There’s nothing quite like a crispy, salty, smokey piece of bacon that has had its fat rendered until it is beautifully browned. Even better, is a whole sheet of bacon cooked to perfection without splattering you and your kitchen with hot grease. If you have never made your bacon in your oven, please allow me to encourage you to make your next batch of bacon this way.

Ingredients:
– Bacon (as many slices as will fit on your tray), I used local bacon from M&M Creek Valley Farm for this batch.
– Nonstick cooking spray

How I Make It:

• Line the bottom of your aluminum sheet pan with foil to help with clean up and spray the rack insert with nonstick cooking spray (if you do not have a rack that fits inside your try, just spray the foil with the nonstick spray. You will end up with a greasier bacon, but the method still works).
• Place as many slices of bacon as will fit on the tray without touching other slices.
• Place sheet in the cold oven and set the temperature for 400 degrees.
• Check bacon after 10 minutes in the oven and every 5 minutes thereafter until it is cooked to your preference (approximately 15-20 minutes total, but this will vary depending on how thick your bacon is).
• Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes before serving. If you made the bacon directly on the foil covered sheet pan, transfer bacon onto paper towels and allow to cool.
• Save the rendered fat for a future project!

Starting the bacon in a cold oven will help the fat render from the bacon and keep it from splattering all over the inside of your oven. Not only will you be spared having to stand at the skillet, dodging splattering grease, you will be left with a perfectly rendered crisp bacon ready for you to enjoy.

Happy Eating!