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–+ servings
Oven Cooked Bacon

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

These are my tips and tricks for How to Cook Bacon in the Oven without the mess. Your bacon will be crispy and flavorful every time.
Servings: 9 pieces of bacon
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces bacon, thick-cut, about 9 slices
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 18"x13" sheet pan with a double layer of parchment paper, making sure that the edges are turned up to catch the grease.
  • Place the bacon, usually about 9 thick-cut strips, side by side on the sheet pan. Do not overlap the bacon, as pieces may stick together. One sheet pan will hold roughly 12 ounces of bacon.
    Oven Cooked Bacon
  • Add ground black pepper or light brown sugar to each strip of bacon, depending if you want sweet or savory bacon. Bake in the oven for 18 minutes for thick-cut and 15 minutes for thin sliced bacon.
  • Remove the bacon from the sheet pan and place strips on a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Pour excess bacon grease into a small jar and allow to cool. Cover with a lid for storage.
    Oven Cooked Bacon
  • Use bacon on sandwiches or crumbled over a salad. Store remaining bacon in between sheets of paper towels in a gallon size [plastic bag inn the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Bacon is crispy and best when used right away. Recipe makes 9 strips of bacon.

Equipment

  • 1 18"x13" sheet pan
  • 1 pair of tongs
  • 2 sheets of parchment paper

Notes

Bacon is cured meat from the belly of a pig. It is often cut into thin or thick slices and sold by the pound. I almost always use thick-cut smoked bacon. It is more substantial than thin sliced bacon, and is easier to season and cook.
For this recipe, you can use a bacon of your choice, but the instructions are based on thick-cut smoked bacon. Use a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper or a few tablespoons of light brown sugar to season the bacon before roasting it.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 250mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.001gVitamin A: 15IUCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.2mg