There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of sizzling bacon in the morning. If you’re anything like us, there probably won’t be any leftover bacon. What if you need to keep bacon in the fridge for a few days? Here are some ideas!
If you put uncured bacon in the fridge before the “sell by” date on the package, it will last about one week. In the freezer, unopened bacon could last up to six months. Unopened bacon may last roughly two weeks in the fridge and eight months in the freezer.
Bacon that hasn’t been cooked can be kept in a sealed container for a week after the package has been opened. Sealed in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer, the bacon could last for about a month.
Should you make more bacon than you can eat, you can keep it in the fridge for five to seven days in a container that is well sealed. Thought you might not be able to eat it that soon? Cooked bacon can be frozen for up to a month.
Bacon is one of those versatile ingredients that can be added to everything from breakfast plates to burgers and salads. It’s a staple in many refrigerators. But with an opened package sitting in the fridge it’s common to wonder – how long is bacon good for after opening the package?
Knowing how to store and handle bacon properly after opening is key to enjoying this salty cured pork at its best. Follow these tips to keep your bacon fresh and minimize waste.
How to Tell When Bacon is Bad
Before getting into bacon storage, it helps to know how to identify bad bacon Here are some signs that your previously-opened bacon has gone bad
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Slimy texture – Fresh bacon should feel slightly tacky but not overly slimy. Excess slime means spoilage.
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Discoloration – Bacon can change from pink to grey, green or brown as it ages. Off-colors indicate it is past prime.
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Dull or dry appearance – Bacon loses its sheen and moisture as it dries out over time.
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Off odors – Rancid bacon gives off a noticeably unpleasant or sour smell.
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Mold growth – Any fuzzy spots or film on the bacon makes it unsafe to eat.
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Expired sell-by or use-by date – The date on your bacon package is a good guideline for when to toss it.
When bacon exhibits any of these traits, it’s best to discard it rather than risk foodborne illness. Now let’s go over proper storage to keep your bacon tasting great after opening.
Refrigerate Bacon After Opening
Once opened, it is important to refrigerate bacon. The cold temperature of the refrigerator slows bacteria growth and preserves freshness.
Refrigerated, uncooked bacon maintains peak quality for up to 1 week past the printed sell-by or use-by date on the package.
To get the longest fridge life from your bacon after opening:
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Immediately return bacon to the fridge after use. Never leave it out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
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Make sure your refrigerator temperature is 40°F or below. Use a fridge thermometer to monitor.
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Store bacon in the coldest section of the fridge, away from the door where temps fluctuate.
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Re-wrap bacon tightly in its original packaging or an airtight container. Limit air exposure.
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Place near the back of the top shelf so juices don’t drip onto other food.
Follow these refrigeration guidelines and use opened bacon within 1 week past the date on the package for peak freshness and quality.
Is Bacon Still Good After 2 Weeks?
How about if that bacon has been languishing in your refrigerator a while longer? Is bacon still good after 2 or 3 weeks from opening the package?
If properly refrigerated, bacon can often last 2 to 3 weeks past its printed use-by date before the quality starts to decline. However, it depends on factors like:
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Temperature of your refrigerator
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How often the door is opened
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How well sealed the package is
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If juices leaked out
So for absolute best quality, use refrigerated bacon within 1 week after opening. For adequate quality, consume within 2 weeks from opening if the bacon has been continually refrigerated below 40°F.
After 3 weeks in the fridge, it is safest to discard opened bacon as bacteria like salmonella can start growing even in the cold refrigerator over time.
Should You Cook and Refreeze Bacon?
Some people prep a package of bacon all at once by cooking the full pack, then freezing the cooked strips for later. This saves time over cooking just what you need each use.
Cooked, frozen bacon can be stored for up to 1-2 months in an airtight freezer bag or container. Make sure to cool bacon fully in the fridge before freezing.
To reheat thawed cooked bacon:
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Bake from frozen on a foil lined sheet at 400°F for 5 minutes
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Microwave for 30 seconds at a time just until warmed through
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Fry for 1-2 minutes in a skillet to recrisp
Freezing cooked bacon prevents quality loss from ongoing fridge storage. Just make sure to label bags with the freeze date and use within 2 months for best results.
Does Unopened Bacon Go Bad?
Properly stored, unopened packages of bacon can last 2-4 weeks beyond the sell-by date before quality becomes noticeable lower.
An unopened vacuum sealed package protects the bacon by limiting oxygen exposure. Prior to opening, store bacon in the coldest area of the refrigerator and keep storage time short for maximum freshness.
Once opened, bacon has a shorter life span of just 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Always go by the use-by date for opened packages rather than the sell-by date.
Storing Bacon: Quick Tips
Here are some quick tips for maximizing bacon storage life:
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Store uncooked bacon separately from other foods to prevent cross-contamination.
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Freeze bacon if you don’t plan to use it within 1-2 weeks of purchase. It lasts 6-8 months in the freezer.
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Use freezer-safe packaging like zip top bags when freezing. Remove excess air.
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Let bacon thaw in the refrigerator, not the counter or microwave.
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Cook bacon thoroughly until crispy. Undercooked bacon has a shorter fridge life.
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Don’t wash raw bacon before cooking. This can spread bacteria in your kitchen.
With proper refrigeration and freezing, bacon can last for weeks after opening without going bad or posing any health risks. Be diligent about storage guidelines, check for signs of spoilage, and enjoy bacon when it’s at its best!
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some additional questions about bacon storage? Here are some common FAQs:
How can you tell when bacon has gone bad?
Signs of spoiled bacon include slimy texture, changed color, dull or dried out appearance, sour smell, mold growth, and passing the use-by date. Discard bacon with any of these traits.
Can you freeze bacon after opening package?
Yes, bacon can be frozen after opening the package. Use freezer bags or airtight containers. It keeps 6-8 months in a 0°F freezer before losing quality.
How long does cooked bacon last in the fridge?
Cooked bacon lasts 3-4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Discard any uneaten cooked bacon after one week as bacteria can develop over time.
Can you eat bacon 2 months out of date if never opened?
Unopened bacon within 2 months of the sell-by date that has been continuously refrigerated below 40°F can often be safely consumed. However, quality declines the longer from its sell-by date so use your judgement.
Is it safe to eat bacon a week after use-by date if refrigerated?
Bacon typically lasts 1 week past its use-by or sell-by date if properly refrigerated in its original sealed pack.COOK thoroughly until steaming hot before eating bacon that is borderline fresh.
Storing bacon properly, using appropriate freeze-by dates, looking for signs of spoilage, and cooking thoroughly will help keep this pork product safe and tasty to enjoy in all sorts of recipes.
How to know if your bacon has gone bad
As soon as a package of bacon has been opened, it is exposed to bacteria in the air. This bacteria instantly begins a chemical reaction on the meat that leads to it going bad. It’s likely to go bad after about a week, even if you can seal it well again. But there are some things you can look for to tell if your bacon has gone bad.
Bacon should have vibrant pink-colored meat and white streaks of fat. If it has started to go bad, its color will be off. There is no longer any good bacon in your fridge if it looks gray, green, or brown.
Bacon should not have a strong smell. It might smell like smoke or the spices that were used on it, but it shouldn’t be too strong. If you open the package and smell something sulfurous or sour, the bacteria has spread to the rest of the meat and the bacon is bad.
If bacon is good, it will be soft and slightly moist. If your bacon feels slimy at all, it is definitely bad. This slimy feeling is not water, but rather bacteria that has started breaking down the meat. If it is slimy, it isn’t worth the risk.
Sometimes, mold may start growing on bacon that has gone bad. You might want to cut off the moldy part and eat the rest of the strip, but don’t! Any mold you can see means that fungi are growing that you might not be able to see. The safest bet is to throw moldy bacon out.