Are you still making bacon on the stove top? Ever wondered how to make bacon in the oven? This is the EASIEST, no muss, no fuss way to make bacon. No more dodging popping oil splatters, no more flipping, and no more standing over a hot frying pan that seems determined to bring you harm! And bacon goes with everything! Appetizers: Paleo Deviled Eggs, Breakfasts: Paleo Almond Flour Waffles, Side Dishes: Southern Style Cooked Cabbage – Dessert: (that’s my next post, coming soon)! There are endless possibilities!
The Bacon
If you can, find the most minimally processed bacon that you can find. One that has no added sugars, and no nitrates or nitrites. You can find some in Whole Foods or Mom’s Organic Market, or at U.S. Wellness Meats if you want to order online.
How to Make Bacon in the Oven
Prep your bacon
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Then, line a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil. Be sure to completely cover the pan, including going up the sides. This makes clean-up a breeze. Then, place your bacon slices in a single layer onto the pan. You can use a rack if you want (supposedly for crispier bacon), but I don’t. Too much work and my bacon gets just as crispy.
Cook your bacon
Place the sheet pan into the hot oven. Middle rack is just fine. My oven has convection capability so I use convection bake and place my bacon on two different racks. If you don’t have convection capability and you have more than one tray of bacon, place the trays on different racks. You may have to swap places 1/2 way through the cooking, depending on your oven. You may have hot spots and notice one side of the pan cooks faster. Set your timer for about 12 minutes. Oven temps vary so at this point, keep an eye on the progression. If the bacon is not crispy enough for you, check back in another 3 minutes or so. My total time to my perfect crispiness is about 15-17 minutes.
Using tongs, carefully remove the strips of bacon and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Eat Now or Later
I am making bacon on a weekly basis because I use it for many different recipes. I store my drained and cooled bacon in a ziplock bag. How about Paleo Avocado Toast with a side of bacon for breakfast? So much easier when I can just pull out a couple of slices and microwave for 30 seconds. Need protein on a salad? Chop up a slice or two for bacon bits! Or…need bacon on a dessert? Yeah…that’s possible too!
Keep the Fat!!
Wait…don’t throw out that fat! That is some primo, oh so delicious rendered pig fat!!! That’s another reason to buy minimally processed, pastured if possible, bacon. Let the fat cool slightly. Just slightly because you still want it to be liquid. Carefully make a pour spout out of one corner of the aluminum foil and carefully gather up the other corners and pour that liquid lard into a jar, seal with an airtight lid and refrigerate it. This is my choice of fat whenever I need fat for a recipe. Olive oil or ghee are my second choice.
Wasn’t that easy? You now know how to make bacon in the oven!
