How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Once you learn how to cook bacon in the oven, you’ll never look back. This easy technique is the best way to cook perfect, crispy bacon and contain the mess!

Welcome to my bacon manifesto. I’m so glad you’re here! I love making oven-baked bacon and wanted to make sure I covered everything you need to know about cooking, storing, freezing, reheating, and using your mess free bacon.

Feel free to use the jump to recipe button at the top of this post if you just need a quick recipe! You can also use the table of contents to navigate and learn everything you ever wanted to know about how to cook bacon in the oven!

Why Cook Bacon in the Oven?

This easy oven-cooked bacon is the best way to cook bacon. This method is a simple, low-mess technique that frees up the stove for other tasks. It does not need flipping and allows you to cook large or small amounts. 

The restaurants I have worked in always cooked bacon in the oven. It works equally well at a home scale. Once you try it, you’ll always cook bacon this way!

Cooking time will vary based on the accuracy of your oven, the thickness of your bacon, and how you like your bacon. Keep an eye on the bacon and check it every few minutes. You will quickly get the hang of timing for bacon cooked how you like it. If you like chewy bacon, it will need less cooking time. If you enjoy extra crisp bacon, it may need to cook for a couple extra minutes.

Ingredients

Bacon! You can use this technique to cook any kind of bacon.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

A half-sheet pan (about 18×13 inches) is the perfect size to make a 16-ounce pack of bacon into easy oven-cooked bacon. I love the ones from Nordic Ware. They are sturdy, well-priced, and do not bend and warp like the cheaper ones.

First, you will line your sheet pan with enough parchment paper to cover all sides of the pan. Using a big enough piece will ensure the grease is contained and makes cleaning up a breeze.

Next, lay the bacon strips in a single layer on the pan. Gently touching is okay, but if you overlap them, the pieces will stick together as they cook. 

Starting the bacon in a cold oven will help the fat render out and give a crispier result. After you rotate the pan, you’ll want to keep your eye on the bacon to get it to your desired level of crispiness. We all have our sweet spot for how we prefer our bacon! 

Cooking times will vary based on the thickness of your bacon and how crowded the pan is. You can use extra sheet pans to increase the amount you cook. Just make sure they will fit in your oven together! You can also decrease the amount to cook less than 1 pound on a single sheet.

When the bacon is done, take it out of the oven. Then, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. This will help drain off excess grease. After the pan cools, you can drain and save the bacon grease. Then, throw away the parchment paper with the remaining drippings.

This method does a great job of rendering the fat from bacon. Don’t worry, you’re gonna remove it from that puddle of grease and drain it on paper towels!

If you do not plan to keep the bacon grease, allow it to firm up at room temperature. Then, gently fold the grease-soaked parchment and throw it away. Easy peasy!

After you try this easy-baked bacon a couple of times, you’ll have it down pat.

How to Cook Bacon for a Crowd

This is the best way to cook bacon for a crowd of people. This is the only way I will cook large amounts of bacon.

You can scale oven cooked bacon to make as much or as little bacon as you like. Use as many sheet pans as you can fit in your oven. If you need more, you can repeat the process until you have enough bacon. Bacon reheats very well, so you don’t need to worry about serving it as soon as it’s ready. Next, I’ll offer some tips for keeping the bacon warm and reheating it if needed.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

How to Store Cooked Bacon

Place leftover bacon in a sealed container or zipper bag and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

How to Freeze Cooked Bacon

Place cooled bacon strips in a freezer bag. Seal, label, and freeze until you’re ready to use. When you’re ready to use them, remove the number of bacon pieces you want. Then, follow the reheating directions below. Bacon is so thin that you do not need to thaw it before reheating.

The Best Way to Reheat Bacon

• Place the bacon slices on a microwave-safe plate in a single layer. You can line it with a paper towel for less mess. 
• To reheat 1-5 slices, microwave on high for 10-second intervals until it is hot.
• To reheat 6 or more slices, microwave in 20-second intervals until it is hot.

How to Keep Bacon Warm in the Oven

• Place the cooked bacon in an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Set the oven to the lowest heat setting. It’s usually between 170-200℉. You can keep it warm for up to 2 hours.
• If you only need a few warm pieces, you can follow the instructions to reheat it in the microwave.
• You can also set it up in a chafing dish with a Sterno light if you’re serving it for an event or need to set up a buffet. I love using disposable foil pans for times like these.

How to Save Bacon Grease 

Allow it to cool enough to handle. Then, strain it through a fine mesh strainer. Line the strainer with cheesecloth and strain it into a small ceramic crock or a glass jar. Store in the fridge until ready to use. It will last for at least 3 months.

What to do with Bacon Grease

I always have a jar of bacon grease hanging out in the fridge. My mom and Mamaw taught me to save it. It has a mild smoky flavor and is fantastic for adding a little umami, bacony flavor to foods. You can use it just about anywhere that you would use cooking oil! Some of my favorite ways to use bacon grease are for:

• Frying or scrambling eggs
• Making refried beans
• Adding flavor to homemade baked beans
• Using it to sauté vegetables like green beans and asparagus
• Making fried Rice
• Make a warm dressing for a wilted salad
• Pan-frying potatoes or hashbrowns
• Use it to flavor greens such as collards or mustard greens
• Warm it and toss it in veggies such as sweet potatoes, carrots, or parsnips before roasting them.

How to Serve Oven Cooked Bacon

Serve it for breakfast, use it as a sandwich topping, or add it to recipes. I like to chop it to make homemade bacon bits! Keep reading for more specific ideas for using cooked bacon. 

How to Use Oven-Cooked Bacon

• Hawaiian Roll Breakfast Sliders
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
• Pimento Cheese Ball
• Pimento Cheese Crostini
• Strawberry & Spinach Salad
• Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes
• Make a Pimento Cheese BLT
• Crumble it over grilled asparagus

Now, aren’t you glad you learned how to cook bacon in the oven?

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