Learn how to cook bacon in the oven with aluminum foil for perfectly crispy, evenly cooked bacon with less mess. Simply line a sheet pan with foil, arrange the bacon in a single layer, and bake at 400°F. No flipping required! The foil catches the bacon grease and makes cleanup incredibly easy.
This method of cooking bacon is so simple that it’s hard to even call it an official “recipe”. Working in various foodservice roles, I discovered this game-changing way to make perfect bacon every time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Less mess – Cooking bacon in the oven means no standing over a skillet while hot bacon grease splatters across the stovetop. The aluminum foil catches the rendered grease and can be folded up and thrown out once it has completely cooled.
- Make a little or a lot – Bake a few slices, an entire pound, or multiple sheet pans at once. It’s especially handy when you’re making breakfast for a crowd or want to cook bacon ahead for meal prep.
- Crispy, evenly cooked bacon – Laying the bacon flat in a single layer helps each strip cook evenly and keep its shape. No trying to fit long strips of bacon into a round skillet!
- No flipping – Once the bacon goes into the oven, there’s no need to flip each slice. Just start checking it toward the end of the baking time.
What You’ll Need
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven with Aluminum Foil
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. If using regular foil it doesn’t matter which side faces up. The difference in finish is just a result of production. Specific “non-stick” foil has a dull side that has a non-stick coating applied to it.
Step 2: Lay bacon slices onto sheet pan so they are not touching. They can be closer to each other, but should not be overlapping. The bacon will shrink as it cooks. More than one pan may be needed depending how much you need to make.
Step 3: Place sheet pan on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 12-20 minutes until bacon is done. Timing will vary depending on thickness of bacon and your oven which is why the cooking time range is so broad. Start checking the bacon at 12 minutes and keep baking until dark golden and crispy.
From my experience I’d recommend:
- Regular-cut bacon:Â Start checking around 12 minutes.
- Thick-cut bacon:Â Start checking around 16 minutes.
- Extra-crispy bacon:Â Let it bake a little longer, checking every couple of minutes so it doesn’t burn.
If doing multiple pans, rotate them about halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Step 4: Remove from the oven and place bacon slices on paper towels to remove excess grease.
Tips for Perfect Oven-Baked Bacon
- Don’t overlap the bacon. Arrange the strips in a single layer so they cook evenly.
- Use a rimmed pan. Bacon releases quite a bit of grease as it cooks, so you need a baking sheet with raised edges to contain it.
- Skip the wire rack. Cooking the bacon directly on the foil works beautifully and makes cleanup easier.
- Start checking early. Bacon thickness varies between brands, and ovens can cook differently. It’s much easier to add another minute or two than rescue burnt bacon!
- Cooking multiple pans? Place the pans on separate oven racks and rotate them from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through cooking.
- Never pour bacon grease down the sink, as it can solidify and clog your pipes.
Serving Tips
Serve bacon as part of a breakfast or brunch spread or in a variety of recipes such as BLT’s, clubhouse sandwiches, crumbled in salads, or virtually anything that requires bacon slices!
Storage Tips
If bacon isn’t used right away, allow it cool completely before placing in an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator. Cooked bacon will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge.
Cooked bacon can also be frozen by placing cooled, cooked slices on a slice of parchment or wax paper on a sheet pan. Place in freezer for 2 hours until completely frozen. Transfer frozen slices to a freezer bag. Cooked bacon can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Perfect for meal prep!
For a quick reheat, place a few slices between paper towels and microwave briefly until warmed through. You can also warm bacon in a skillet or a 350°F oven for a few minutes to bring back some of its crispiness.
FAQ
No need to flip it! It will come out evenly cooked on the aluminum foil. This is one of my favorite things about making bacon this way!
There shouldn’t be any splatter when making the bacon in the oven. Just be sure to use a sheet pan with sides. Once the bacon is done, allow the grease to cool on the aluminum foil, roll it up into a ball and throw it away. SO easy!
If you’re using regular aluminum foil, either side can face the bacon. The shiny and dull finishes are a result of the manufacturing process and won’t affect how the bacon cooks. If you’re using nonstick aluminum foil, check the package and place the bacon on the side designated for food.
Turkey bacon can be cooked in a similar way, but will need to be flipped on the pan about halfway through cooking because of the lower fat content.
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How to Cook Bacon in the Oven With Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- Lay bacon slices onto sheet pan so they are not touching. More than one pan may be needed.
- Place sheet pan on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 12-20 minutes until bacon is done. If doing multiple pans, rotate them about halfway through cooking.
- Remove from the oven and place bacon slices on paper towels to remove excess grease.
Notes
- Timing will vary depending on thickness of bacon and your oven which is why the cooking time range is so broad. Start checking the bacon at 12 minutes and keep baking until dark golden and crispy.
- Regular-cut bacon:Â Start checking around 12 minutes.
- Extra-crispy bacon: Let it bake a little longer, checking every couple of minutes so it doesn’t burn.
- Thick-cut bacon:Â Start checking around 16 minutes.
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So much better than making in a skillet. Will be making it this way from now on.
I don’t like the smell of stale bacon that lingers in the house so I use the Weber gas grill. Take a long piece of foil and double it over to sheet pan size. Fold up the edges about a half inch and pinch the corners to keep the grease contained. Place the bacon as per above. Use a cutting board under the foil to move it from the house to the grill. Put the foil pan on the grill before turning it on to medium. Turn bacon every 4 minutes. 15-18 minutes till done. Turn off grill, leave foil to cool, place paper towels you used to drain the bacon on the grease. Let it all cool, fold it up and put it right into the garbage, or into a sealed plastic bag until garbage day.