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. But in the off chance that you need to store bacon in the fridge for a few days, here are some tips!
Uncooked bacon
If you are storing unopened uncured bacon in the fridge, it will last about one week past the “sell by” date on the package. 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.
Once the package has been opened, as long as it is well stored in a sealed container, uncooked bacon is good for a week. Sealed in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer, the bacon could last for about a month.
Cooked bacon
If you’ve cooked up more bacon than you can eat, you can store it in a well-sealed container for five to seven days in the refrigerator before it goes bad. If you don’t think you’ll be able to eat it in that time, you can freeze cooked bacon for about a month.
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. Even if you are able to reseal it well, chances are it will be bad after about a week. But there are some signs you can look for when checking to see if your bacon has gone bad.
Discoloration
Bacon should have vibrant pink-colored meat and white streaks of fat. If it has started to go bad, its color will be off. If the bacon in your fridge has a grayish, greenish, or brownish shade, it’s time to throw it out.
Smell
Bacon should not have a strong smell. It may have a smoky scent or smell like the seasonings used on it, but it should not be very distinct. If you open the package and smell a sulphuric or sour smell, that means the bacteria has spread throughout the meat, and the bacon has gone bad.
Slime
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.
Mold
Sometimes, mold may start growing on bacon that has gone bad. It may be tempting to cut off the moldy part and eat the rest of the strip, but don’t do it! Any mold that you can see is an indicator of fungi growing that you may not see. The safest bet is to throw moldy bacon out.
The Best Bacon Around
When you are ready to restock your bacon supply, Pederson’s has you covered! We have several bacon options for you to enjoy. As always, all of our bacon is uncured, humanely raised, and gluten, lactose, and MSG-free.
FAQs
You can keep bacon in the refrigerator at 40 ºF or below for one week. Bacon can also be frozen at 0 ºF for four months (for best quality). For more information about bacon and storage of other bacon products, go to Bacon and Food Safety.
How long is uncooked bacon good for in the fridge? ›
Unopened bacon may last roughly two weeks in the fridge and eight months in the freezer. Once the package has been opened, as long as it is well stored in a sealed container, uncooked bacon is good for a week.
How can you tell if bacon has gone bad? ›
The most notable sign of rancid bacon is a change in appearance. Bacon that has gone bad doesn't retain its redness and will instead take on a brown, gray, or greenish hue, and the color itself will seem faded. Rancid bacon also takes on an unpleasant odor and may become sticky or slimy.
How long can bacon sit before it goes bad? ›
The general rule of food safety is to not let raw meat or cooked food sit out for more than 2 hours, and that rule applies to uncooked or cooked bacon.
Is bacon good after 8 days? ›
If unopened and kept in a refrigerator, raw bacon has a shelf life of approximately two weeks. Once opened, raw bacon should remain fresh for about a week. If kept in a fridge, cooked bacon usually lasts for five days.
How to tell if bacon is done? ›
The easiest way to tell is by the color of the pork. Just like with many other types of meat, uncooked bacon will be light pink with white strips of fat. When it's ready to eat, those rosy hues will have darkened to a reddish-brown color, and the fat will morph into a tan or golden shade.
How long does bacon from butcher last in fridge? ›
Bonus: If you're buying dry-cured, slab bacon from a local butcher, your (untouched) hunk of meat will be safe to eat for anywhere from four to six weeks in the fridge.
What happens if I ate bad bacon? ›
Eating spoiled bacon can result in food poisoning, nausea, fever, or other illness. Staphylococcus aureus is a common source of food poisoning because it isn't deterred by salty, cured meats, leading some people to a false sense of security thinking that the salt makes the food safe.
Is bacon ok if it's grey? ›
Toss it out! Discoloration: Green, grey, or brown discoloration means that the bacon is no longer safe to eat. Time to buy a new pack. Mold: As with any food, mold is not a good sign.
Is soft bacon safe to eat? ›
Unfortunately for floppy lardon lovers, most health officials agree that it's not safe. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, consuming undercooked pork products can expose people to a wide variety of pathogens, including foodborne bacteria like salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus.
The truth is there is little practical difference between cured and uncured bacon in terms of health. Both are cured in the true sense of the word, meaning they are preserved. The use of the labels “cured” and “uncured” on processed meats results from Department of Agriculture labeling regulations.
Why shouldn't you freeze bacon? ›
Rancidity develops even in the freezer and the presence of the curing salts hastens its development. The Food Marketing Institute recommends that opened bacon not be frozen. Their recommendation is that unopened bacon only be frozen up to one month.
Can you leave bacon grease out? ›
Though previous generations of home chefs kept bacon grease on the counter, experts recommend storing yours in the refrigerator or the freezer. "It's best to not keep the bacon grease at room temperature because any microparticles of the bacon can cause the grease to go rancid," says Abbott.
Can bacon last 10 days in fridge? ›
You can keep bacon in the refrigerator at 40 ºF or below for one week. Bacon can also be frozen at 0 ºF for four months (for best quality).
How to know if bacon is off? ›
Four Signs Opened Bacon Has Gone Bad
- IT DOESN'T SMELL QUITE RIGHT. Bacon shouldn't have a strong, rancid scent. ...
- IT FEELS SLIMY. Fresh bacon that's safe to consume should feel soft, yet firm to the touch. ...
- IT'S DISCOLORED. Fresh bacon should have tantalizing strips of white fat marbled with pinkish-red meat. ...
- IT'S MOLDY.
Once the meat is cool to the touch, place it in an airtight bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag and placing it in the refrigerator. By following this method, your bacon should stay fresh for up to five days.
How long can you keep bacon grease in the fridge? ›
How Long Does Bacon Grease Last? Store your container in the fridge where it will last for three months, or in the freezer where it will last indefinitely. Storing the grease in the fridge is the best for easy access to soft fat whenever you want it.
Is cured bacon considered raw meat? ›
Pork bacon without any other descriptors is raw or uncooked,and must be cooked before eating.
How long can you freeze uncooked bacon? ›
An unopened package of bacon can be frozen for a month, or up to four months at the outside. 1 The flavor and quality will begin to deteriorate the longer it is in the freezer.
How long does opened uncooked turkey bacon last in the fridge? ›
Once opened, turkey bacon can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Like all raw meat, it will begin to break down quickly once the package has been opened. This also goes for unpackaged bacon that is bought at the meat counter of your grocery store.
