Bacon is one food that many people can agree is absolutely delicious. Maybe you’re wondering how to keep it warm if you’re going to make some for a special meal soon. People often need to make the bacon and then turn their attention to finishing up other things.
This is not good because you want to serve it warm for the best taste. In case you’re not going to serve the bacon right away, what should you do to keep it warm?
Read on to learn about some of these methods. For sure, one of these will work for you, and then you’ll always know how to keep bacon from cooling down too quickly.
People eat bacon for breakfast all the time because they love the smoky taste and satisfying crunch. It can be hard to keep cooked bacon warm while you make the rest of the meal, though. As it cools, it loses its crispness and becomes limp and chewy. No one wants a plate of cold, rubbery bacon! Luckily, a crockpot makes it easy to keep bacon warm and crispy until it’s time to serve.
A crockpot, also known as a slow cooker, provides gentle, consistent heat that will keep cooked bacon at ideal serving temperature The crockpot traps in moisture so the bacon doesn’t dry out Best of all, it requires no effort once you put the bacon inside – just set it and forget it!
Here is a complete guide to keeping cooked bacon warm in a crockpot, including tips for preparing the bacon and using your slow cooker effectively:
Benefits of Using a Crockpot
Heating bacon in a slow cooker offers several key advantages:
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Convenience – Prepare bacon ahead of time, then just toss it in the crockpot. No need to reheat right before eating.
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Consistent warming – The crockpot holds bacon at an optimal servable temperature for hours.
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Moisture retention – The enclosed environment prevents bacon from drying out as it warms,
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Crispiness – Bacon remains crisp on the outside thanks to gentle, indirect heat.
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Easy serving – Keep crockpot on buffet table so guests can help themselves.
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Flavor catching – Any rendered bacon fat stays in pot to continue infusing flavor
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Safe – Warm setting keeps temperature low enough to prevent burning or overcooking bacon.
Tips for Warming Bacon in a Crockpot
Follow these tips when using a slow cooker to keep bacon hot:
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Use fully cooked bacon – Slow cookers are for reheating, not cooking raw ingredients.
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Pat bacon dry before adding to crockpot to minimize splattering.
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Cut bacon strips into smaller pieces so they heat evenly.
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Place bacon in single layer on bottom of crockpot to prevent sticking.
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Spray insert with nonstick spray so bacon doesn’t get soggy against ceramic.
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Keep lid off or cracked open to allow moisture to escape and prevent limpness.
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Stir bacon every 30 minutes for even warmth and to redistribute fat.
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Set crockpot to lowest temperature, usually “warm” or around 170°F to keep below food-safe zone.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these easy steps for perfect bacon every time:
1. Cook the Bacon
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Cook bacon using your preferred method like baking, frying or microwaving. Go for crispy!
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Drain bacon on paper towels and pat off excess grease. Allow to slightly cool.
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Chop or break bacon strips into smaller pieces for more even cooking in crockpot.
2. Prepare the Crockpot
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Grease inside of crockpot with nonstick spray or oil to prevent sticking.
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Make sure insert is secured in heating base. Select “warm” setting to preheat.
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Allow crockpot to preheat for at least 10 minutes before adding bacon.
3. Add and Warm Bacon
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Carefully add bacon pieces to preheated crockpot in a single layer.
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Leave lid slightly ajar or removed to allow moisture to escape and prevent sogginess.
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Stir bacon every 20-30 minutes for even heating. Add more if needed.
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Check temperature periodically with a food thermometer to ensure below 140°F.
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Keep crockpot on buffet table to allow guests to self-serve warm bacon.
4. Serve and Store
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Use tongs to transfer bacon to plates or allow guests to serve themselves.
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Turn crockpot off and unplug once empty. Allow to fully cool before washing insert.
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Transfer any leftover bacon to an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat within 5 days.
Tips for Crispy Bacon in the Crockpot
The key to keeping bacon crispy in the crockpot is allowing moisture to escape. Follow these pro tips:
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Pat bacon very dry after cooking and let cool slightly before adding to crockpot.
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Leave lid ajar or remove completely so moisture can vent out.
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Place a paper towel in bottom of crockpot to absorb excess grease.
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Choose a metal rack or grill plate insert to elevate bacon off bottom.
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Set crockpot to “warm” only. Higher heat will soften bacon.
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Stir every 20-30 minutes and change paper towel as needed.
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Transfer crispy bacon to a preheated platter just before serving.
Serving Bacon Kept Warm in a Crockpot
A crockpot full of hot, crispy bacon makes a perfect addition to a breakfast or brunch buffet. Here are some serving ideas:
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Offer slices as a topping for waffles, pancakes or French toast along with syrup.
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Create a build-your-own breakfast sandwich station with eggs, cheese, avocado and bacon.
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Skewer bacon pieces to make savory Bloody Mary garnish sticks.
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Crumble over baked potatoes, sweet potatoes or wedge salads.
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Sprinkle over the top of soups or chilis as a smoky, salty garnish.
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Toss crumbled bacon into quiches, frittatas or strata before baking.
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Make decadent baked goods like bacon maple scones or chocolate bacon cupcakes.
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Wrap baked bacon slices around melon, pineapple or asparagus spears for an appetizer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you crisp up bacon in the crockpot?
Yes, bacon can remain crispy in the crockpot as long as moisture is allowed to escape. Remove lid, use a rack and stir frequently.
Should you parcook bacon before putting in crockpot?
Yes, only cooked bacon should go in the crockpot, never raw. Fully cook bacon on stove or in oven first.
How long will bacon stay warm in a crockpot?
Cooked bacon will stay safely warm in a crockpot on the “warm” setting for 2-4 hours. Check temperature with thermometer to ensure under 140°F.
What temperature should you keep bacon warm at?
The optimal warm holding temperature for cooked bacon is between 135°F and 140°F. Any cooler may compromise food safety.
Can you reheat precooked bacon in the crockpot?
Yes, putting precooked bacon in the crockpot to reheat is fine. Just be sure to use the “warm” setting to prevent overcooking.
Keep Bacon at Its Best
Don’t let cold, limp bacon ruin breakfast – use your crockpot to keep it perfectly warm and delicious right up until serving! With these handy tips and proper technique, you can have hot and crispy bacon ready anytime without having to hover over a skillet. Turn your slow cooker into a bacon warming station for easy holiday mornings or weekend brunches.
2 – Just Keep it Covered in the Pan
Another option that many people decide to go with is just keeping the bacon covered in the pan.
You should have some type of lid for the pan that you used to cook your bacon. Don’t forget to turn the oven down all the way before putting this lid on top of the bacon.
The bacon should stay warm enough so that it’s ready to serve when you are. This is an easy option to utilize that doesn’t require anything extra.
It should be possible to keep the bacon from cooling for a while while you finish what you need to do.
3 – Reheat the Bacon
The next choice may not be the most popular, but a lot of people do it when they have to. You can just decide to reheat the bacon when it’s time to finally serve things.
You can also reheat your bacon in a few different ways, and you should think about all of them.
The most obvious way might not be the ideal one because it involves using your microwave. You could just place your bacon in the microwave and then go ahead and reheat it.
Many people think that the microwave changes the bacon in some way, so this will work, but it won’t be as good.
However, it’s worth noting that the microwave can be good when it comes to certain things. Another example is that if you want to make bacon crisp again after it has been sitting for a while, your microwave will do the trick just fine.
Microwaves are capable of drawing moisture out of food and this can help your bacon become crispy again.
Many people think that microwaving bacon takes away some of its flavor, which is a bad thing. This comes down to how microwaves reheat food.
It’s not necessary to avoid using your microwave, but depending on your tastes, you might feel that it’s not quite right.
Thankfully, you do have the option of reheating it in your skillet or pan as well. You can keep the bacon that has already been cooked in the pan or skillet and heat it up again when you’re ready.
Put your bacon back in the oven on low heat and slowly raise the temperature so it stays good.