How Long Is Cooked Bacon Still Safe To Eat?
Bacon is a delicious and aromatic food that can be eaten at any time of day, but how long can it last in the refrigerator after being cooked? While a package of uncooked and unopened bacon can last around 2 weeks in the refrigerator and about 8 months in the freezer, cooked bacon tends to have a much shorter shelf life. According to Healthline, cooked bacon can typically last around 4-5 days in the refrigerator before it starts to go bad.
If frozen, however, the average shelf life of bacon increases up to a month. This is relatively the same across all types of bacon, including turkey bacon, beef bacon, and pancetta. The only exception is Canadian bacon, which has a shelf life of 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 4-8 weeks in the freezer. That's because it's more similar to ham than regular bacon. Let's take a look at how to properly store leftover bacon.
How to store bacon
If stored improperly, bacon can go bad much quicker than expected. That's why it's important to learn how to store it the right way. According to Allrecipes, you should store raw and cooked bacon in the refrigerator or freezer in slightly different ways. If you're using the refrigerator, you should store uncooked bacon in its original packaging and place it inside a reusable, zip-top bag. Cooked bacon can be placed directly inside an air-tight container.
If you're looking to use the freezer, however, you should cover raw, unopened bacon with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, making sure to squeeze out all of the air. Cooked bacon, on the other hand, should be carefully layered between sheets of paper towels and placed in a zip-top bag, which should also be free of excess air. When you're finally ready to eat your frozen bacon, you can thaw it by popping it in the microwave and using the defrost button. Just make sure you remove the packaging beforehand.