Bacon Recipe

Bring bacon to room temperature

Remove the bacon from the refrigerator 10–15 minutes before cooking. This helps the fat render more evenly and reduces curling.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line two large rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Place a wire rack on each baking sheet. If you do not have racks, you can cook directly on foil but flip halfway through cook time for even crisping.

Arrange bacon

Lay the 30 bacon slices in a single layer across the wire racks (about 15 slices per sheet). Do not overlap; leave a little space between slices so hot air circulates and fat renders away from the slices.

Bake

Place both baking sheets on the middle and upper racks of the preheated oven. Bake for 16–22 minutes, rotating the pans between racks and front-to-back once at the halfway mark (after about 8–11 minutes), until the bacon reaches your desired doneness: 16–18 minutes for chewy-thick, 18–22 minutes for crisp-thick. Cooking time will vary with oven and bacon thickness.

Optional finishing (maple pepper bacon)

If using maple syrup and black pepper, brush about 1 teaspoon of maple syrup onto each slice during the last 2 minutes of baking, then sprinkle a light crack of black pepper over the slices and return to oven for the final 2 minutes to set the glaze.

Using tongs, transfer the cooked bacon to a layer of paper towels on a baking sheet or platter to drain excess fat. If you used racks, blot the underside lightly with additional paper towels if needed.

Let bacon rest for 1–2 minutes to crisp up further, then serve warm. If not serving immediately, keep the bacon in a single layer on a tray in a warm (200°F / 95°C) oven for up to 20 minutes to maintain crispness.

Allow leftover bacon fat on foil to cool and solidify. Carefully fold the foil and discard. Wipe racks and baking sheets with warm soapy water; soak if necessary to remove residue.