How Bobby Flay Cooks Bacon For Evenly Crispy Strips Every Time

Bacon is a bit of a cause célèbre, inspiring adoration and line-worthy viral foods, with some fans even brandishing outlandish sayings such as "bacon is life." Late Food Network celebrity chef Anne Burrell famously said her motto was "bacon always makes it better." From breakfast to doughnut toppings, bacon is almost a food category unto itself, and competitive yet amiable chef Bobby Flay is throwing down that the best way to cook it is in the oven.

While many people cook bacon on the stovetop, it tends to be quite messy, leaving you with a lot of bacon-grease splatter and perhaps even laundry to do. You also risk slices that curl up and cook unevenly. Instead, Bobby Flay shared on his Food Network show "BBQ Brawl" that you can easily cook bacon through until done on a baking tray in the oven at 350 or 400 degrees Fahrenheit for consistent restaurant-quality results. He also advised making sure to line the tray with parchment for easier clean-up.

Many industry insiders agree with Bobby Flay's bacon cooking technique, which makes it easy to prep a small or large amount while taking all the guess work and mess out of the equation. Another pro-tip is to start with a cold oven, which allows for even cooking as the oven comes up to temp. If bacon is on the menu, simply place the slices on your baking tray, insert into the oven, set it to your desired temperature, and keep on prepping. Just be sure to set the timer so you don't forget about it. If your bacon isn't cooked through to your liking when the timer goes off, simply put it back in the oven for a couple of more minutes. Easy peasy.

Chef Flay also recommends zhuzhing up your bacon with a glaze. For his super quick version, simply mix maple syrup with mustard and brush it on bacon after it has come out of the oven and is still warm. He shares on "BBQ Brawl" that he pats the bacon dry first, and as the coated bacon cools down, "basically, what you are going to get is a piece of bacon candy in the very best way." It may be unlikely, but if you do have any bacon leftovers, you can toss them in with popcorn, add to mixed nuts, or even make chocolate bark.