How Long to Cook Bacon at 250°F for Perfect Results Every Time

Cooking bacon can be a messy endeavor with grease splattering all over your stovetop. Baking your bacon in the oven is a great alternative that keeps your kitchen clean while delivering delicious results. But how long should you bake bacon at 250°F? Keep reading this detailed guide to learn the ideal time and temperature for baking bacon to crispy mouthwatering perfection.

Why Bake Bacon in the Oven?

There are a few key benefits to baking bacon in the oven rather than frying it in a skillet:

• Less mess Bacon grease can splatter all over your stovetop and countertops when cooking in a skillet, Baking contains the grease to the rimmed baking sheet

• Even cooking: The oven heat circulates evenly around the bacon, while hot and cool spots can lead to uneven cooking in a skillet.

• Easy cooking: Simply place the bacon on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven. No need to constantly watch and flip the bacon like when frying.

• Great results: Oven-baked bacon comes out crispy and delicious every time.

How to Bake Bacon to Perfection

Baking crispy, tasty bacon in the oven is easy. Follow these simple steps:

1. Preheat Oven to 250°F

Preheating the oven is an essential first step for baking bacon. Set your oven to 250°F to cook the bacon low and slow.

If you’re baking a large batch, you may want to go with a slightly higher temp of 300-325°F. Just keep an eye on it and lower the temp or cook time if needed to prevent burning.

2. Arrange Bacon on Rimmed Baking Sheet

Place slices of bacon on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer without overlapping. Using a rimmed baking sheet contains the grease splatter.

You can also place a wire cooling rack on the baking sheet and lay bacon slices on top. This elevates the bacon from the grease, leading to extra crispiness.

3. Bake Until Desired Crispness

Now comes the most important part – the cooking time. When baking at 250°F, bacon takes about 25-30 minutes to become fully cooked and crispy.

After placing the baking sheet in the oven, set your timer and check periodically. Cooking times can vary based on oven accuracy and thickness of the bacon.

For chewier bacon, start checking around 20 minutes. Cook longer for extra crispy bacon. The low and slow 250°F temp gives you a nice window of time to perfectly nail your preferred crispness.

4. Blot Excess Grease

Once cooked to your desired doneness, remove the bacon from the oven. For extra crispy bacon, gently blot with paper towels to soak up any excess grease.

5. Enjoy Your Perfection Bacon!

Now dig into your plate of oven-baked bacon. Its deliciously crispy, evenly cooked texture is great on its own or as the star ingredient in all sorts of brunch, lunch, and dinner recipes.

Bacon Baking Tips

Follow these tips for bacon baking success:

• Use thick-cut bacon for best results. Regular sliced bacon works too but may cook faster.

• Make sure your bacon strips aren’t overlapping on the baking sheet. This prevents uneven cooking.

• For safety, use tongs instead of a fork to move the bacon. Piercing it causes grease splatter.

• Add spices or brown sugar to the uncooked bacon for fun flavor twists.

• Bake bacon on a wire rack set inside the baking sheet for optimum crispness.

• If baking a large batch, rotate the pan midway through cooking for even browning.

• Cook thicker or heavily seasoned bacon toward the lower end of the time range.

• Refrigerate leftover baked bacon and enjoy it later in sandwiches, salads and more.

Common Bacon Baking Questions

How long does it take to bake bacon at 400°F?

At 400°F, bacon cooks much faster and is usually done in about 12-18 minutes. Keep an eye on it as cooking times vary. The high heat can also cause the sugar or spices to burn.

What if I want soft or chewy bacon?

If you prefer soft or chewy bacon, start checking it around the 15 minute mark when baking at 250°F. You can also slightly increase the baking temp to 275°F which speeds cooking.

Can I bake frozen bacon?

It’s best to thaw frozen bacon in the refrigerator overnight before baking. Frozen bacon may not cook evenly.

What’s the lowest oven temp for bacon?

You can bake bacon at oven temps as low as 225-250°F. Any lower and the bacon won’t fully cook through. Higher temps of 400°F+ can work but require close monitoring.

How can I make baked bacon extra crispy?

Lay bacon on a wire rack over the baking sheet instead of directly on the pan. Cook at 250°F for 25-30 minutes until dark and crispy. Blot grease with paper towels right after cooking.

Ready to Bake Tasty Bacon?

Now that you know exactly how long to bake bacon at 250°F for the perfect crispness, it’s time to get cooking! Ditch the skillet and unlock a mess-free, easy cooking method for consistently delicious bacon. Surprise your family at the next breakfast or brunch by serving up a platter of your amazing oven-baked bacon.