Perfect Bacon Every Time

Perfect bacon…no big mess!  EVERY TIME!  I have cooked bacon in my cast iron skillet forever!  But I’ve got to tell you, the first time I tried bacon in the oven, I was a believer!  If you are cooking more than 4 strips of bacon, there is absolutely no other way to cook it.  Every single slice turns out perfectly from end to end.  Never again will there be a fatty undercooked side and a too crispy burnt side.   Plus, bacon does not splatter in the oven the way it does on the stove top.   While the bacon is cooking in the oven, you can focus on the rest of the meal, without worrying about looking away and burning the bacon. 🙂 There is simply no downside!  The key is watching your bacon closely the first time and it and making adjustments based on your oven temp and the thickness of the bacon.  You will then be able to easily replicate the perfect bacon without much fuss.

Perfect Bacon Every TimeWorry free bacon cooked to perfection!

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Perfect Bacon Every Time
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Serves: 4-6 servings
 
Ingredients
  • Bacon, as many strips as you need and will fit on your sheet pan (I prefer a thicker cut bacon)
  • Aluminum foil, enough to completely cover your sheet pan for easy clean up
  • Tongs
  • Paper towels
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F. you will be using the center rack of your oven.
  2. Line your sheet pan with the aluminum foil, crimping it up and around the lip of the pan to keep from getting bacon grease underneath it.
  3. Arrange the bacon on the sheet, placing slices close but not touching each other.
  4. You will bake the bacon 15-20 minutes, until it reaches your desired crispiness.
Especially the first time around, make sure that you check your bacon at 10 minutes and then 15 minutes. The total time will depend not only on the accuracy of your oven temp, but also on the thickness of your bacon and the crispy level you are shooting for. My bacon takes almost 20 minutes to cook to what I consider "crispy perfection", which happens to also be perfect for crumbling and using on salads, potatoes or to top appetizers.
  1. Eventually your bacon will look like it is swimming in foamy fat...it is OK. As soon as it is done cooking you will transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
  2. Once it is done, if you aren't quite ready for it, you can either return it to the "off" but still warm oven, or refrigerate it for later use.
  3. Let the pan cool, and once the bacon fat has solidified, remove foil, crumple into a ball and toss in the garbage...Clean up done!
  4. If you want EXTRA crispy bacon, you can always place a rack on your sheet pan to elevate the bacon strips.