This recipe is similar to the one I use from America's Test Kitchen. They also use the cold oven method but set the oven to 400º, rotating foil-lined pan halfway through cooking, cook time 10 to 15 minutes, depending on size of bacon slices and size of baking sheet. I have found using the convection setting my bacon is crispy in about 10 minutes. Another tip, if putting a little water on the slices before baking, they lay perfectly flat, no curling.
This is how I always cook my bacon now. It's absolutely foolproof and I get perfect bacon every time. NOTE: After I pull the bacon off, I use a spatula to help scrape the grease into a jar to save for cooking.
I think you'll find that your cooking time depends on how thick your bacon is as well as how quickly your oven heats up. I used center cut regular bacon and it took about 16-17 minutes. What was interesting to me is that the bacon didn't shrink up much and turned out perfectly cooked with no mess in the oven. I left the bacon grease solidify a bit rolled up the foil and just pitched it in the trash. Once you get your timing down this is a great way to cook bacon.
First I would like to clarify a misconception about Canadians and bacon: people think we eat "Canadian Bacon" which is actually either "back bacon" or glorified ham. Sure we eat that...occasionally like anybody else BUT we DO know what bacon is and that is what we eat when we refer to bacon - the long glorious strips of salty greasy fried bacon just like you Americans. And we LOVE it! I don't know why back bacon has become known as "Canadian Bacon" because it's just not the bacon we cook most and love! Now I would like to make 3 comments on my experience with this recipe: 1. Super easy but depending on thickness of bacon adjust time. My oven also has "hot spots" so i need to rotate the cookie sheets. 2. CAREFUL when taking out/moving cookie sheets there may be a lot of grease. Once the grease spilled out and burst into flames in the bottom of the oven...made a huge mess that was hard to clean! 3. My oven takes WAY longer than the 14ish minutes it's supposed to take to heat up...just watch bacon depending on thickness. Take out when a little under-done or 'just' done don't over do it unless you like very crispy bacon. Cheers from your neighbors to the North!
Perfect bacon. This is the way the military "fries" bacon to serve in it's Mess halls. Learned this back in 1967 when I was in the Army's Cook's school. Time saving and perfect crisp bacon for the troops. My wife loves my bacon and all the meals I cook. Still use many of my Mom's recipes for one pot or skillet meals she taught me when in high school. Gerald
I have been cooking bacon in a preheated oven for some time but it turned out like pan fried bacon: shriveled and greasy. Joseph's method turns out picture perfect bacon! It hardly shriveled at all and had a wonderful texture. I don't know why a simple change makes such a difference but why question it? The answer is BACON. Thanks Joseph!!
This recipes is fantastic. I used to think "Why would I need a recipe for bacon?" Then I tried it. WOW. The apotheosis of perfect easy bacon. Do yourself a favor: Make the bacon.
What have I been doing to bacon my entire life??? Thank you for this amazing recipe! Will never go back to pan frying this delicious cut of pork. One FYI - tent the baking sheet with more foil...it may get messy inside your oven if you don't.
The only thing I did different was to put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet then put the bacon on the cooling rack the bacon doesn't sit in grease while cooking. I used Oscar Meyer Center-cut Bacon it took about 12 minutes once the oven reached 425. What a super way to make bacon.
