Cook bacon in an oven air fryer at 375°F for 8–12 minutes, flipping once, then drain for crisp, even strips.
An oven air fryer makes bacon simple: flat strips, steady heat, and less splatter than a skillet. You get the snap you want, plus a tray that catches the fat so cleanup stays easy. This walkthrough is built for the common “oven-style” basketless air fryers with front doors and shelves, not the single-drawer baskets. It keeps your stovetop clear and your hands clean.
Fast Settings By Bacon Type
Use this table as your starting point. Times assume a preheated oven air fryer and bacon laid in a single layer with space between strips. If your unit runs hot, start at the low end and check early.
| Bacon Type | Temp | Time And Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Regular-cut pork bacon | 375°F | 8–12 min; flip at the midpoint for even browning |
| Thick-cut pork bacon | 375°F | 12–16 min; render longer, watch edges near the end |
| Center-cut bacon | 375°F | 9–13 min; leaner strips crisp a bit quicker |
| Low-sodium bacon | 375°F | 8–12 min; browning can look lighter, rely on texture |
| Maple or sugar-cured bacon | 350°F | 10–14 min; lower heat limits sugar scorch |
| Peppered bacon | 375°F | 8–12 min; pepper can darken fast, check at 7 min |
| Turkey bacon | 360°F | 7–10 min; dries fast, pull when edges curl and firm up |
| Plant-based bacon | 360°F | 6–9 min; follow pack guidance, keep strips separated |
How To Cook Bacon In An Oven Air Fryer Step By Step
This method keeps smoke down, helps the fat render evenly, and gives you repeatable results. It also works when you need a small batch for breakfast sandwiches or a big tray for brunch.
Step 1 Preheat And Set Up The Trays
Preheat to 375°F for regular bacon. Slide a drip tray (or the fryer’s crumb tray) into the lowest slot so it catches the fat. If your unit came with a shallow baking pan, use that. Line the pan with foil for quick cleanup, and crimp the edges so air still moves.
Place the cooking rack on the middle shelf for most batches. Middle placement keeps strips away from the top heater so the tips don’t over-brown while the center is still soft.
Step 2 Arrange Bacon For Airflow
Lay strips flat with small gaps. Overlap turns into steamed, chewy spots. If your rack has wide bars, set a perforated tray on top or lay a piece of air-fryer parchment made for perforated trays. Skip solid parchment sheets that block airflow.
Cooking a full pound? Use two racks. Keep the racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, and plan to rotate them halfway through.
Step 3 Cook And Flip At The Midpoint
Cook until the fat looks glossy and the lean turns a deeper red-brown. For regular-cut strips, that’s often around 4–6 minutes per side at 375°F. Open the door, pull the rack out a few inches, and flip with tongs. Close the door right away so the heat rebounds.
For thick-cut bacon, don’t chase color early. Let it render. The strip will tighten, then relax, then start to crisp along the edges.
Step 4 Drain And Rest For Better Crisp
When the bacon looks just shy of your target, pull it. Carryover heat finishes the job in under a minute. Transfer strips to a paper-towel lined plate or a wire rack over a sheet pan. Resting keeps the surface dry, so it snaps instead of bending.
Cooking Bacon In An Oven Air Fryer With Less Smoke
Most smoke in an air fryer comes from hot fat hitting a hotter surface, or from sugary cures that darken fast. A few tweaks can keep your kitchen comfortable.
Use A Lower Shelf And A Catch Pan
Keep the bacon on the middle shelf and the catch pan on the bottom. The pan shields the heating area from dripping fat and makes cleanup simple. If your model has a “drip” setting, use it.
Pick The Right Temperature For The Cure
Standard pork bacon does well at 375°F. For sweet cures, run 350°F so sugars brown without turning bitter. If you see wisps of smoke, drop the temp by 15–25°F and extend time a touch.
Keep The Crumb Tray Clean
Old grease is a smoke magnet. Wipe the bottom tray after it cools and wash it often. If you cook bacon weekly, a quick hot-water soak stops baked-on fat from building up.
Texture Targets You Can Hit On Purpose
People don’t agree on “perfect” bacon. Use a simple texture goal and stop cooking when you reach it.
Chewy With Crisp Edges
Pull the bacon when the lean looks set and the fat is mostly clear, yet the center still flexes. Regular-cut strips often land here at 8–9 minutes total at 375°F.
Balanced Crisp
Cook until the strip lifts cleanly with tongs and holds its shape. You’ll see light bubbling in the fat and steady browning on the lean. Most batches land here at 10–12 minutes total at 375°F.
Shatter Crisp
Run 365–375°F and extend time until the lean is deep brown and the fat is fully rendered. Let it rest on a rack so air dries both sides. This style is great for crumbling over salads and soups.
Food Safety Notes For Bacon
Bacon is cured, yet it’s still pork. Cook it to a doneness you enjoy and handle it like any raw meat: keep it cold, avoid cross-contact, and wash hands, boards, and knives. If you’re pairing bacon with other pork cuts, the USDA pork cooking temperature guidance is a solid reference for minimum internal temps by cut.
After cooking, hold bacon hot if it’s staying out for a brunch spread, or chill it fast. Refrigerate cooked bacon within two hours, sooner if your kitchen is warm. Reheat until sizzling-hot, and toss anything that smells off.
Batch Size And Rack Position Tricks
Oven air fryers shine when you scale up. You can cook a couple strips for a quick breakfast, or a full tray set for a crowd, with the same core method.
Small Batch For Two To Four Strips
Use the middle rack. Keep strips apart. Check at 7 minutes, flip, then finish in 2–4 minutes. Small batches cook fast since hot air has room to move.
One Pound On Two Racks
Split the pack across two racks. Start both racks in the middle zone. At the midpoint, swap rack positions and flip each strip. That rotation evens out hot spots between the upper heater and the lower airflow path.
Cooking Frozen Bacon
Frozen strips can work if you can separate them. Start at 300°F for 3–4 minutes to loosen, pull the rack, peel strips apart, then raise to 375°F and cook to your texture target. If you can’t separate the slices, thaw in the fridge instead.
Drippings And Cleanup That Don’t Feel Like A Chore
Rendered bacon fat is useful. It also makes a mess if you leave it in the machine. Plan your cleanup as part of the cook.
Save The Fat Safely
Let the drippings cool until warm, not hot. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-safe jar. Label it and refrigerate. Use small spoonfuls for roasting potatoes, frying eggs, or brushing on vegetables before air frying.
Quick Cleaning Routine
- Unplug and cool the air fryer.
- Remove racks and the catch pan.
- Wipe the interior with a damp cloth to lift grease film.
- Wash racks and pan with hot soapy water; a soft brush helps.
- Dry fully before putting parts back so the next preheat stays odor-free.
Common Problems And Fixes
If your first batch didn’t match the photo in your head, you’re not alone. Small changes in thickness, cure, and airflow shift the outcome. Use the table below to dial it in.
| What You See | Why It Happens | What To Do Next Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chewy center, dark tips | Rack too high or heat too high early | Use the middle rack and start checking at 7–8 minutes |
| Smoke builds fast | Grease on the bottom tray or sugary cure | Clean the tray and run 350°F for sweet bacon |
| Uneven browning | Strips touching or hot spot in the cavity | Leave gaps, flip, and rotate racks at midpoint |
| Bacon sticks to the rack | Protein sets before fat renders | Preheat fully and wait 1–2 minutes before flipping |
| Dry, brittle turkey bacon | Cooked past the finish window | Lower to 360°F and pull as soon as edges firm up |
| Soft bacon after cooling | Steam trapped on a plate | Rest on a wire rack so air dries both sides |
| Greasy mouthfeel | Not enough cook time for rendering | Add 2–3 minutes and flip; don’t crowd the tray |
Two Easy Flavor Paths
Bacon carries its own flavor, so keep add-ons simple. Seasoning sticks best when it goes on mid-cook, once the surface is warm and a little tacky.
Sweet Heat
Sprinkle a pinch of brown sugar and a dusting of chili powder after the first flip. Keep the temp at 350°F so the sugar browns instead of scorching.
Pepper And Herb
After the flip, add fresh cracked black pepper and a light pinch of dried rosemary. It smells great and works well in breakfast wraps.
Serving And Storage Checklist
Use this quick list when you’re cooking bacon for meal prep or feeding a group.
- For sandwiches, aim for balanced crisp so strips bend without snapping.
- For crumbles, cook to shatter crisp, cool on a rack, then chop.
- Store cooked bacon in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooked strips flat on a tray, then bag them for up to 1 month.
- Reheat in the oven air fryer at 350°F for 2–4 minutes.
Quick Run Sheet For Your Next Batch
Here’s a simple run sheet you can follow without guessing. It’s the same process used above, written as a tight checklist.
- Preheat to 375°F (350°F for sweet cures).
- Foil-line the bottom catch pan and place it on the lowest slot.
- Lay bacon on the middle rack with gaps between strips.
- Cook 4–6 minutes, flip, then cook 4–6 minutes more.
- Pull when it’s a shade under your target, then rest on a rack.
- Strain drippings if saving; wash racks and pan once cool.
If you’re sharing this method with a friend, the fastest description is this: how to cook bacon in an oven air fryer comes down to a single layer, a catch pan, a mid-cook flip, and a short rest. Run one test batch, note your preferred finish time, and you’ll hit the same texture each time you repeat it.
You can also keep the phrase how to cook bacon in an oven air fryer in your notes, paired with your model’s hot spots, so the next pack of bacon lands right where you want it.