Use A Rimmed Sheet Pan And Aluminum Foil For Extra Crispy Bacon In The Oven

Bacon, baby. Whether you like it crispy, caramelized, or chopped into pancetta cubes, it's beloved enough to inspire a litany of popular fake bacon products. Just reading the word, there's a bankable chance your mouth is watering just thinking about it. When it comes to getting that perfectly crispy bite, the oven may not be the first appliance you think about. However, nothing is stopping you from getting delicious bacon through baking. There are a few things you should consider before cooking your bacon in the oven and which pan you use is absolutely up there.

While any cooking-safe surface will get your bacon from A to B, using a sheet pan is a solid method. This is because, thanks to its raised border, it keeps the grease inside the tray. The benefits of this are twofold: keeping the fat in the tray means the bacon cooks in its own juices and prevents the grease from dripping into your oven. More bacon-y bacon and a less greasy oven sound like a win-win here!

Staying clear of single-use items when cooking is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, if you want your bacon to be as crispy as possible, a sheet of aluminum foil is the best way to go. If you don't have aluminum foil on hand, or would really prefer not to use it, you can still pull off delicious bacon with your oven. However, it has been noted that without the foil you're more likely to get charred edges and underdone centers. That isn't ideal for consistency (via Epicurious). Another downside to going without the foil is the extra cleaning you'll have to do since the pan will get caked in grease.

Foil's usefulness is all down to science. Aluminum is a great thermal conductor, meaning it takes on the heat energy passed into it by the oven and then transfers it back to the foodstuff that is resting on it. In this case, that foodstuff is your crispy, caramelized, steamy bacon.