Make Ahead Bacon in the Oven

It's easy to make bacon in the oven. Whether you're cooking bacon for a crowd or stocking your freezer with bacon for easy breakfast or dinner additions, this recipe is for you!

Get ready - I'm about to rock your world.

Let me introduce you a no mess, hassle free way to make oven baked bacon.

Today we're talking about how you can make bacon for a crowd. Even if that crowd is your family. Trust me, living with a family of six, this is a survival skill I 100 percent needed to master.

Early bird gets the bacon, you know???

And while it may seem odd that I'm excited about a bacon recipe, I can explain.

Why this is the best way to cook bacon

Cooking bacon on the stovetop is messy, smoky and greasy and sometimes leaves your house smelling like the local diner for days. And not in a good way.

I have been known to skip the bacon just because I didn't want grease to spatter on my clean stove. I think we can agree, that's no way to live our lives, is it??!?

And how about this scenario...have you ever had a recipe call for a slice or two of bacon and you're thinking "ugh, that's just one more recipe step and/or I don't have time or want to do that?

With this recipe hack, you can just pull a strip out of your fridge or freezer whenever you need it! Tip: I like to sprinkle some on top of my tuna and egg salad.

We're gonna cook bacon in the oven. Let's go!

Tools needed to cook bacon in the oven

• Large baking sheet
• aluminum foil
• tongs
• and our star, bacon

How to cook bacon in the oven

Line a rimmed pan with foil, or you can use parchment paper. This is going to help make an easy cleanup. More on that in a minute.

Lay bacon strips in a line. I have mine on a metal cooling rack in the photo above but you don't need to do that. In fact, it just makes for more dishes to wash. So ditch the baking rack if dishes are your arch nemesis.

Put your bacon in the oven and set the temperature to 400 degrees. Bake bacon for 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway through.

If you're cooking thick cut bacon in your oven, it will take closer to 20 minutes. I like to rotate my pan halfway through cooking because every oven seems to have one side that's hotter.

When the bacon is cooked just the way you like it (less time for soft; more time for crispy), remove from the oven and using tongs, transfer the slices to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

How long to cook bacon in the oven

How long it takes will depend on a few factors....

The brand you buy can vary, as well as fat content. Also, thick cut, center cut and regular cut bacon can all vary.

Don't even get me started on the different ways people like their bacon cooked! My husband? He likes soft bacon. Me, I prefer crispy bacon! So the answer is really within you, friends.

Play around with the timing and stay close by the first time you make this, so you have a sense of how your individual oven bakes bacon.

How do you keep bacon warm for a crowd or potluck?

Assuming the crowd isn't lining up to grab a slice or two, here are my tips to keep bacon warm.

• put the warm bacon in a slow cooker on low
• keep it in a covered pan in your oven on the lowest setting
• cook the bacon ahead of time and reheat in a skillet on low when it's time to serve
• I've also been known to keep mine in the microwave as a holding spot.

FAQs

Will cooking bacon in the oven make a mess?

It does spatter a little bit, but because it's all self contained, it doesn't make a mess. I haven't noticed that my oven is any dirtier since I started cooking bacon in the oven.

Will bacon get crispy in the oven?

Yes, it sure will! It depends on the cooking time. If you prefer a softer bacon, simply lessen the cooking time.

How to cook bacon in the oven without a rack

I have my bacon cooking on a rack here, but you can 100% cook it directly on the pan for even easier cleanup.

How to freeze cooked bacon for later

Luckily for you, you can make batches of bacon and save it for easy meal additions.

To freeze cooked bacon for later, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place bacon on the lined pan in strips, taking care to not cross over one another.

Place in the freezer until the bacon strips are semi frozen, about 20-30 minutes.

Remove from the pan and place in a ziplock bag. When you need slices, pull them from the bag and reheat in the microwave or a quick warm up in a skillet.

Viola!

When you need a few bacon slices for an awesome Chicken Avocado BLT wrap, or to whip up a Crustless Quiche with Bacon and Broccoli or Instant Pot Egg Bites you're already one step ahead in the meal prep department!

Easy cleanup tip:

Allow your pan to cool and the bacon grease will harden.

Lift the foil or parchment paper off and discard and the grease will go with it. Or, save the bacon grease for another use.

Cooking bacon in the oven is 100% my favorite!

Ways to use cooked bacon

These recipes are perfect for your oven baked bacon.

• Crustless Quiche Lorraine
• Cool and Creamy BLT Dip
• Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches
• Chicken Avocado BLT Wrap
• Crustless Bacon Quiche with Broccoli
• Loaded Twice Baked Potato Casserole
• Butternut Squash Casserole with Pecans and Bacon
• Broccoli Salad with Cranberries
• Bacon Quesadillas
• Salad Toppings
• BLT Sandwiches

Other Make Ahead Breakfasts

Sausage Egg Breakfast Bowls

Crustless Sausage Quiche

Oven Baked Eggs

Berry Sheet Pan Pancakes

Did you make bacon in the oven? Leave a recipe rating below or share on Instagram tagging me @thisfarmgirlcooks!!

Shared on Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday!