How to Cook Bacon in the Oven Without a Rack

Cooking crispy, crunchy bacon slices is not rocket science. You can cook bacon in several ways but cooking it in the oven is the easiest and most convenient way! Especially when you are not using a rack. You can cook it in large batches, and it is mess-free as well. Keep reading to learn how to cook back in the oven without a rack.

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What is bacon?

I don’t know a soul who doesn’t love bacon! It is the next favorite breakfast item apart from eggs, of course. Bacon is crunchy, crispy and salty. In simple words, bacon is a cut with very high-fat content. So, you can expect it to have come from a pig’s back, belly or sides. You can see streaks of white fat on the raw bacon slices. When cooked, the fat dissolves, giving you crispy meat. Bacon is a basic commodity so you can find it easily at every grocery store or butcher’s shop. It is among the most widely used breakfast items.

Different ways of cooking bacon

Now there are a few different ways you can cook bacon. These are:

Stovetop: Most people cook bacon over a stovetop in a cast iron skillet. Although it is an easy way, it has a few downsides to it. Firstly, you will have to flip bacon a few times, so you would have to keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn. Secondly, be prepared for the splatter because there will be a lot of it. Plus, things do get a bit messy.
Air fryer: Cooking bacon in an air fryer is pretty simple. Simply place the bacon in the air fryer, set the time and temperature and let it do the work. All you have to do is flip the slices halfway into the cook.
Grill: people often cook bacon on a grill. It is a good side dish when you are enjoying a BBQ party!
Oven: The easiest and most convenient way to cook bacon is in the oven as it is mess-free, without splatter, and you don’t have to flip it as well. You just have to set the timer, and that’s it! When you cook bacon without using a rack, things get easier!

Can you cook bacon in an oven without using a rack?

Absolutely. Most people prefer cooking bacon over a rack so that they can accumulate the drippings separately. However, even if you are not using a rack, you can still bake bacon to perfection, and the results will be super crispy.

When you are cooking bacon in the oven without a rack, you will need two things, i.e., aluminum foil and parchment paper. These two things ensure the bacon is cooked as per your liking, doesn’t stick to the baking sheet, and you can place it on a paper towel to get rid of the excessive fat.

Cooking bacon without using a rack is also super convenient. as you don’t have to work on cleaning up the rack. You can discard the aluminum foil and parchment paper. So it is a totally mess-free way of cooking.

Tips for cooking bacon in the oven without a rack

Although cooking bacon in the oven is super easy, here are a few tips that will ensure you get the best results:

You can either use cured or uncured bacon for this recipe.
The cooking time of the bacon depends greatly on the thickness of the slices. Thicker slices take more time to cook, especially if you want them to be crispy. Thinner slices take relatively less time to cook.
Once the bacon is done, sprinkle smoked paprika on it to get a smoky and slightly spicy flavor.
Don’t forget to layer the aluminum foil with parchment paper or use a non-stick foil so that the bacon doesn’t stick to it. This way, you can enjoy mess-free cooking.
Because we are not using a rack, the fat dripping can accumulate. So, place the cooked bacon on layers of paper towels, as they will absorb extra fat.