How to Cook Pre-Cooked Bacon in the Oven for Maximum Flavor

Bacon is a staple ingredient in many dishes and adds a delicious smoky salty flavor. While frying bacon on the stovetop is the traditional cooking method baking pre-cooked bacon in the oven is a handy hack for busy home cooks.

Pre-cooking bacon in the oven allows you to make large batches that can be easily stored and used later. No more needing to fry up bacon every time you want to add it to a recipe! Having pre-cooked bacon on hand saves time and makes whipping up weekday breakfasts, BLTs, salads, appetizers, and more a breeze.

Read on for a simple step-by-step guide to oven-baking crispy, flavorful pre-cooked bacon.

Why Bake Pre-Cooked Bacon in the Oven?

Baking bacon in the oven has a few advantages over stovetop frying

• Less splattering: Bacon grease can splatter and make a mess on the stovetop. Oven baking contains the grease on the baking sheet.

• More even cooking: Bacon cooks evenly from all sides in the oven instead of just crisping up on one side.

• Larger batches You can fit a lot more bacon slices on a baking sheet than a frying pan, so it’s easy to cook up a big batch at once.

• Hands-off: Once it’s in the oven, you don’t have to keep a close eye on it like you would on the stovetop.

• Odor control: The smell of frying bacon can linger for a long time. Oven baking contains odors better.

• Lower mess: No need to clean greasy spatters off the stovetop!

Step-By-Step Guide

Follow these simple steps for perfect oven-baked pre-cooked bacon every time.

Ingredients

• Bacon slices
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment paper or aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heating the oven while you prep allows it to fully preheat which is key for even cooking.

2. Line baking sheet with parchment or foil. This protects the pan from sticky bacon grease buildup. The bacon will also release easily after baking without sticking.

3. Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Make sure slices aren’t overlapping. Leave about 1⁄2 inch between slices to allow the bacon to crisp up properly.

4. Bake for 15-25 minutes. Bake time will vary based on bacon thickness. Check frequently and remove slices as they reach your desired level of doneness. Thinner slices may take 15-18 minutes while thicker cuts can bake up to 25 minutes.

5. Blot grease with paper towels. Carefully transfer baked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Gently blot to soak up excess grease.

6. Let cool completely before storage. Cooling the bacon ensures it will keep its crispness when stored.

7. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Once cooled, store pre-cooked bacon in a zip-top bag or airtight container. It will keep for up to 1 week refrigerated.

Tips for Crispy Bacon

Follow these tips for getting the crispiest oven-baked bacon:

• Use thick-cut bacon. Thinner slices become crisp more quickly. Thick slices bake up extra crispy.

• Add baking racks to the sheet pan so the bacon cooks elevated out of the grease. The racks improve airflow and allows the bacon to cook evenly on all sides.

• Preheat oven fully before baking. Proper oven temp is key for crisping.

• Don’t overcrowd the pan. Too many overlapping slices will steam rather than crisp.

• Pat slices dry before baking to further reduce steaming.

• Cook a few minutes past when slices look done. Carryover cooking after removing from the oven results in ultra crispy bacon.

Fun Ways to Use Pre-Cooked Bacon

Once you’ve baked up a batch of pre-cooked bacon, you’ll want to add it to everything! Here are some fun ways to use it:

• Breakfast sandwiches: Add crispy bacon to egg sandwiches.

• Burgers: Top beef or turkey burgers with crumbled bacon.

• Salads: Sprinkle bacon bits over leafy green or potato salads.

• Pizzas: Crumble bacon over pizza before baking.

• Potatoes: Mix bacon into baked potato toppings.

• Wraps: Toss crumbled bacon into chicken or tuna salad wraps.

• Appetizers: Garnish deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, or jalapeño poppers.

• Soups and chilis: Mix bacon bits into broccoli cheese soup or chili.

• Pasta: Toss with spaghetti aglio e olio, carbonara, or mac and cheese.

• Casseroles: Add bacon crumbles to top dishes like breakfast strata.

• Sandwiches: Layer bacon strips on BLTs, club, or grilled cheese sandwiches.

The possibilities are endless! Pre-cooked bacon is a handy staple that takes dishes from boring to gourmet in an instant.

Storing and Reheating Pre-Cooked Bacon

Follow proper storage methods to keep pre-cooked bacon fresh:

• Store in a sealed airtight container. An airtight environment prevents drying out.

• Use refrigeration. Keep bacon refrigerated at 40°F or below. It will last 5-7 days stored this way.

• Freeze for longer storage. Bacon keeps for 2-3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnig