I always hated making bacon. It was as if I had a choice between spatter going everywhere when cooking on the stovetop or checking in layers of greasy, slimy, environmentally uncool towels to see if the bacon was done yet (plus microwaved meat just tastes weird). I know they invented that bacon hanging rack thingy for the microwave but between the odd taste, the hairpin shape, the fact that I now need to store an item which has, as its sole use, the microwaving of bacon, and the fact that I still had too much cleanup I wasn’t all that interested.
Then I discovered the oven. As it turns out you can make perfectly straight, perfectly crisp bacon in the oven by laying it in a layer in a pan and baking it for about 20 to 30 minutes (depends on how thick your bacon is and how cooked you like your bacon. Not only do you end up with very little cleanup (just one 13 x 9 pan) but you also get to keep all the rendered bacon fat that ends up in the pan. Yes, I do save rendered bacon fat.
Ingredients
1 lb sliced bacon (preferably organic, humanely raised, and additive free.
Equipment
13×9 pans (how many you need depends on how many slices of bacon you have. Thin slices require 2 pans)
Instructions
Put raw bacon slices in a single layer in the 13 x 9 pan(s).
Put pans in cold oven.
Turn oven on to 350 degrees
Start checking for doneness at 15 minutes (cook the way you like it. I like mine all but burnt)
Pull pan out of oven, drain on paper towels, (optional) and serve.
Another thing to love about this recipe is that the same oven can be used to reheat frozen, previously made pancakes making it possible to simultaneously prepare brunch and take a fast shower.
Note that you can reheat this in the microwave without too much mess or weird flavor
