Do you want to know “How long does turkey bacon last?” and more importantly, “How to keep turkey bacon fresh?” We have the answers! The good news is that these tips will help you keep raw, cooked, and frozen turkey bacon fresh for a lot longer.
Turkey bacon is another way to enjoy a bacon-like eating experience. Some people eat it because it has a lower fat content than traditional pork bacon.
Turkey bacon is lower in fat and calories than regular pork bacon, but it’s still processed meat that goes bad after a certain amount of time.
So, you should know how to store turkey bacon so that it doesn’t grow bacteria and how long it will last. This article will teach you how to eat the crispy strips safely with your food.
Turkey bacon has become a popular alternative to traditional pork bacon. It has a similar smoky, salty flavor but is lower in fat and calories. But after you cook up a batch of turkey bacon, how long does it actually last? Here is a complete guide to maximizing the shelf life and freshness of cooked turkey bacon.
Overview of Turkey Bacon
Turkey bacon is made from cuts of turkey that are cured, smoked, and sliced to resemble traditional bacon strips. The turkey meat is taken from the thigh, breast or tenderloins. It provides the salty, smoky taste of bacon with less fat and fewer calories since it comes from a leaner source than pork belly.
Some key attributes of turkey bacon
- 60-80 calories per slice compared to 40-50 calories for pork bacon
- Approximately 35-50% less fat than pork bacon
- Higher in protein than pork bacon
- Turkey bacon is uncured and lacks sodium nitrates
- Sold pre-cooked or ready-to-cook
- Available sliced or in full bacon strips
- Made from antibiotic-free turkeys at many brands
While the nutrition stats are better, cooking and storing turkey bacon correctly is still important for safety and quality.
How Long Is Cooked Turkey Bacon Good For?
Once cooked, turkey bacon will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. It will maintain best quality for about 3-4 days then deteriorate in texture after that.
Here are some general guidelines for maximum shelf life of cooked turkey bacon:
- Refrigerator: 3-5 days
- Freezer: 1-2 months for best quality
The shelf life depends on how it was cooked and how it is stored. Proper refrigeration and an airtight container are key for preserving the freshness and texture of cooked turkey bacon.
Tips for Storing Cooked Turkey Bacon
Here are some storage tips to extend the freshness of cooked turkey bacon
- Let the cooked bacon cool completely before refrigerating. Warm food will raise the temperature inside the refrigerator.
- Place cooked bacon in an airtight container. Plasticware or resealable plastic bags work well for storage.
- Make sure the container is moisture-proof. Small droplets of fat or grease can accelerate spoilage.
- Refrigerate promptly. Do not leave cooked turkey bacon at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Use within 3-4 days for best quality. It will start drying out after that.
- For longer storage, freeze turkey bacon for 1-2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before using again.
Proper storage prevents cooked turkey bacon from drying out, developing foul odors or bacterial growth.
How To Tell If Cooked Turkey Bacon Is Bad
Cooked turkey bacon that has gone bad will show obvious signs of spoilage. Look for these indications that turkey bacon has spoiled and should be discarded:
- Mold growth – this appears as fuzzy white or green spots
- Slimy texture and foul smell
- Dried out, hard texture
- Grayish brown or dull color instead of pink or red
- Rancid odor
Trust your senses – if cooked turkey bacon smells bad it has most likely spoiled. When in doubt, throw it out.
Best Practices for Cooking Turkey Bacon
To maximize the shelf life after cooking, be sure to handle raw turkey bacon properly:
- Choose turkey bacon before the “sell by” or “use by” date on the package.
- Rinse turkey bacon before cooking to remove any sliminess.
- Cook turkey bacon thoroughly until crispy to kill bacteria.
- Let turkey bacon rest 1-2 minutes after cooking since it continues cooking from residual heat.
- Allow cooked turkey bacon to cool completely on paper towels before refrigerating.
Always follow the recommended storage times once cooked, even if the turkey bacon was handled safely. The shelf life stays the same.
Uses for Cooked Turkey Bacon
Cooked turkey bacon can be used in all the same ways as regular pork bacon. Here are some tasty ways to use up leftovers within 3-5 days:
- Breakfast sandwiches or wraps
- Omelets, frittatas or breakfast tacos
- Salads with crumbled turkey bacon
- Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Green beans or Brussels sprouts
- Turkey club sandwich
- Grilled cheese with turkey bacon
- Pizza or flatbreads
Turkey bacon adds great flavor to many dishes. With proper refrigeration, you can continue enjoying cooked turkey bacon for 3-5 days before the quality deteriorates. Keep an eye out for spoilage signs, and if in doubt, throw it out. Follow the storage guidelines to keep cooked turkey bacon fresh, tasty and safe to eat.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/raw-turkey-bacon-2000-3b9fd47912324b71ac48213032fdb0ab.jpg)
Cooked Turkey Bacon Shelf Life
It depends on how you like your turkey bacon cooked: in a skillet, a deep fryer, a regular oven, a microwave oven, or an air fryer? If you have extra cooked bacon, you don’t have to throw it away.
You can keep cooked bacon fresh for up to three days longer if you wrap it tightly and put it in the fridge. If you freeze it, you can maintain its flavor for up to three months.
How Long Does Raw Turkey Bacon Last?
The first step is to look at the package and check the sell-by date. Turkey bacon that hasn’t been opened and is still in its original package can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks, or until it goes bad, whichever comes first.
When the package is opened, it can be kept in the fridge for up to a week if it is fully wrapped.
Also, don’t leave the turkey bacon out on the counter for more than an hour while you’re making it. Wrap and refrigerate any unused bacon right away to avoid spoilage.
Best Way To Cook Turkey Bacon
FAQ
Can I eat cooked bacon after 7 days?
How do you know if turkey bacon went bad?
How long is cooked turkey good in the fridge?
Is it safe to eat cooked turkey bacon left out overnight?
How long does cooked bacon last in the fridge?
Bacon cured without nitrites (a common type of bacon) keeps a little longer in the fridgeup to 3 weeks. Once you open the package, use the bacon within seven days (or less, if the printed date is sooner). Always cook it before you eat it, since you can’t eat raw bacon.
How long should a Turkey stay warm in the oven?
Your turkey should stay warm for about 1½ to 2 hours using this method. If you have an extra oven that’s not in use, you can hold your cooked turkey in there at a low temperature. When your turkey has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, set the extra oven’s temperature as low as it will go.
How do you store uncooked bacon?
Opened packages of uncooked bacon can be stored in an airtight container, plastic bag, in plastic wrap or tightly wrapped in aluminum foil. Once bacon has been cooked, it’s best to store it in an airtight container. We like to layer bacon strips between sheets of paper towels.
When should a Turkey be out of the oven?
In an ideal world, the turkey would be out of the oven exactly 30 minutes before serving, so that you can remove it from the roasting pan and let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving and serving warm.
Can you freeze cooked bacon?
If you want to freeze individual bacon strips, lay the bacon pieces on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, making sure the strips don’t overlap, and place in the freezer. When the bacon is completely frozen, transfer the slices to a freezer-safe bag. You can use the same sheet pan method to freeze cooked bacon.
Can Bacon thaw in the fridge?
Most frozen bacon packages will thaw overnight in the fridge and should be used within 7 days. Bacon thawed in the fridge can be refrozen, if needed. Thawing bacon in cold water or the microwave takes less time (about 30 minutes in cold water or as quickly as 5 minutes in the microwave), but needs to be cooked immediately.