Pan-Roasted Bacon: The Ultimate Guide

Pan-roasted bacon is a delicious treat for breakfast, but it can be messy and time-consuming to cook on a stovetop. Cooking bacon in the oven is a great alternative, creating evenly cooked, crispy bacon with minimal mess and fuss.

To pan-roast bacon in the oven, preheat your oven to around 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet or tray with parchment paper or aluminium foil to catch the bacon grease. Then, lay out your bacon slices in a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap.

Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon and your desired level of crispiness, but generally, it should take around 10-20 minutes. For thicker slices and extra crispy bacon, it may take closer to 18-20 minutes.

Once your bacon is cooked to your liking, remove it from the oven and transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease. Enjoy your perfectly cooked, pan-roasted bacon!

Preheat the oven to 400°F

Preheating the oven is an important step as it ensures the bacon cooks evenly and efficiently. It's best to use an oven-safe rack that fits inside a rimmed baking sheet. If you don't have one of these racks, you can line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Foil is great if you want to save the bacon grease for later, while parchment paper is easier to clean up and can be composted.

Once your oven is preheated, you can move on to the next steps of cooking your bacon.

Line a baking tray with foil or parchment paper

To pan-roast bacon, you'll need to line a baking tray with foil or parchment paper. This makes the cleanup process easier as the bacon grease won't get on the baking tray. If you're using parchment paper, you'll need to ensure there is overhang on all four sides of the tray. This makes it easier to dispose of the grease after cooking. If you're using foil, you can crumple it to make small pockets that the grease can drain into.

When lining the tray, you'll want to ensure that the paper or foil covers the entire surface of the tray. This is to ensure that the bacon grease doesn't end up on the tray. Once the tray is lined, you can place the bacon slices on top.

Lay out the bacon slices

Laying out the bacon slices is a crucial step in achieving the perfect pan-roasted bacon. Here's a detailed guide on how to do it:

First, prepare your baking sheet or pan. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminium foil. This will make cleanup easier and help catch any bacon grease. Make sure the baking sheet is large enough to fit your desired amount of bacon without overlapping. Overlapping bacon slices may cause them to stick together during cooking.

Now, it's time to lay out the bacon slices. Place the bacon slices side by side on the prepared baking sheet. It's important that the slices don't overlap, as this can lead to uneven cooking. You can crowd the pan a little, as bacon will shrink as it cooks. However, avoid overcrowding, which can lead to uneven browning and prevent the bacon from getting crispy.

If you're cooking thick-cut bacon, you may need to adjust the spacing. Thick-cut bacon typically requires more space than regular sliced bacon due to its larger size.

Once you've laid out all the bacon slices, you're ready to move on to the next step of pan-roasting your bacon.

Remember, laying out the bacon slices properly is essential for achieving the best results. By following these simple steps, you'll be on your way to delicious, evenly cooked bacon with minimal mess and hassle.

Bake for 10-20 minutes

Once you've preheated your oven to 400°F (204°C) and lined your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, it's time to bake your bacon!

Place your bacon slices on the baking sheet, ensuring they are laid out in a single layer. It's fine if the slices are touching, but make sure they don't overlap as they will stick together during cooking.

Now, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 to 20 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on how crispy you like your bacon and the thickness of the slices. For thinner bacon, 10-15 minutes should be enough, while thicker slices may need the full 20 minutes or even a little longer. Keep an eye on your bacon, especially after the 10-minute mark, to ensure it doesn't burn.

If you're cooking a large batch of bacon on two racks, remember to rotate the baking sheets halfway through the cooking process for even browning.

Drain on a paper towel

Once your bacon is roasted to your liking, it's time to transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. This is an important step to ensure your bacon is crispy and not soggy. Soggy bacon is a no-go!

When cooking bacon in the oven, you don't get any splatters because the bacon just sizzles until it's perfectly crispy (or done to your liking). However, it's still important to drain the excess grease on paper towels. This will ensure your bacon is crispy and not greasy.

To drain the bacon, use tongs to transfer the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate. This will absorb any excess grease. You can also use a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain the bacon, but this will require more clean-up.

If you want to save the bacon grease for future use, let it cool slightly, then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof container and refrigerate. Bacon grease can be used to sauté vegetables or eggs for extra flavor.

So, there you have it! A few simple steps to ensure your pan-roasted bacon is crispy and delicious.

Frequently asked questions