The easiest and hassle-free way to cook bacon is in the oven! It’s hands-off, results in perfectly crispy bacon, and requires minimal cleanup. Here’s how to do it:
Oven-Baked Bacon Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 12-16 slices of bacon (or as much as you want to cook)
- Optional: parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier cleanup
Instructions:
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Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). This temperature ensures that the bacon cooks evenly and gets crispy.
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Prepare the Baking Sheet:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. This step helps with cleanup, but it’s optional. You can also place a wire rack on the baking sheet if you want the bacon to cook more evenly (this allows the fat to drip off), but it’s not necessary.
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Arrange the Bacon:
- Lay the bacon slices out in a single layer on the baking sheet. It’s okay if the slices are close together, but avoid overlapping too much to ensure even cooking.
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Bake the Bacon:
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispiness. The cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the thickness of the bacon, so check around 12 minutes and keep an eye on it after that.
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Drain the Bacon:
- Once the bacon is crispy, remove it from the oven and transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease.
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Serve:
- Your bacon is now ready to serve! Enjoy it alongside your breakfast, crumble it over salads, or use it in any dish that calls for crispy bacon.
Why Oven-Baked Bacon is the Easiest Way:
- No Splatter: Cooking bacon in the oven eliminates the mess and splatter that often happens when frying it on the stovetop.
- Even Cooking: The oven cooks the bacon evenly, ensuring it’s crispy without burning.
- Hands-Off: You don’t need to flip the bacon or stand by the stove—just set a timer and let the oven do the work.
Enjoy your hassle-free, crispy bacon! 🥓✨
