Last Updated on 7th June 2023 by
So, you made up a lot of delicious bacon last night in a late cooking frenzy just thinking about how wonderful it would taste. Now, you have a lot of bacon left over, and you’re not sure what to do with it. How long is cooked bacon good for? Do you need to eat it within the next day, or does it have a few days of shelf life in your fridge?
In this article we are going to cover everything you need to know about storing, freezing and preserving the life of bacon.
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So let’s find the answers to these really important bacon questions.
It would be a shame to throw out perfectly good bacon, so let’s talk about keeping cooked bacon in the fridge. You probably already know that frozen bacon can last for months in your freezer, and thawed bacon needs to be cooked within a few days once it’s in new refrigerator.
So how long does bacon last in the fridge? If stored correctly in a air tight sealed container or wrapped in cling film, cooked bacon will last for 5-7 days in a refrigerator.
How Long Is Cooked Bacon Good in the Fridge?
Properly storing your bacon will ensure that it lasts a lot longer. If you let it rest out on the counter at room temperature for a while after it’s cooked, it may not last for very long once you put it in the fridge. Most people like to grill or fry their bacon but you can also bake your bacon in the oven.
If you’re not storing it in an airtight container, that can shorten its shelf life as well. If you reheat and then refrigerate the bacon again, that can drastically cut down on how long it’s okay for in the fridge.
So, if you’re wanting to extend its shelf life as long as possible, make sure the bacon is placed into the fridge after it cools from its initial cooking. Place it into an airtight container and only take out what you’re going to reheat and use. Don’t reheat all the bacon if you’re not going to use it right then.
If you follow all these precautions, your cooked bacon can last for four to five days in the fridge before it starts to go bad.
Signs That Your Bacon Is Spoiling
How long does cooked bacon last in the fridge and how do you tell when it’s going bad? You may be able to tell because it’s starting to discolor. If the color is changing at all, that’s a pretty good indication that the bacon is turning.
- Your Bacon will start to discolor
- You cooked bacon will start to go hard and mould may appear
- You bacon may begin to start smelling foul
To ensure that you don’t unknowingly eat bacon that has spoiled it is best practice to label the date that you cooked and refrigerated the bacon, you can then always ensure that any bacon that has passed the best before date is disposed off.
Look for signs of discoloration to tell when your bacon has been sitting in the fridge for too long. It’s always better to be safe than sorry with refrigerated foods. If there’s any question in your mind that it might not be okay to eat, it’s better to toss it out than take a chance and suffer food poisoning.
Another way to tell if bacon has gone bad after it’s been cooked and stored in the fridge is to smell it. Give the bacon a sniff to see if it’s starting to smell off. If you notice any strange odor and it smells different from how it should, then it’s probably starting to go bad.
Once again, don’t take a chance, and toss it out if you smell something wrong with it.
Another way to tell if your bacon is no longer good to eat is if it has mold on it. Look for little bits of green, white, or black mold growing on the bacon to tell if it’s time to toss it out. Mold will start to smell badly after a while as well, but you may see it before you smell it.
Can You Freeze Cooked Bacon?
After your bacon has been cooked and you have some left over, is it safe to store it in the freezer? Will it stay safe in there for a while? If you are making a breakfast then checkout our breakfast pattie guide.
Yes, you can store your cooked bacon in the freezer. If you’re storing it properly, it can last in there for as long as six months. Make sure that you only take out as much as you need, though. As I mentioned already, you don’t want to warm up any cooked bacon that you’re not going to eat right away.
You should wrap the bacon to be stored in the freezer in a way where you can take out individual pieces. One way to do that is to lay the cooked bacon down on a baking sheet and line that with wax paper.
You can put down several layers of bacon with a layer of wax paper between each row of bacon. This lets you pull out individual pieces of bacon more easily. Place that in the freezer for a few hours and then put those rows of bacon into a freezer-safe bag.
When it is time to pull the bacon out of the freezer, you can take out as much as you need and put it in the refrigerator to thaw out. Or, you can microwave it straight from the freezer and have it ready to eat in seconds.
How Long Does Cooked Turkey Bacon Last in the Fridge?
You may be wondering if turkey bacon will last as long in the fridge as pork bacon. Because they come from different animals, you may expect them to not last as long as one another, once you store them in the fridge. However, after you’ve cooked turkey bacon, can store it in your fridge in an airtight container for four to five days, just like any other kind of bacon.
Just be sure that you placed it into an airtight container and you don’t leave it sitting out at room temperature for very long. Only take out as much bacon as you need to eat and keep the rest stored away.
Don’t feel bad the next time you make bacon and you end up with too much. You can always store it for a few more days or put it in the freezer for months. If you want to make up a lot of bacon at once and save yourself some cooking time, then knowing how and where to store it can be a big help to you.
What can you do to make bacon last longer.
Who wants to make bacon last longer? Seriously, just eat it. Ok if you really want to extend the lifespan of your bacon then here’s what you can do.
- Freeze the bacon the day of purchase and is should last 3 months.
- Cook the bacon on day of purchase, allow to cool and then store in an airtight container with the date of cooking clearly labelled.
Bacon is easily available so there is no need to be deep storing huge supplies. If you are going camping or intent to take your bacon on the road (who does this) then you should be ensuring your wrap or seal in a container and preferably pack with ice and keep the temperature as low as possible until it’s time to cook.
FAQs About Freezing and Storing Bacon
How long can bacon stay in the fridge?
Cooked bacon will last for up to 7 days in a sealed container if it has been cooled and refridgerator correctly AND the fridge is at the correct temperature.
How long does uncooked bacon last in the fridge?
Uncooked bacon will also last between 5-7 days when sealed or wrapped correctly and store at the correct temperature.
How to tell if bacon is bad?
Looks for changes in colour, texture and smell, bacon that has started to go off will become slimy to the touch and may start to smell foul. Spoiled bacon also starts to go a pale color. If in doubt, throw it in the bin.
Does Cooked Bacon Last Longer Than Raw Bacon
Essential cooked bacon may have a slightly longer life than raw bacon, however, I still don’t recommend that you consume any bacon after the recommended 5 days in an airtight sealed container in a fridge.
How long does cooked bacon last unrefrigerated
Cooked bacon should be refrigerated if not consumed within two hours. Consuming perishable food that has sat out for longer may pose safety risks according to USDA guidelines
References
Bacon safety guidelines – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-bacon-bad-or-good
Food Safety and Inspection Service for bacon – https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/bacon-and-food-safety
I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!
