Can You Freeze Bacon?

What is bacon? Bacon, one of the most sought-after breakfast meats, is a kind of pork. Pulled from the side of a pig and then cured and smoked, bacon has a unique salty and smoky flavor combination that many people are attracted to (via Britannica). We usually serve bacon with eggs and toast, but since its boom in popularity a few centuries ago, we've gotten a bit more creative in how we serve it. Today you can find bacon-wrapped chili poppers, chopped into cob salads, and found into a classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Needless to say, we are more than a little obsessed with bacon, so much so that we'll even cover slices in chocolate. The way the fat crisps up along the edges and dissolves in your mouth is completely distinctive to this cut of meat.

Since we love bacon so much, it makes sense that we'd try to preserve as much of it as we can. The problem is, bacon is only really crispy and delicious the day you cook it. If you try to store cooked bacon in the refrigerator, you'll find that it will fall limp and rubbery. So, the best way to save your bacon is to store it raw in the freezer.

Bacon is a slice of meat, so you must store it safely to keep it from going rancid. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, bacon has a short shelf life, but you can extend it by storing it in the freezer. The Center reports that unopened packages of bacon are safe to store for one to three months after, though many people tend to store them well past that time frame.

But if you've opened a bag of bacon and have some slices leftover, Simply Recipes recommends freezing the extra slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and then transferring the individual slices into a heavy-duty zip-lock bag. That way the bacon won't freeze together and when you want a few slices for breakfast you can pluck a few out of the bag to thaw quickly and fry up. The safest way to thaw the bacon coming out of your freezer is by placing it in the refrigerator, or running it under cold water. However, never leave it out on the counter as bacteria can affect it and can make you sick (via Southern Living).