Did you know that if you freeze bacon, you can keep it for almost a month even after opening the package? Normally, bacon sold in supermarkets comes in a vacuum pack.
However, once the package is opened and exposed to the air, the bacon will go bad within a few days.
Many people may buy a block of bacon at Costco or other stores, but may not be able to use it up properly.
In this article, I will talk about how to freeze and store bacon to solve such problems.
By using the freezing method introduced here, you can store bacon for almost a month even after opening the package, and other advantages will also arise.
With just a little work, you will be able to preserve it for a long time, so please give it a try.
Benefits of Freezing Bacon
First, let’s talk about the benefits of freezing bacon.
It Can be Stored for A Long Time
Freezing bacon allows it to be stored for a longer period.
Bacon is originally a preserved food, so if it is made traditionally, it can be stored for a month (or longer, depending on the product) without freezing.
However, most of the bacon we usually see is not made in such a traditional way, so it has a shelf life of only a week to ten days.
Also, once opened, some of them go bad within 2~3 days.
Freezing solves these problems and makes it possible to store food for almost a month.
Save on Cooking Time
When you freeze bacon, you can cut it into various shapes beforehand according to your cooking needs.
For example, you can cut it into thick slices for bacon fries or thin slices for salads.
This will save you the time and effort of cutting the bacon, washing the cutting board, and washing the knife when you cook it.
How to Freeze and Preserve Bacon
This section describes the specific freezing method for bacon.
If you are freezing a block of bacon, please refer to methods 1, 2, and 3.
If you want to freeze sliced bacon, please refer to method #2 and #3.
1. To Freeze Thickly Sliced Bacon
1) Cut the bacon into 1~2cm thick slices (decide the thickness according to your needs).
2) Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag for freezing (in the photo, the bacon is wrapped differently to prevent it from sticking to each other).
If the bacon is wet, wipe it dry with a paper towel before wrapping it in plastic wrap.
2. When Slicing Into Thin Strips and Freezing
1) Cut into slices 3~5mm thick.
2) Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag for freezing.
3. To Cut Into Thin Slices and Freeze
1) Cut the thinly sliced bacon into 1cm pieces (width should be determined according to your needs).
2) Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer bag.
How to Defrost Bacon and How Long to Store It
Next, let’s talk about how to defrost frozen bacon and how long it can be stored.
How to Defrost Bacon
There are two ways to defrost frozen bacon.
The first method is to defrost it in the refrigerator.
This method is suitable for defrosting bacon that has been frozen in thick slices.
If you freeze bacon in thick slices, it may not be cooked to the core in stir-fry dishes where the cooking time is short.
So if you are making bacon fries, for example, it is recommended that you defrost them in the refrigerator before using them.
Be careful not to defrost at room temperature.
When frozen bacon is defrosted at room temperature, a sudden temperature change will cause dripping.
Dripping not only impairs the taste and flavor of the bacon but in the case of summer, it can also lead to the formation of bacteria.
Therefore, when defrosting bacon, make sure to defrost it in the refrigerator.
Another way to use frozen bacon is to cook it while it is still frozen.
Except for frying thick-cut bacon as mentioned above, you can cook bacon while frozen, no matter how it is frozen, whether it is thinly sliced or finely sliced.
Also, if you are making a soup or other stew, you can use thick-cut bacon while it is still frozen since there is plenty of time to cook it.
To put it simply, freezing thick slices of bacon = defrosting in the refrigerator, and freezing other types of bacon = cooking while still frozen.
How Long Can Bacon be Stored?
Bacon has a shelf life of 3 to 4 weeks.
This is the same regardless of whether you freeze it in thick slices, thin slices, or thin slices.
It is easy to remember that it takes about one month after freezing.
Of course, this is just a guideline, and it depends on how you freeze the bacon and the condition of the bacon before freezing, so please use your own eyes and nose to make the final decision.
5 Easy Recipes Using Bacon
Bacon and Potatoes With Cheese
Ingredients (for 1 person)
- 50g bacon
- 1 potato
- 2 slices of cheese
- A little salad oil
- A pinch of salt and pepper
How to make
1) defrost the frozen bacon in the refrigerator, slice it thinly and cut it into thin strips about 1 cm wide. Cut the potatoes into thin strips of about 5 mm.
2) Tear the cheese into small pieces.
3) Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon and potatoes.
4) When the bacon and potatoes are cooked, add the cheese, and when it melts and gets mixed in, season with salt and pepper.
If you like, you can sprinkle black pepper or parsley on top.
If you cut the bacon in advance and freeze it, you can cook it frozen without defrosting it.
You can also slice it thickly as well as thinly.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients (for 2 persons)
- 2 asparagus
- Bacon, to taste
- Black pepper to taste
How to make
1) defrost the frozen bacon in the refrigerator and slice the asparagus so that it is large enough to wrap around.
2) Cut the asparagus to fit the bacon.
3) Wrap the asparagus around the bacon and skewer it with toothpicks (about 2 asparagus per toothpick).
(4) Place (4) in a frying pan without oil, sprinkle with black pepper, brown on both sides, and you are done.
In addition to asparagus, you can also wrap tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, pea pods, etc.
If you freeze bacon in slices, you can use it frozen without defrosting.
Sauteed Spinach and Bacon With Butter
Ingredients (for 2 persons)
- An adequate amount of spinach
- A moderate amount of bacon
- 10g butter
- A pinch of salt and pepper
How to make
1) defrost the frozen bacon in the refrigerator, slice it thinly, and then cut it into thin strips about 1 cm wide. Lightly boil the spinach and set it aside.
2) Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add butter, and before it melts, add the bacon and fry over high heat.
(3) When the bacon is lightly browned, add the spinach and stir-fry further. Add salt and pepper to taste and you are ready to serve.
If you have frozen the bacon in advance, you can fry it frozen without defrosting it.
Sauteed Bacon and Enoki Mushrooms
Ingredients (for 2 persons)
- 2 bags of enoki mushrooms
- 70g bacon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon Japanese granulated soup stock
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp green onion
How to make
(1) Cut the frozen bacon into 1cm pieces (even if it is frozen, you don’t need to defrost it if you can use a knife). Cut the enoki mushrooms in half lengthwise.
(2) Heat a frying pan, add butter, and fry the bacon when the oil has been absorbed.
3) When the bacon is lightly cooked, add the enoki mushrooms.
(4) When the enoki mushrooms start to soften, add the granulated dashi and soy sauce, and let them spread throughout.
5) Place on a plate and sprinkle with small green onions.
Bacon and Eggs
Ingredients (for 2 persons)
- 50g bacon
- 2 eggs
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon salad oil
- Ketchup to taste
How to make
1) Defrost the frozen bacon in the refrigerator, slice it thinly, and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2) Heat a frying pan, add salad oil, and fry the bacon until browned on both sides.
3) Mix the eggs and salt and add them to the pan, then scramble the eggs.
4) When the eggs are slightly soft, stop mixing and place them on a plate.
5) Finally, top with ketchup, and you are done.
If you have pre-sliced frozen bacon, you can cook it frozen without defrosting it.
Conclusion
So, how was the freezing and preserving of bacon?
I introduced the case of thickly sliced bacon, thinly sliced bacon, and thinly sliced bacon, but in the end, all you have to do is cut it into appropriate sizes and wrap it in plastic wrap.
By using this method, even if you buy bacon in blocks, you can plan your menu without being rushed by the expiration date.
Bacon is an ingredient that can be used in a wide range of dishes, so please make use of the methods introduced here and make them useful in your daily life.