I do that. I definitely think this is worth it and the bacon comes out way crispier than just baking on foil (which I have tested for comparison).
Michelle
My rack isn’t non-stick but no bacon stuck to it at all when I cooked it per your 400 degree instructions. I don’t waste any time trying to clean the rack — I just lay it down on top of the top rack of the dishwasher right on top of all the dishes up there. Comes out perfectly clean with no effort on my part. Thank GOD for a dishwasher!
Jenna Urben
I’m definitely going to give this a try next time I have family in town! My mom and I love our bacon extra crispy 🙂
Karla Frazier
My mommy wont cook it for me. Sigh. It sounds so good.
Lee Haas
I’m on a low sodium diet. How much salt is in bacon cooked this way?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lee, This will vary based on the bacon you buy, so it’s best to just check the package label.
Sarah
Cooking bacon in the oven is my favorite way! I haven’t tried cooking it on a rack yet though, I bet that would help it drain better. I’ll try that next time I make bacon!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
You have to try it, it’s a total game changer!