Perfect Oven-Fried Bacon
Perfect Oven-Fried Bacon is truly a revelation! Instead of frying bacon, in a pan, the oven cooks the bacon more evenly. To add a sweet and savory element to the bacon, an even sprinkling of brown sugar makes the most incredible candied bacon! I'll show you how clean up can be a snap. Now that I own an Air Fryer, I can cook smaller batches of bacon in no time at all.
Equipment
- 1 large, rimmed baking sheet, such as a jelly-roll pan, that is shallow enough to promote browning, yet tall enough (at least 3/4-inch in height) to contain the rendered bacon fat.
- heavy duty aluminum foil for easier clean up, or to make a foil accordion baking rack
Ingredients
- 12 slices thin or thick cut bacon thick-cut apple wood bacon is my personal choice
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bacon slices in a large jelly-roll pan or other shallow baking pan. NOTE: I like to line the pan with aluminum foil for easier clean up.
- ALTERNATIVE: Using a long piece of heavy aluminum, fold the strip into an according. This will mimic a backing rack. Set the foil on top of a baking sheet. Once the bacon is cooked, allow the fat to cool, wad up the aluminum foil and toss.
- NOTE: If making candied bacon, sprinkle an thin, even layer of brown sugar over each strip of bacon.
- Roast until fat begins to render, 5 to 6 minutes; rotate pan front-to-back. Continue roasting until is crisp and brown, 5 to 6 minutes longer for thin-sliced bacon, 8 to 10 minutes for thick-cut. Transfer with tongs to paper towel-lined plate, drain, and serve. IMPORTANT: If making candied bacon, do not lay each strip on a paper towel. The bacon will stick to the paper!
Notes
Recipe source: Adapted from America's Test Kitchen