How to cook the very best bacon with very little mess and easy cleanup by simply using a pan in the oven. Make perfect bacon every time!

I have never really enjoyed cooking bacon in a traditional pan on the stove, despite how much I love to eat it, so I have avoided making it the past. It was one of those chores that I always delegated. That was until I discovered the very best, easiest, and most delicious way to make bacon- in the oven!

Guys, it is one of those hacks that is a complete game changer! We love making freezer bagel breakfast sandwiches, breakfast bites, and oven egg sandwiches. It is also the easiest way to feed a crowd, or make ahead batches to store in the fridge for BLT sandwiches and salads.

Why does the Oven make the Best Bacon?

The thing that I absolutely love about this way of cooking bacon is that the cleanup is so easy and fast. Also, there is no grease spattering all over my stove.

This oven baked version is also the most wonderful tasting bacon I have ever had. It is crispy and more flavorful than the kind you fry in a puddle of its own grease. The flavor and texture is absolutely perfect.

The combination of best taste, easy cleanup, and easiest way to make it for a crowd made me a believer for life in this way of preparing it!

What Type of Pan to Use?

To make oven-baked bacon, I use a baking sheet that has a lip around all 4 edges. You will not want to use a completely flat baking sheet because would not catch the bacon grease.

How to Cook the Best Bacon in the Oven

It's easy! Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Preheat Oven- Get it Hot!

Preheat your oven to 400° and allow to reach full temperature before using. It is important to have a very hot oven when cooking bacon.

Step 2: Line Baking Sheet with Foil

Lining the baking sheet with foil will make cleanup a breeze! I have also baked several batches of bacon on the same sheets of foil- one right after the other. Just be sure to drain the grease in between and you are set.

Step 3: Lay out the strips of bacon

If you want bacon that is extra crispy, put a baking rack on top of your foil before laying it out. Lay out the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet with a lip on all 4 sides. If you are feeding a crowd, feel free to repeat using multiple baking sheets if your oven allows.

Step 4: Bake

When oven reaches 400°, insert pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, depending on thickness, or until bacon is crispy and browned on the edges. Begin to check your bacon for doneness at the 15 minute mark as ovens may vary.

Step 5: Drain

My secret for making the best bacon in the oven is to drain the grease at the halfway cooking point. At about the 10 minute mark, very carefully remove the pan from the oven, drain the grease, and then put it back in the oven until it is finished cooking. This little step makes a big difference in the end result! After the bacon has reached the desired crispness, remove from oven and place each piece onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain further.