Of all the ways you can cook bacon, including on a skillet or griddle, in the microwave, or even in a deep-fryer, it turns out that the very best way of all is to bake it in the oven. Bacon is fatty, so it needs to be cooked slowly, at a low temperature, so that most (but not all) of the fat renders away while leaving the finished product crispy and golden brown.
You can try to do that in a skillet or a griddle, but there are a couple of problems. First, an average skillet isnt wide enough to accommodate whole slices of bacon. Theyll just crowd each other and end up sticking together. Even if your skillet or griddle is extra-wide (or you decide to cut your bacon in half), youre still cooking the bacon from below, which is more likely to cause it to scorch. It will turn out crumbly rather than crispy. In a skillet, youre going to have to flip it so that both sides of the bacon are cooked. Flipping bacon isnt a major challenge, but its easier to not have to flip your bacon.
Cooking bacon on the stovetop uses up one of your burners (or maybe two if youre using one of those double-burner griddles), which means you have less room for making eggs, home fries, Hollandaise sauce, or even just boiling water to make coffee. Finally, cooking bacon on the stovetop is messy. Bacon fat is going to spatter all over the place, maybe even onto you. 0:31
Putting your bacon in the oven when it’s cold, allows it to slowly warm up as your oven preheats, rendering the fat low and slow as you go. This produces perfectly crisp bacon every time. Let your bacon come to room temperature. It also helps to let the bacon sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Watch Now: How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven
The most important part of this technique is putting the bacon into a cold oven. Dont preheat! Starting with a cold oven ensures that the bacon will cook slowly like it needs to.
Cooking Steps
With a cold oven, follow these steps:
- Arrange the bacon slices on a sheet pan and place the pan on the center rack of a cold oven. (Try not to stretch the slices out. Just gently drape the bacon across the pan.) Close the oven door. Turn the oven on to 400 F.
- Come back 17 to 20 minutes later. As soon as the bacon is golden brown, but not excessively crisp, its done. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the bacon slices and how quickly your oven reaches the target temperature.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the bacon to a second sheet pan (or a plate or dish) lined with paper towels to absorb any excess fat.
Also, keep your eye on the bacon during the final few minutes of cooking to make sure that it doesnt burn. Remove the cooked bacon from the hot pan right away. If you leave it in the pan too long, the heat from the pan and the hot bacon fat will continue cooking it.
HOW TO COOK BACON IN THE OVEN | easy, crispy and no mess!
FAQ
Why not preheat oven for bacon?
Why do you cook bacon in cold pan?
Should bacon be cold or room temperature before cooking?
Why do people cook bacon in the oven?
Can you cook bacon in a cold oven?
Do NOT Preheat Your Oven! The most important part of this technique is putting the bacon into a cold oven. Don’t preheat! Starting with a cold oven ensures that the bacon will cook slowly like it needs to. Arrange the bacon slices on a sheet pan and place the pan on the center rack of a cold oven. (Try not to stretch the slices out.
Can one eat bacon with diverticulosis?
You can eat bacon with diverticulosis, but it is not the most recommended. In a person with diverticulosis, it is recommended to consume foods with soluble fiber such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
Should Bacon be cooled before cooking?
Cool slightly: Let the bacon cool for a minute or two before serving. This allows the bacon to firm up and achieve maximum crispiness. Check on the bacon: Whether cooking from cold or in a preheated oven, always check the bacon halfway through. Oven temps vary, so if yours runs hot, you might not need as long. Why bake bacon in the oven?
Why do you need to flip Bacon when cooking?
Baked bacon cooks flat, so it doesn’t curl up. There’s no need to flip the bacon. Your skin is spared from grease burns. No grease spots stain your clothes. No grease splatters all over your kitchen. It frees up space on your stovetop for other foods. While the bacon is in there cooking itself, you can turn your attention to other things.