How To Cook Bacon In The Oven | Crisp, Even, Easy

Baking bacon trades splatters for control. Heat stays steady, slices cook evenly, and cleanup takes minutes. Below you’ll find a simple method, exact timing for different cuts, and pro tips that keep fat from smoking and edges from burning.

Baking Bacon In The Oven: Time, Temp, Texture

The sweet spot for most home ovens is 400°F. At this setting, fat renders fast enough to crisp edges while the center stays meaty. Thicker slices need a touch longer; thin streaks finish fast. Convection shaves a few minutes because the fan moves hot air across the meat. Use the table below as your starting map.

Gear You Need (And What You Can Skip)

You don’t need much. A rimmed sheet pan, foil or parchment, and a pair of tongs do the job. A wire rack is optional; it lifts slices so heat surrounds them and keeps streaks a little flatter. If you like extra crisp edges, use the rack. If you want a touch of chew and the deepest color, let the meat sit directly in its rendered fat on the lined sheet.

Choose a heavy sheet that won’t warp at high heat. Line with heavy-duty foil for the fastest cleanup, or parchment if you prefer recyclable liners. Keep a small bowl nearby for drippings. A jar with a strainer lid is handy if you save rendered fat for roasted potatoes or cornbread. Tongs with silicone tips grip without tearing. Keep mitts handy.

Step-By-Step: From Cold Pan To Golden Strips

1) Line And Arrange

Line the pan, set a rack on top if using, and lay slices in a single layer with no overlap. Crowding steams the surface and dulls browning. Two sheets at once are fine; rotate positions midway for even color.

2) Bake Hot

Slide the pan into a preheated 400°F oven, center rack. Start your timer at 12 minutes for thin cuts, 16 for standard, and 20 for thick. Peek once near the end. Color moves fast in the last few minutes.

3) Drain And Finish

When edges ripple and the surface looks burnished, move slices to a paper-towel-lined plate or a dry rack. Draining keeps crispness. If you like them glassy, give a final 1–2 minutes after the flip near the end.

4) Season Smart

The cure carries salt; you rarely need more. If you want a finish, grind pepper or shower brown sugar near the end so it melts without scorching. Maple syrup or hot honey works too—brush in the final 3 minutes.

Temperature Choices And What They Deliver

High heat builds color and snap; moderate heat gives more chew. Here’s a quick guide so you can steer the texture.

425°F

Fast and fierce. Great for thin strips when you want extra crackle. Watch closely in the last two minutes.

400°F

Balanced. Crisp edges, even rendering, and a bit of bend in the center. The best default for mixed thickness packs.

375°F

Forgiving. Good for sugar-coated slices or peppered rashers where you want color without burnt spots.

If your oven runs hot or cool, set a cheap thermometer on the rack and check after preheat. Five to ten degrees off can stretch timing and tilt texture.

Rack Vs. No Rack

On a rack, hot air flows underneath, which keeps slices flatter and a little less greasy. On a lined sheet, slices fry in their own fat, which boosts blistered edges and deep bronze color. Pick based on texture goals and cleanup time.

Parchment, Foil, Or Bare Sheet

Parchment resists sticking and helps even browning. Foil reflects heat and makes draining drippings easy—crimp the edges into a spout and pour into a jar. A bare sheet develops the strongest crust but needs a thorough scrub. For busy mornings, parchment wins on balance.

How To Scale For A Crowd

Plan about two standard slices per person for sandwiches or sides, three to four for a platter. Use two racks across two sheets, or bake in waves. If running two sheets without racks, rotate top to bottom at the halfway mark and swap front to back to even out hot spots.

Safety, Doneness, And Storage

Cook until browned and crisped to your liking; that appearance indicates that the cure has heated through and surface moisture has driven off. For official guidance on handling and storage, see the FSIS bacon safety page. For fridge and freezer timelines, see the cold storage chart.

Cool leftovers, then store in a shallow container. In the fridge, plan to finish within a week. Freeze in stacks separated by parchment for quick breakfasts. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes, in an air fryer for 2–3 minutes, or in a skillet over medium heat with a spoon of drippings.

Flavor Tweaks That Actually Work

Small extras can change the profile without overpowering the smoky cure. Keep add-ons light, and add near the end to avoid burnt sugar or spices.

• Maple-Black Pepper: Brush with maple syrup and crack black pepper in the last 3 minutes.
• Honey-Chile: Mix hot honey with a pinch of cayenne; glaze near the finish.
• Brown Sugar: Sprinkle a thin layer for candied edges; use 375°F to keep it from scorching.
• Everything Seasoning: Shake on sesame, poppy, garlic, and onion after you pull the pan.
• Smoked Paprika: Dust lightly at the end for deeper color and a smoky boost.

What About Different Cuts?

Packs vary. Some are lean with wide white bands of firm fat. Others are streaky with softer fat that renders faster. Slab pieces give you control over thickness and shape. Turkey rashers are leaner and finish sooner, while beef or lamb versions carry stronger savor. Follow the cues in the table at the top, then fine-tune by color and curl.

Thick-Cut Slices

These need patience. Keep the pan on the center rack. Add minutes in small steps until edges ripple and the surface turns mahogany. Flip once near the end if the top lags behind.

Thin Slices

These brown fast. Start checking early. If your pack looks paper-thin, drop the heat to 375°F and watch the last few minutes like a hawk.

Turkey Or Beef

Lean meats brown by dehydrating more than frying. A light glaze helps color. Keep the temp at 400°F and aim for golden edges with a touch of bend in the center.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

• Overcrowding: Overlap traps steam and stunts browning.
• Cold Spots: Skip the low rack; center position delivers even color.
• Skipping The Rotate: With two sheets, swap positions at the halfway mark.
• No Liner: Bare sheets brown well but cleanup takes longer; line for sanity.
• Seasoning Too Early: Sugar burns if it sits in hot fat for long.

Make-Ahead, Reheat, And Hold

For brunch service, bake to just shy of done. Hold slices on a rack set over a clean sheet. When guests arrive, pop the pan back in at 375°F for 3–5 minutes to finish. For sandwiches, let strips cool on a rack so they stay crisp against bread.

Rendered Fat: Save It And Use It

Strain drippings while warm. Store in a clean jar in the fridge. Use a spoon to roast potatoes, sauté greens, or fry croutons. A small amount perfumes cornbread batter and adds color to pan-seared chicken thighs.

Nutrition, Portions, And Swaps

Calories vary by brand and thickness. Many standard strips land near 40–60 calories each, while thick-cut often ranges higher. If you’re tracking, weigh a cooked portion and check the brand’s label, or pull values from a trusted database. Pair crisp strips with vegetables, eggs, or fruit to balance a plate. If you want a lighter route, turkey versions deliver similar crunch with less fat.

Quick Method Card

Troubleshooting: From Pale To Perfect

Pale And Floppy

Give it more time. If fat pools without bubbling, raise the heat to 400–425°F. Flip once near the end to push color on the top side.

Dark Spots Or Burnt Tips

Move the pan to the center rack and lower heat to 375°F. Sugar or syrups should go on late. Trim edges that are much thinner than the center.

Smoky Kitchen

Renderings smoking often means a dirty oven or fat hitting hot coils. Line the pan well, pour off excess halfway, and switch the vent on. Choose 375°F for sweet glazes.

Serve It Well

Stack strips on a small rack over a warm platter so air can flow. Offer a drizzle of maple, cracked pepper, or a dusting of paprika. Pair with scrambled eggs, BLTs, or chopped into salads and chowders.