Oven-baked bacon is the easiest way to cook bacon with no mess and no splatter while you do something else.
Perfect crispy bacon every time from your conventional or convection oven on an aluminum foil-covered tray.
Ingredients
Bacon—thin or thick sliced bacon
Required equipment:
½ size sheet pan or similar large pan with an edge
Heavy duty wide aluminum foil
Jump To:
Featured Comment from Rosalina:
"This is, hands down, the best way to cook bacon. Thanks for sharing a really helpful post on how to bake bacon the right way!"
No standing at the stovetop flipping bacon, trying to get it flat, and getting splatter burns on your hands. By using a convection oven at 400°, you will get extra crispy bacon from the circulation of the air, but it will work without convection, too.
A flexible recipe that works for thick or thin bacon and will work without preheating—only the timing is different. The cleanup is super easy by baking on an aluminum foil-covered baking sheet—no need to bake on a rack and no rack to clean.
👨‍🍳How to cook bacon in the oven
Preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
Line an 18-inch × 13-inch rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place bacon close together but not touching. 8-10 pieces, about ½ pound, will usually fit.
Bake to a crispy brown—about 20 minutes. Time will vary with the thickness of the bacon and your taste. Thinner bacon will cook faster, and thick-cut bacon may take a few minutes more, so check a few times early.
Drain on paper towels and pat off any fat.
⏰How long to bake bacon
18-20 minutes for medium-thick bacon in a 400° convection oven. It will vary by the thickness and type of the bacon, exact oven temperature, and your desired level of browning—cook to the crispiness you want and never by time, so always check it a few times early.
Thinner bacon will cook faster, while thick-cut bacon will take a few extra minutes to achieve perfect results. Some brands of bacon are cured differently, and time may vary.
🌡️What oven temperature to use
400° convection cooks both thicker and thinner bacon well. But I have used as low as 350° up to 450° in conjunction with baking other dishes simultaneously.
Convection is recommended for crispier bacon that will cook more evenly. So use it if you have it, but cooking without convection or at different temperatures will only have minor effects on your results.
The bacon can go into a cold oven, but it adds time.
Breakfast Recipes
Check out these other great breakfast recipes. Try How To Sausage in the Oven to cook breakfast sausage patties the easy way. Serve with Baked Blueberry Pancakes, Carrot Cake Baked Pancakes, Cinnamon Roll Cake, or Smaller French Toast Casserole.
❄️Storage of Leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in a microwave wrapped in a paper towel. Cooked bacon can also be frozen for up to a month.
âť“FAQs
No, it is not needed.
While you can cook turkey bacon in the oven like pork bacon, it is thinner and much leaner. So, it will tend to stick without parchment paper. Cooking time will be 8 to 12 minutes—pay close attention.
The bacon fat can be strained and refrigerated in a glass container with a lid for 3-6 months. Great for frying an egg or using it to add more flavor to sauteed or roasted vegetables and other places where you want to add a hint of bacon.
The fat can turn bad quickly if unstrained as the food particles decay.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
đź“– Recipe
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven—Quick and Easy
Ingredients
- 8-10 slices bacon
- aluminum foil - to cover tray
- parchment paper - if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
- Line an 18-inch × 13-inch rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place bacon close together but not touching. 8-10 pieces, about ½ pound, will usually fit.
- Bake to a crispy brown—about 20 minutes. Time will vary with the thickness of the bacon and your taste. Thinner bacon will cook faster, and thick-cut bacon may take a few minutes more, so check a few times early.
- Drain on paper towels and pat off any fat.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- A half-pound of bacon or a bit more will usually fit an 18-inch × 13-inch sheet pan.
- You do not have to preheat the oven. It just takes a bit longer.
- I have done this with oven temperatures from 350° to 425°. With or without convention. Just adjust the time some.
- Thinner bacon cooks faster. Very thick bacon will take a few minutes longer.
- Thinner bacon and bacon with more sugar will tend to stick. Use a layer of parchment paper if you are unsure or have a problem.
- No flipping or rack is needed, although some people will use them.
- It is done when it looks cooked to your taste.
- I generally do two sheet pans at a time in a convection oven. I rotate them front to back and switch the top to bottom at 10 minutes.
- Cooked bacon is good refrigerated for 4-5 days and frozen for one month.
- Reheat bacon in a microwave covered with a paper towel for about 8-10 seconds per piece. If frozen, thaw first.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
Editor's Note: Originally published October 8, 2011, it was updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Rick V TUCKER
I was wondering do I need to turn the bacon over in the middle of the cooking time or anything?
DrDan
Nope, no flip needed.
Dan
Dr. Horshenschwartz
Suggestion for the battle of parchment vs aluminum foil: Line pan with foil for the ability to contain the grease and easy cleanup but put a piece of parchment on top of foil for the anti-stick properties.
DrDan
God bless the compromiser. It does seem to be a great debate that many take very seriously. I admit to being a foil person due to laziness. I did two trays of bacon this morning with no sticking. But if it is an issue for the readers, I love your idea. So everybody, go with the other good doctor's suggestion. Foil line with parchment paper on top of the foil. The best of both worlds.
Thanks Doc
Dan
Loretta
I need to cook 5 lbs for an Easter morning brunch. Can I cook the day before and reheat?
DrDan
To some extent yes but... My experience is that it is just not quit the same. So you have the tradeoff between convince and time vs taste and texture.
Google reheat bacon and you will find several recommendations.
DrDan
shawn
I know this is an old post but I'm bored and randomly got the day off.
I can never get oven cooking right. I've tried with rack, without rack, and combinations of starting with a cold oven or preheating. The texture never comes out right.
Also Horemel Black label ugh, they never cook evenly for me (some parts over cooked and other parts barely cooked.), pan frying, oven or microwave never is right. I use regular cut as I don't like thick so that may be differen. I prefer Oscar Mayer or second best for me is Acme/Jewel grocery store generic(and whatever others their parent company owns.)
I will say the oven is superior for making lots at once when having guests over even if I don't quite like the texture.
Neysa Terry-Gray
I use foil to line the pan and one sheet of parchment paper to keep bacon from sticking. Then I place a piece of parchment paper on top of the bacon to catch spatters and keep my oven clean.
DrDan
Thanks for the comment and tips.
DrDan
Tish
I meant cook not cool. Oops
DrDan
Hi Tish,
I have had almost no spatter issues but I would think the parchment paper wouldn't effect cooking much... just my guess.
DrDan
Karen
To prevent bacon from splattering oven walls (because it does) I place a sheet of parchment paper on top of bacon smoothing it out. Now you have no splatter in the oven and you still have nice bacon.
Tish
Does this affect the crispness of the bacon or does it cool the same just without the splatter?
Nita Brown
Do I start the count in minutes when I first put the bacon in a cold open or wait till it reaches 400 degrees and then time? I really like this idea!
DrDan
This version puts the bacon in a hot oven. It is fine to start in a cold oven but ovens heat up at different rates so time is unpredictable. Go ahead and put it in your cold oven and start. Watch closely for the done point then you will have your own method.
DrDan
Tish
Thank you! Fried up awesomely and such easy clean up. My pan must be smaller than yours because I could only fit 6 slices and leave a small space between as your picture showed, but since there were 12 in the pack, it worked out fine to do half at a time. I used regular foil since I didn't have any heavy duty and just used an extra layer in case. I laid it flat like you suggested. When the first batch was finished, I spooned out the grease before laying down the second batch. I ended up only doing 18 minutes because that's what worked in my oven to get it well-done. Thank you so much!
DrDan
I uses half sheet pans from a restaurant supply store. Cheap and durable.
Thanks so much for the comment.
DrDan
Traijan Jones
I'm cheap. The cost of $7.00 / lb of bacon is high enough so I skip the aluminum foil and the non stick foil and the parchment paper and simply use a "very well seasoned" cookie pan. Rarely does anything stick to these pans of mine. They are so dark that they make cast iron seasoned pans hang their heads in shame. Anyway, this morning was the first time we tried doing bacon in the oven, had to make 4 lbs of it for a friendly/family gathering and it worked great.
My wife used to do all the bacon cooking as she hated the splatter that I'd leave behind to be cleaned up, but that meant if she was cooking bacon on the stove it was about an hour or more process at super low heat to avoid the splatter, I think we've found out new method.
DrDan
The foil is only for ease of cleanup. I use super wide heavy duty that comes from Sams Club cheap.
So glad it works well for you.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
JamesP
This works Perfectly! Just cook it 'til it's done! I like a bit less time for mine, since I like chewy bacon.
Black Label is yummy bacon, but whenever you feel like splurging on a treat, I suggest trying Nueske's applewood smoked bacon. I get it without the pepper. It's awfully expensive, but it is truly heavenly.
DrDan
Hi James.
I haven't seen Nueske's around here but check it out online. There is no price too high for bacon after all.
Except for cooking some cut up bacon for bacon bits, I haven't done stovetop for several years now.
Thanks so much for the note and rating.
DrDan
Bill Blass
Hey there Mr. Dan, so you run a pig farm in Iowa?
Laura
The only way to cook bacon! Crumple the foil to prevent the bacon from getting too greasy.
DrDan
I have seen that. Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Lia
I was looking for a good oven bacon recipe, since I've never tried it before. I started reading yours, and I was thinking "she knows her bacon." And then you mentioned one of my favorites - Hormel Black Label. I'm an Iowa girl myself, so when you mentioned this, I laughed and wasn't surprised! If you ever get to Kansas City, the only thing I've ever found better than Black Label is Boar's Head. It's at Hen House grocery stores, and I highly recommend it. I haven't tried you're directions yet, but I'm about to for a recipe for my family back in Iowa!
DrDan
I do believe I've had Boar's Head 35 plus years ago. We spent two years in Kansas City and loved it. We still have Gate's BBQ sauce sent in by the case. I do highly recommend Black Label. An excellent bacon.
Pay attention since there is some variability due to your oven, thickness of bacon and sugar content of the bacon.
And really "she knows her bacon"... hummmm... DrDan
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Jenny
Why the aluminum foil? I avoid aluminum because of the links to Alzheimers. It the foil necessary?
DrDan
The foil is for easy clean up only. Not required.
DrDan
DrDan
This is variable with bacon thickness and your oven. It may stick more if you bacon is high in sugar. I only use thick black label and it take 20-22 minutes every time and almost never has any sticking. I like the "deep fry" effect also and this does it. Some people use a rack or wrinkle the foil. Not for me.
Thanks for the comment and have fun experimenting.
DrDan
fritz buzzard
This definitely has possibilities. My first attempt went a little too long (~14 minutes) but I used bacon of normal thickness. Next time I will try 10 minutes.
Up until now I had done bacon in the skillet with olive oil. That, plus the fat released by the bacon created an almost 'deep fry' effect and the result was light, crispy bacon - really not too bad. I will have to run the oven method by my wife. She is the bacon lover in the family. Interesting experiment, though. Thanks.
Leslee Florea
Try tossing in flour then shaking off the excess... Even crunchier :) thanks!
Sarah
Thank you so much for your amazing recipes. We tried your drumsticks last night and they were the best. I'll try this one soon!
DrDan
Thanks Sarah
DrDan
Tiwana
Awesome! I will try this tonight. We are having BLT'S.
DrDan
I love BLT's
Thanks for the comment
DrDan
Bill
Most people like BLT's. For a variation, leave off the lettuce an put on a fied egg.
WARNING, you will be hooked forever!!!!!
DrDan
In my much younger days I would eat bacon sandwiches. Then med school ruined it for me...:(
Aubrey
Really I never knew i was supposed to eat it
brownsbacker9255
Try parchment paper, it won't stick to that. A little messier clean up though.
Dan Mikesell
Mine rarely stick any. The occasional minimal sticking isn't worth the mess to me. However some of the thinner and higher sugar bacons may stick more and then the parchment might be worth it.
SwampCatNana
Like e144840, I prefer to put the bacon on a rack in the pan. That way you don't have to use all those paper towels!
Dan Mikesell
I really do not like cleaning greasy rack. But I could just soak them...
Dan Mikesell
Rarely. Maybe a sticky one every third or forth pan. I do believe a higher sugar bacon would stick more.
Laura
Will it stick to the foil? Haven't yet found an oven method where my bacon doesn't stick, but could be the type of bacon I'm using.
Sandie Staub
I used a cooking stone instead of regular pan and it worked way better (no sticking) and it seasoned the pan in the process.
TexasOllie
Non-stick foil. I can't live without it.
Dan Mikesell
great idea if you're worried about sticking. I have done over and over and never had significant sticking.
Lynne
I put mine on parchment paper on a jelly roll pan....it never sticks and for clean up I just wait to grease is hard.... Well till we have had breakfast and it grease just peels right off pan with just some residual grease left to clean off pan when you toss paper out....I have been doing my bacon like this for years now and my family loves it:)
THester
You can also get non stick aluminum foil
dan
Try a silicon pad they are a bit pricey $25 30 but well worth it and last for ever
MollysMama
Use parchment paper...no sticking ever.
Jtn
I guess you missed the part about using parchment paper? Every restaurant in the country uses the same method of cooking in the oven, and parchment is the common and best way.
J. R. Horner
Spray the aluminum foil with Pam before putting
Bacon on it.
Heather O'Gorman
Use the foil with sides raised and put a layer of parchment paper. The parchment won't burn unless it's over 400°f. The foil keeps the grease in the sheet pan...the parchment keeps it from sticking to pan &/or foil...keep an eye on it...I prefer 375°f so I have the control....Hubby doesn't like his brown & crispy...I do...so I have to watch and pull his bacon out sooner, then I pop it back in to get my desired crispinaess.. . Hone a t...it won't stick to the parchment. ~Heather O
Dr Dan
This is definitely a "your time may vary" recipe. The bacon, the oven and the crispiness you want dictates the time. Just remember it is done when it looks done.
Joy
Had too cook it a few minutes longer, but EASY clean up & I didn't get popped with grease or have to stand there flipping bacon! Turned out perfect & was able to cook all the rest of breakfast, while bacon took care of itself :)
d.dale
The best. Will never 'fry' again.
vinny
had a deli in nyc the only way i made lbs of bacon was in the oven you can also cook the bacon 3/4 of the way then reheat later!