I’m Just Going to Say It: This Is the Only Correct Way to Cook Bacon

With bacon being a pricey treat, there’s nothing more disappointing than a batch that’s either burnt or flimsy. I’ve been through it all: the greasy mess of a frying pan, the uneven results from an air fryer and the less-said-the-better outcome from the microwave. Each method was a letdown, leaving me with a mess and subpar bacon.

It turns out the secret to perfect bacon was right there all along: the oven.

After testing every cooking method imaginable, baking is the clear winner for making consistently crispy bacon with almost no effort. You get evenly cooked strips every single time, and you can finally say goodbye to hot grease splattering all over your stovetop. If you’re ready to stop fighting with your frying pan, this is the foolproof method you need to try.

Below, you’ll find the simple steps needed to cook perfect bacon in the oven. When it’s done, I’ve outlined nine genius ways to use leftover bacon fat.

How to cook perfect bacon in the oven

Here are my tips for cooking perfectly crisp bacon in the oven. Spoiler alert: There aren’t many steps, and none of them take very long.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I would avoid air fryer mode if your oven has it since the fast-moving air is more likely to blow grease around the inside. We’re aiming for a mess-free scenario. 

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, or use a nonstick sheet pan for a more eco-friendly approach. If you’re going the foil route, make sure the edges ride up the sides of the tray so the grease doesn’t spill over the sides and down onto the tray. 

If you’re using nonstick bakeware, I prefer a ceramic sheet pan or tray but Teflon works well, too.

Read more: Nonstick Cookware Guide: Teflon, Ceramic and More Explained

Arrange bacon on the tray. The strips shouldn’t overlap, but it’s fine if they touch since they’ll shrink down significantly while cooking. If you prefer super crispy bacon with a bit less grease, you can arrange the slices on a wire rack above the tray for the fat to drip down below.

Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Be sure to keep one eye on the bacon as some ovens run hotter than others. If you like your bacon crispy and well done, give it another few minutes. Remember, bacon does a lot of its crisping after it comes out and cools. 

Read more: Make Your Next Burger in an Air Fryer and Thank Me Later

Drain the bacon on a sheet or two of paper towels. After a few minutes, you’re ready to serve those crispy strips with eggs, in a BLT or crumbled to fancy up boxed mac and cheese. 

The best part? After cooking bacon in the oven, all you’re left with is a small ball of foil to heave effortlessly into the trash.

A few countertop ovens for cooking bacon

For bacon, I love using a smaller countertop convection model. A large oven works just as well but takes longer to preheat and, dang it, we want bacon now. 

The Ninja Double Oven and Breville’s Smart Oven Air are two multifunction ovens that work well. Both are large enough that bacon grease won’t splatter on the ceiling, but are small and powerful enough to preheat quickly and cook bacon to a crisp in under 10 minutes. (We’ve also got tips for how to clean your cast iron skillet and how to make boxed mac and cheese taste so much better.) 

Can you make bacon in an air fryer?

Absolutely. Easy air fryers are perfect for making bacon in a very similar manner to oven bacon. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making bacon in an air fryer. 

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