When it comes down to freezing bacon and other red meats, it's crucial for your health that you know what you are doing.
While eating a whole package of bacon is tempting, you should know you can easily store it to make it last.
There are a few tips and tricks that will make freezing and accessing it a lot easier.
In this guide, you will learn the best ways to freeze or refreeze bacon and bacon grease.
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Yes, you can freeze both uncooked and cooked bacon!
When you buy food in bulk, you usually save money, but sometimes we might not know how to store it.
When bacon is prepared and frozen properly you can make it easily last for months in the freezer.
Believe it or not, there is a superior way to freeze your uncooked bacon.
People often make the mistake of freezing a full slab or a bunch of slices together in the original package.
If you do this, you will probably have to thaw the whole thing, even if you don't need all the bacon at once.
The secret to freezing uncooked bacon is to freeze it as separated individual slices.
This makes it much easier to grab and defrost just the amount you need.
The two easiest ways to freeze uncooked bacon are:
Step 1: Lay down a good size piece of wax paper on your counter.
Step 2: Place a slice of bacon on one edge of the wax paper
Step 3: Fold the wax paper over the first slice of bacon
Step 4: Place another slice of bacon directly above the last piece of bacon.
Step 5: Repeat the process until all bacon is separated and covered by wax paper.
Step 6: Put the covered bacon into a zip lock bag, remove excess air, and place it in the freezer.
Step 1: Lay flat or roll up each slice into a tight coil and lay them on a metal pan. Slicing them in half is optional.
Step 2: Place pan in the freezer for an hour or until the slices get hard.
Step 3: Remove each piece from the pan, place it in a zip-lock bag, and put it back in the freezer.
The best way to freeze cooked bacon is to use the wax paper method to separate each piece.
Again, this will make it easy for you to grab the exact amount you want without heating all of it.
It shouldn't take much longer than 30 seconds in the microwave on a paper towel to reheat cooked bacon.
Yes, you can refreeze bacon after thawing or cooking.
Just be aware that freezing bacon does not kill bacteria that are already on the bacon.
Freezing meat will not improve its quality. It will only come out equal to or lesser quality than when you put it in.
You shouldn't freeze bacon in an attempt to save bacon you left out too long or that is past its use-by date.
The process of refreezing bacon is just as simple as freezing it for the first time.
One basic safety rule to remember is that you should freeze bacon within 3 days of it being thawed and stored in the fridge.
After safely thawing your bacon, some signs that it might be bad are a sour smell, grey discoloration, or super slimy texture.
The same wax paper method used for first time freezing will work if you need to refreeze your uncooked bacon.
Try to plan ahead so that you are not repeatedly thawing and refreezing uncooked bacon multiple times.
I highly recommend marking down the date on the bags so you know for certain when you froze it.
If the bacon is cooked, you can use the wax paper and freezer bag method, or just in a bag without the paper.
To prevent freezer burn, be sure to cover completely in the wax paper and remove air from bags before putting them in the freezer.
Cooked bacon should last longer than uncooked bacon in the freezer, but it is best to just plan on using it as soon as you can.
The extra safe recommended freezer store time for bacon is 1 month.
However, when properly packaged and frozen, bacon can last up to 6 months in the freezer.
Naturally, the longer you keep it frozen, the more the flavor and overall quality will decrease.
If the bacon has been opened out of the original package, you should plan on using it as soon as you can.
You should at least try and make a plan to use it within 1 - 3 months to be safe.
Many people just toss their bacon fat, but it can be stored to add a little excitement to future meals.
Yes, you can freeze bacon fat, although it is not necessary as it can last a really long time without doing so.
The best way to store bacon grease is to put it in a sealed container in the fridge.
Bacon grease can last up to 6 months covered at room temperature and even longer in the fridge.
When it's refrigerated, you will easily be able to scoop a little bit out to use with cooking, but it will be a lot harder when it's frozen.
If you really want to freeze bacon grease easily to ensure it lasts even longer, there is an easy way.
The easiest way to freeze bacon grease is to put it into an ice cube tray.
This way you will be able to get it out of the tray easily and use just enough for cooking without having to thaw the whole container.
It should be fine frozen for more than a year, but you may consider at least covering the trays if you plan on storing it for that long.
Happy Cooking!
