Recipe: Cooking Bacon in the Oven

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven (Crispy, Every Time)

There’s a reason so many home cooks have switched to baking bacon in the oven instead of standing over a hot, spattering skillet. It’s more consistent, it’s far less messy, and it’s the easiest way to cook a full batch — six strips or twenty — without babysitting a pan. Once you’ve tried this method with a good, honestly-raised bacon like our Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon, it’s hard to go back to the stovetop.

This guide walks through everything you need to know about preparing bacon in the oven: the right temperature, exactly how long to bake it depending on how crispy you like it, and the small details that make the difference between good bacon and great bacon. Skip down to the recipe card any time you just need the ingredients and steps.

Why Bake Bacon in the Oven Instead of Pan-Frying?

If you’ve only ever cooked bacon in a skillet, oven-baking solves most of the annoyances at once:

• Even cooking. The oven’s ambient heat surrounds every strip evenly, so you don’t end up with burnt edges and undercooked centers the way you can in a pan.
• Way less mess. A rimmed baking sheet (lined with foil or parchment) catches all the grease in one place — no popping oil on your stovetop or apron.
• Bigger batches, less effort. You can fit a full pound of bacon on one sheet, which makes this the method of choice for feeding a crowd or meal-prepping for the week.
• Hands-off crispiness. Instead of flipping and monitoring constantly, you set a timer and check near the end. It’s a genuinely low-effort way to get consistently crispy bacon.

The Best Oven Temp for Crispy Bacon

The short answer: 375°F (190°C) is the sweet spot for most home ovens, and it’s what we recommend for our Applewood Smoked Bacon. It’s hot enough to render the fat and crisp the bacon without being so aggressive that the edges burn before the centers are done.

That said, oven temp for bacon is a little flexible depending on what you’re after:

• 350°F — a gentler bake, good if you prefer a chewier strip with less snap.
• 375°F — the standard, and the best all-around choice for evenly cooked, crispy bacon.
• 400°F — faster and crispier, but keep a closer eye near the end since it can go from perfect to overdone quickly at this temperature.

Whichever temperature you choose, always start with a cold oven preheated fully before the bacon goes in — this is what keeps the cook even from edge to edge.

How Long to Bake Bacon in the Oven

Cook time depends on the thickness of your bacon and how crispy you like it, but as a general rule at 375°F:

Bacon thickness	Chewy	Crispy
Regular cut	12–15 minutes	16–18 minutes
Thick cut	16–18 minutes	19–22 minutes

A good rule of thumb: start checking at the 12-minute mark, and pull the bacon a minute or two before it looks fully done — it continues to crisp for a minute or two after it comes out of the oven from residual heat.

Step-by-Step: How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

This is the exact method we use and recommend, whether you’re making a couple of strips for one or prepping bacon for a whole brunch spread.

1. Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190 °C). We take it low & slow and so should you. This temperature provides the ideal balance between crispy bacon and efficient cooking.
2. Prepare the Cookie Sheet. Select a flat cookie sheet with ridges around the edge to catch the bacon grease. Use a non-stick sheet or line the sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
3. Arrange the Bacon. Lay the Applewood smoked bacon slices flat on the cookie sheet, making sure they don’t overlap. This allows the heat to circulate evenly around each smoky strip.
4. Bake the Bacon. Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 12-20 minutes, depending on your desired level of crispiness. Keep an eye on the bacon during the last few minutes to prevent overcooking. Remember, the bacon will continue to crisp up slightly after removing it from the oven.
5. Drain and Serve. Once the bacon reaches your preferred level of crispiness, put on your oven mitts, and carefully remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Use tongs to transfer the bacon slices onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
6. Enjoy! Serve the perfectly crispy bacon alongside your favorite breakfast dishes or use it as a flavourful addition to sandwiches, salads, or as a topper for pizza or homemade soups.

Tips for Preparing Perfectly Crispy Bacon Every Time

• Don’t skip the preheat. Putting bacon into a cold or still-heating oven is the single biggest cause of uneven cooking.
• Use a rack for extra crispiness. Elevating the bacon lets fat drip away completely, which produces a noticeably crispier result than bacon sitting in its own grease.
• Save the fat. Bacon grease keeps well in the fridge for weeks and adds great flavor to roasted vegetables, cornbread, or fried eggs.
• Don’t overcrowd the sheet. If you’re making a large batch, use two sheets rather than crowding one — overcrowding traps steam and slows crisping.

How to Store and Reheat Oven-Baked Bacon

Cooked bacon keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat and keep it crispy, skip the microwave (it tends to make bacon rubbery) and instead pop it back into a 350°F oven for 3–5 minutes, or into a skillet over medium heat for a minute per side.

FAQs About Cooking Bacon in the Oven

In this Recipe

Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon