How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
A complete guide to making bacon in the oven. Please reference the post for complete directions and timetables for making different thicknesses of bacon.
Servings: 12 strips
Ingredients
- 12 slices thick cut bacon Applewood smoked is my favorite
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.Prepare a large rimmed sheet pan by lining it with foil. Make sure to wrap the foil up and over the edges of the rims of the pan to catch all the drippings.Prepare a space to drain the cooked bacon by layering paper towels on a plate. ( see Note )
- Arrange the uncooked bacon strips in a single layer on the pan.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and cook for a total of 24 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to account for any uneven heat in the oven. You do NOT need to flip the bacon slices as they cook.
- Remove the pan from the oven.Using tongs, carefully remove the strips of bacon from the hot pan and place them on the paper towels to drain off any excess grease.Let the bacon drain and cool off for a minute or two, or until it is safe to the touch.Serve!
Notes
Note about using paper towels: bacon is super greasy and can ruin your kitchen towels with grease. If you don't use paper towels, some good alternatives are:
- a dedicated grease towel ( keeping in mind washing this towel does pose some hazards to your plumbing)
- a paper grocery bag - still disposable but at least giving something a second life before disposing
- a metal rack - let the grease drop off of the bacon instead of being sopped up by something absorbent