# Baked bacon **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321 "2009-06-10T13:39:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/21 "2009-06-10T21:29:27Z")
I love baking bacon ([with Macon!](http://www.bebo.com/FlashBox.jsp?FlashBoxId=1171803815&)). I usually go at 350 degrees for about 40, 45 minutes (I only use thick slab bacon). I love the chewy, firm texture it provides, as I’m not a fan of crispy bacon. I put it on a rack over a sheet pan lined with foil for easy cleanup. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/22 "2009-06-10T21:38:53Z")
If you don’t want to fry bacon, you can always grill it. That’s a very good way of doing lots of bacon at the same time. And what mess? Once you’ve cooked your bacon, take out the bacon and put on a warm plate, pour in some water and some gravy powder, heat, and you get bacon-flavoured gravy! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/23 "2009-06-10T21:45:32Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > gravy powder 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/24 "2009-06-10T22:48:12Z")
A lot of restaurants do bacon in ovens instead of grills. Oven paper and sheet pans. It makes for a really consistent product. I don’t recall the time in oven though - it’s been years. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/25 "2009-06-11T00:48:06Z")
> [@Purd\_Werfect](#): > > A lot of restaurants do bacon in ovens instead of grills. Oven paper and sheet pans. It makes for a really consistent product. I don’t recall the time in oven though - it’s been years. The branch of University Food Service I worked for baked it until it was done but not crispy, and then finished it on the grill for cheeseburgers or as a breakfast side. The breakfast burrito line just got the baked stuff, no grilled finish. We never timed it, though- the sheet irons were never laid out the same way twice, since it was a job for the community service kids to do. I think with any baked recipe, a time is less important than keeping an eye on it. ---
**Author:** ![Shecky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shecky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shecky)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/26 "2009-06-11T14:11:54Z")
At the catering hall I work at, we put parchment paper on the pan, THEN the bacon. It soaks up a lot of the grease, and makes them crispy as all get out. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/27 "2009-06-11T15:24:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > One trick I’ve learned along these lines, from this very board in fact, is to do frozen french fries this way. Instead of just putting the fries in the oven like the package says, you cover the top and bottom of the pan with bacon before baking the fries. They come out perfectly and bacon-flavored, and then you also have bacon to eat. This sounds interesting, but I’m not sure what you mean by “cover the top and bottom of the pan with bacon”. Do you mean you sandwich the fries between layers of bacon? That sounds pretty greasy. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/28 "2009-06-11T15:34:51Z")
So \*\*TDN \*\*and I are the only ones to flavor ours? **TDN** , does it have to be _real_ maple syrup? ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/29 "2009-06-11T16:21:53Z")
I love bacon that has been baked and not fried. I actually (gasp) used to hate bacon until I tried it that way. I agree with the ones that say to put it on a rack - it’s far less greasy that way. Dumping the grease out before serving doesn’t convince me that I’ve gotten rid of as much of the grease as if it had been draining off during the baking/roasting process. I love a little maple syrup on my breakfast meats - but I add it after it’s been cooked. I habitually sop up the syrup from my pancakes with my sausage or bacon. LOL - last week my SO actually asked if he could have my syrupy plate when I was done - so he could do the same thing! ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/30 "2009-06-11T22:09:42Z")
> [@Shecky](#): > > At the catering hall I work at, we put parchment paper on the pan, THEN the bacon. It soaks up a lot of the grease, and makes them crispy as all get out. I’d forgotten about the parchment: it really does help a lot. Even our baked-but-not-crispy bacon wasn’t too greasy or floppy. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/31 "2009-06-11T22:48:12Z")
> [@](#): > > This sounds interesting, but I’m not sure what you mean by “cover the top and bottom of the pan with bacon”. Do you mean you sandwich the fries between layers of bacon? That sounds pretty greasy. Yes, that’s what I meant, and of course it’s greasy! That’s what’s so good about it! ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/32 "2009-06-12T05:04:23Z")
Many, many years ago, I worked in hostel. We served breakfast at a set time. Baking your bacon is the only realistic way of cooking 100 slices at once. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/33 "2009-06-12T14:51:55Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > A few pieces of bacon? How is this possible? I thought it was a cardinal sin not to cook (and eat) the entire package of bacon at once. Amen. That was the best part of going to the Shoney’s all you can eat breakfast. A big ass plate of bacon with a little eggs. mmmm ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/34 "2009-06-12T14:54:04Z")
Besides, without baking how else could you make a [bacon roll](http://foodproof.com/photos/full/bacon-cheese-roll-1290)? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/35 "2009-06-12T15:00:38Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Besides, without baking how else could you make a [bacon roll](http://foodproof.com/photos/full/bacon-cheese-roll-1290)? That looks interesting. I may try it. Although it might be just as easy to cover my bacon with cheese. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/36 "2009-06-12T19:07:27Z")
I think this also needs to be said: [Holytaco](http://www.holytaco.com/picture/2678/this-bacon-vs--health-chart-makes-a-lot-of-sense/wp/2008/07/baconhealthchart) ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/37 "2009-06-12T19:14:56Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Besides, without baking how else could you make a [bacon roll](http://foodproof.com/photos/full/bacon-cheese-roll-1290)? Now I know what I’m having for supper. I’d probably add a few jalapenos to the inside. Maybe dip the finished product in an avocado ranch dressing. ::drools:: ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/38 "2009-06-12T19:23:56Z")
That’s stolen without attribution from [XKCD](http://xkcd.com/418/). ---
**Author:** ![gustp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gustp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gustp)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/39 "2009-06-12T23:19:50Z")
I have been a big bacon lover my whole life. I have cooked it in every way imaginable. After many years I came to the conclusion that the best and easiest way to make bacon that is very consistant is in the micrewave. I have a bacon microwave dish and it cooks bacon perfectly, quickly and cleanly. I was at this awesome inn way up at the top of Mt Hood in Oregon. “The timberline lodge”. They had a breckfast buffet. On this buffet was bacon from heaven. It was 100 times better than any bacon I have ever had before or since. It was cured in maple surup to the point that there were sugar crystals inside of it. It was then rolled in course black pepper and then cooked till slightly crisp. I would gladly drive all the way across the continent to eat that bacon again. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321/40 "2009-06-12T23:26:52Z")
I am convinced to try microwave bacon. I have not had good experience with anything except very basic things in the microwave. Do I need a special utensil, or can I just put it in on top of a paper plate? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baked-bacon/499321.md?page=3)