How to Bake Turkey Bacon

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: October 29, 2022 Tested

Turkey bacon is a low-fat alternative to pork bacon, but this low fat content can make for chewy bacon. For the crunchiest turkey bacon, fold a piece of aluminum foil into ridges and arrange the slices over it. The turkey bacon will bake up crispy and wavy. Brush the turkey bacon with a brown sugar syrup for a great sweet and salty flavor. If you need to quickly bake turkey bacon, microwave the slices until they crisp up.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Baking Crispy Turkey Bacon in the Oven

1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and fold a sheet of foil. Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil that's 2 inches (5.1 cm) to 3 inches (7.6 cm) longer than your baking sheet. Fold the foil back and forth like an accordion. Make ridges in the foil that are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) tall.^{[1]
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- The ridged foil will help the bacon cook in a crispy shape. If you prefer flat bacon, just lay a sheet of foil in a baking sheet.
2
Drape the turkey bacon across the foil ridges. Place the ridged foil on a baking sheet and lay as many pieces of turkey bacon as you like across the ridges. Avoid letting the slices overlap or the sides won't crisp up.^{[2]
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3
Bake the turkey bacon for 7 to 8 minutes. Put the baking sheet in the preheated oven, then bake the turkey bacon until it begins to brown and crisp up. The sides of the turkey bacon will begin to look dry and crunchy once the slices are ready to flip.^{[3]
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4
Flip the slices and bake the turkey bacon for 7 to 8 more minutes. If you used ridged foil, you don't need to flip the slices over since they'll keep their ridged shape. But if you used a flat sheet of aluminum foil, take tongs and flip the turkey bacon over. Cook the turkey bacon for another 7 to 8 minutes so it becomes completely crispy.^{[4]
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5
Remove the turkey bacon and serve it. Use an oven mitt to take the pan out of the oven. Lift the turkey bacon off of the foil and serve immediately while it's still hot.^{[5]
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- Keep leftover turkey bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use the turkey bacon within 4 to 5 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baking Brown Sugar Turkey Bacon in the Oven

1
Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and prepare a baking sheet. Tear off a sheet of parchment paper and lay it on a rimmed baking sheet.^{[6]
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2
Lay the turkey bacon on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Ensure that the turkey bacon is in a single layer so it cooks evenly. The slices can be touching, but not overlapping or they won't become crispy.^{[7]
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- To serve about 4 people, use 1 pound (453 g) of turkey bacon (about 20 to 30 slices depending on thickness).
3
Combine the brown sugar and maple syrup. Measure ¼ cup (50 g) of packed light brown sugar into a small bowl along with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of pure maple syrup. Use a whisk or a spoon to dissolve the brown sugar in the maple syrup.^{[8]
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4
Brush the brown sugar syrup over the turkey bacon. Dip a pastry brush into the syrup and spread it generously over the turkey bacon. If you don't have a pastry brush, you can drizzle the syrup over the turkey bacon with a spoon.^{[9]
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5
Season the turkey bacon and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper evenly over the turkey bacon. Place the sheet in the preheated oven and cook the bacon until it's as crispy as you like it.^{[10]
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6
Serve the hot turkey bacon or store it in the refrigerator. Cool leftover turkey bacon and refrigerate it in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Keep in mind that the turkey bacon will probably lose some of its crispiness.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Baking Turkey Bacon in the Microwave

1
Line a plate with a paper towel. Get out a microwave-safe plate that's large enough to hold several pieces of turkey bacon. Lay a paper towel on the plate.^{[12]
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2
Arrange the turkey bacon on the paper towel. Lay 4 slices of turkey bacon on the paper towel-lined plate so they're in a single layer.^{[13]
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- If you want to cook more than 4 slices, you'll need to microwave them in batches.
3
Microwave the turkey bacon for 2 minutes. Place the plate in the microwave and ensure that your microwave is set to 100% power. Microwave the turkey bacon in 30 second increments until it's hot and crisp.^{[14]
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4
Remove and serve the turkey bacon. Wear an oven mitt to remove the hot plate of turkey bacon from the microwave. Serve the turkey bacon while it's still hot.^{[15]
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- If you want to store the leftover turkey bacon, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. The turkey bacon will probably lose some of its crispiness the longer it's stored.
5
Finished.