Introduction: Oven Fried Bacon

About: I helped start Instructables, previously worked in biotech and academic research labs, and have a degree in biology from MIT. Currently head of Product helping young startups at Alchemist Accelerator, previous…

Bacon is awesome.  I usually fry it in my cast iron pan in the morning so I can follow up immediately with some fried eggs, but sometimes you need to fry lots and lots and lots of bacon quickly.  Or maybe you just plan farther ahead than I do, have too much on the stove already, or just don't want to deal with stovetop splatters: in any of these cases, oven fried bacon will make your dreams come true.  It has all the delicious taste of bacon cooked in its own grease, without the mess or attention. 

This recipe comes courtesy of my friend Jeff, who likes good food.  Here's a very slightly edited version of his recipe as received via email:

My preferred bacon technique:

-line a cookie sheet or roasting pan with foil
-lay the bacon in it
-put it in cold oven
-turn oven to 400F
-come back in 20 minutes - Bacon!

Tips:
- remove bacon and put it on paper towels to absorb fat or it will keep cooking on hot sheet.

- If your oven runs hot or the bacon is thin, it may need only 15. Better check at 15 the first time you try in a particular oven.

- If you make multiple batches (and baby, you know you wanna) then you'll need to check much sooner on every one after the first, as the oven will already be hot.