Why Should I Cook Bacon in the Oven?
Because once you do you’ll never go back. Bacon made in the oven is less messy, less painful (if you’re prone to burning yourself with splattering bacon grease) and just less hassle all-around than bacon made on the stovetop. Here’s why I like to make my bacon in the oven:
No splatter, no mess! The bacon won’t splatter all over your countertop, clothes, or you! It does not pop, sizzle, or splatter in the oven. Perfect, evenly cooked bacon, every time. The bacon cooks evenly for beautiful, golden brown, perfectly crisp bacon.It’s just as good as stovetop bacon. It’s not a healthified version of bacon, in fact it’s indiscernible from bacon cooked on the stovetop. I feel like this is worth mentioning, because my husband wouldn’t touch bacon made in the oven if it were a health food. This is the real deal crispy bacon, only with less mess! Cook a lot at once! You can fit more bacon on a baking sheet at one time than you can in a skillet!
I like to use this method when I need bacon for bacon cookies, broccoli salad, or my BLT dip. Or just if I want some for breakfast or burgers! It’s mess-free and makes perfect bacon every time.
What You Need
You need just a few things:
Bacon. The bacon in these photographs is classic (not-thick-cut) bacon, but I include notes in the recipe if you’re trying to cook thicker bacon.A rimmed cookie sheet. The rim is important as bacon creates a lot of grease! You’ll want to keep that grease from spilling in your oven, which will happen if you use a rimless baking sheet! I’ve found that a standard-sized cookie sheet can hold approximately 12 strips of bacon. If you’re only cooking a few slices of bacon, you can get away with using a jelly roll pan, and of course you can use a larger pan to cook more bacon.Foil or parchment paper. You can cook bacon directly on an unlined, ungreased baking sheet. However, it makes quite a mess. I prefer to line the baking sheet with parchment or foil to make cleanup quick and easy when I’m finished. I personally prefer foil, as it seems to help the bacon cook a bit faster and I can wrap it around the edges of my baking sheet, ensuring that none of the grease gets onto my cookie sheet (which isn’t a big deal, it’s just messier).
How to Make Bacon in the Oven
SAM’S TIP: Don’t over-crowd your bacon! Make sure your bacon slices aren’t over-lapping or they’ll end up chewy or even under-cooked. One you try this technique, I think you’ll never want to go back to the splatter-y, stovetop technique. Do you already make your bacon this way? Was it a game changer for you, too? Let me know in the comments! Enjoy!
A Few Recipes for Bacon Lovers
Potato SoupThe Best Chili (can you guess what the secret ingredient is?)Bacon Jalapeno Popper Dip
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
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