Quit standing by the stove getting splattered by bacon grease. Learn to bake bacon in the oven to make it easier — so you can eat more bacon, more often!
Bacon just may be a magical meat. First off, it tastes amazing. I’ve known many a person to give up their vegetarian ways in the name of bacon.
There’s just something incredibly delicious about that combination of salty, chewy, crispy, mouth-watering, little-bit fatty flavor of bacon. Swoon-worthy for sure.
So, all by itself, bacon wins a few medals. But, then add it to other dishes? Bacon elevates a simple turkey sandwich into a delectable club; a humble pasta dish into food for a king; a basic quiche into something amazing.
Bacon, in a word, ROCKS.
However, there are a few stumbling blocks between you and bacon.
- It can be expensive.
- It takes forever to cook on the stove — and it makes a bit mess with grease splatters. And trust me, you want to cook without messes!
Thankfully, both of these stumbling blocks can be solved quite simply.
Stock up on bacon when you see it on sale.
Since bacon is not typically a cheap food — I’ve seen it as high as $8 or 9/pound — it’s important to buy it on sale. I usually stock up on bacon anytime I see it for $4/pound or under. Typically this is uncured bacon, because that’s what I prefer and tell myself is a little healthier.
But, I’m not opposed to buying conventional bacon at about $3/pound which is my stock-up price. This weekend, Ralphs/Kroger is actually offering a digital coupon to help you score it at that price.
These price points should garner you bacon for 50 to 66 cents per serving.
As with other stocking up I do, I buy as much bacon as I can at a good price and then store it in the freezer. Our family of 8 can easily go through a pound or two in a meal, but if yours is a smaller household, you may want to break up your packets of bacon before stashing them in the freezer. When it was just the two of us, I did this often.
Letting bacon go to waste is a crime.
How do I cook bacon?
Now, you can cook bacon in a skillet on the stove. You don’t need any oil, grease, or fat; the bacon has plenty of its own. Just lay the strips in the pan and turn on the heat to medium. Cook, turning, until the bacon is your desired doneness.
That’s all fine, especially if you’re making a recipe that calls for just one or two slices of bacon. However, if you want to cook a pound or more of bacon, it’s best to bake it.
How to I bake bacon?
Baking bacon is my preferred method. It’s quick and easy, hands-free, and contains the mess in the oven, not my stovetop.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Separate the slices of bacon and lay them on the sheet. Try to avoid overlapping if you can.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the slices over about midway through cooking time. Use cooking tongs so you don’t burn yourself.
As oven temperatures and thickness of bacon can fluctuate, check often to prevent burning. Don’t burn the bacon!
Drain on paper toweling and serve.
What do you need to bake bacon?
Clearly the process is pretty easy. However, keep in mind that since we’re on a mission to avoid bacon grease all over the kitchen, it’s important to use a couple key tools:
- rimmed baking sheets – You have to have a rim, else the grease will drip and cause a fire in your oven.
- heavy duty aluminum foil – You need the thicker, wider foil in order to really contain the grease. You can use thin standard-size foil, but then you’ll still have to scrub grease off your pan. Trust me.
Quit standing by the stove getting splattered by bacon grease. Learn to bake bacon in the oven to make it easier -- so you can eat more bacon, more often!
- 1 pound bacon preferably uncured
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Separate the slices of bacon and lay them on the sheet. Try to avoid overlapping if you can.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the slices over about midway through cooking time. Use cooking tongs so you don't burn yourself.
- As oven temperatures and thickness of bacon can fluctuate, check often to prevent burning. Don't burn the bacon!
- Drain on paper toweling and serve.
To freeze: You can freeze baked bacon to use in other recipes later. After draining the bacon well on paper toweling, package it in a ziptop freezer bag or wrap well in aluminum foil. Store in freezer for up to a month. To use, thaw and reheat.
Recipe cost: $0.50 to $0.66 per serving, based on purchase price of $3 to $4/pound
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