THE EASIEST WAY TO COOK BACON IN THE OVEN
THIS BACON RECIPE IS: GLUTEN FREE, PALEO, PRIMAL AND WHEAT BELLY FRIENDLY
BAKED BACON IS THE BOMB
I love bacon. Everything about it. Well, just about everything except the cleanup. For years I was cooking bacon on the stove, making a mess of the entire kitchen and my clothes with the splatter. Then I was introduced to how to cook bacon in the oven. What a game changer.
Not only is there just about no mess, cooking bacon in the oven allowed me to get creative with the bacon. I could add on some spices (think cajun, chili powder, garlic... yumm) to really change the profile of the bacon. Cumin spiked bacon is delicious in hummus!
Aside from the creativity, learning to cook bacon in the oven is a hands off process. It's quick and easy: layer the bacon and set a timer. No need to flip, stir or otherwise cajole the bacon. How easy is that?
TO RACK OR NOT TO RACK
There are a lot of different ways to cook bacon in the oven. Believe me, I've seen just about all of the different ways with various chefs coming through my catering kitchen. The two most common ways both use a foil lined baking sheet (this makes the cleanup super easy), with the first way using a wire rack and the second way just by layering the bacon on the lined baking sheet. Which way is better? I thought you might ask.
It all really depends on the bacon. At my house, I like to buy nitrite and nitrate free organic bacon that is thick cut. We either buy it or I'll make the bacon from scratch a couple times a year. That's a post for another day! With this nitrate/trite free bacon I find that it dries out just a bit on a rack, so I always layer it directly on a baking sheet and let it cook in the. For thin sliced or regular bacon, you certainly can use a wire rack... But I've never tasted enough difference to warrant the tedious washing of the wire rack.
QUICK COOKING TIP: Bacon fat doesn't need to be refrigerated. You can keep it in a sealed container right on the counter, ready for use in whatever dish you are cooking.
MAKE BACON IN THE OVEN
Learning how to cook bacon in the oven is easy… You will never go back to making it in a skillet again!
Ingredients
You will need the following:
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Tongs
- Paper Towels
- 1 LB Bacon, 16 strips approx
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 400 degrees or 425 with convect
- Line the baking sheet with foil.
- Layer the bacon on the lined baking sheet.
- Put the bacon in the oven while it is still preheating.
- Set a timer for 15 minutes. Check the bacon.
- Depending on your oven, you may need to turn the baking sheet once if you have hot spots.
- Keep an eye on the bacon toward the end of cooking so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from the oven when cooked to your preference.
- Using the tongs, remove the bacon and lay on the paper towels to absorb some of the grease.
- Use in whatever delicious dish you are creating next!
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Amount Per Serving Calories 118
PLEASE NOTE: The nutritional data is provided by NutriFox and may not be 100% accurate.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON HOW TO COOK BACON IN THE OVEN
If you're a traditionalist who loves their cast iron skillet, maybe this recipe isn't for you. I have a good friend who refuses to cook bacon in the oven insisting that the trusty cast iron is the only way to do it right. To be honest, I can't tell the difference other than bacon from the oven is flat.
As always, if you have thoughts, comments or feedback... Let me know! Hope you enjoyed this quick recipe.
Amanda T. says
I'm a lifelong frying pan person for bacon. I tried this recipe with a lot of skepticism that it would make the bacon how I like it. Not only was it perfect, but there was almost no mess to deal with. Love it.
Scott Groth says
Hi Amanda:
Hah, I convinced another skeptic... Feels so good.
Thank you for the vote of confidence and for your feedback- I truly appreciate it.
Have a delicious day in the kitchen!
Scott