There are times when you need to make a dish quickly for a potluck, get dinner on the table, or just have a strong craving but the protein you planned to use is still frozen. Other times, you need to let it defrost. But when it comes to bacon, you don’t need to wait until it’s completely thawed before using it. No matter what method you like, you can cook frozen bacon. It can be baked on a sheet pan in the oven, fried in a skillet, or made crispy in an air fryer.
If you stored your bacon with the slices separated, you can just grab what you need and proceed. However, if you threw the entire package in the freezer, you now have an unwieldy frozen block. You can use a thin metal spatula or a butter knife to help separate the slices. If you want to eat the bacon in small pieces, you can cut off what you need by cutting along the short side of the rectangle of frozen bacon. That way, you can cut off a small piece of bacon from each one and store the rest.
Bacon is a versatile ingredient that can instantly elevate sandwiches, salads, pastas, and more. Its smoky, salty, umami flavor is hard to resist. However, few of us use an entire package before it expires. Freezing the remainder for later is a great way to reduce waste. But when you’re ready to use that frozen bacon, do you need to thaw it first or can you cook it directly from frozen? Let’s find out.
Should Bacon Be Thawed Before Cooking?
No, you don’t need to let bacon thaw before cooking it. You can cook bacon straight from frozen, and it won’t change the taste or texture much.
In fact, cooking frozen bacon is actually better than thawing it improperly. Leaving bacon to thaw on the counter promotes bacterial growth. And letting the bacon thaw in hot water can cook it, making it taste bad.
As long as frozen bacon is cooked thoroughly to an internal temperature of 145°F, it is safe to eat So don’t worry if you’ve forgotten to thaw the bacon – just cook it frozen
How to Handle and Cook Frozen Bacon
Cooking bacon straight from the freezer is simple. Here are some tips:
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If the bacon slices are stuck together, use a knife to gently pry them apart. Don’t worry if they break.
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Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy cleanup. Arrange the frozen bacon slices in a single layer.
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Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes until crispy Rotate the pan halfway through
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Check doneness by measuring the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should reach 145°F.
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For pan-frying, use a cold skillet. Slowly render the frozen bacon over medium-low heat to prevent sticking and curling.
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Allow an extra one to two minutes of cooking time because the food is frozen. Watch closely to avoid burning.
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Microwaving is not recommended, as it leads to uneven cooking.
Why You Don’t Have to Thaw Bacon Before Cooking
There are a few reasons why thawing bacon beforehand is unnecessary:
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Thinner cuts – Bacon slices are very thin, so freezing and thawing does not greatly affect texture.
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Salt content – The salt and nitrites in cured bacon help it hold moisture even when frozen.
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High heat – The high heat of frying or baking crisps up the bacon, disguising any textural changes.
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Fat content – The fat in bacon keeps it tender and moist despite freezing. Leaner meats fare worse.
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Flavor – Smoky, salty bacon retains its flavor nicely after freezing. Delicate meats like fish suffer more.
So while freezing can degrade the texture of thicker cuts of meat, the properties of bacon make it far more forgiving.
Is Freezing and Thawing Repeatedly Bad for Bacon?
Freezing bacon once is fine, but repeatedly freezing and thawing the same package can diminish quality over time. Here’s why:
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Each thaw allows more moisture loss, making bacon drier.
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Oxidation from multiple freezes produces rancid flavors.
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Ice crystals that form during freezing rupture cell walls, creating mealy texture.
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Bacterial contamination risks increase with repeated handling.
For best results, try to use up defrosted bacon within a week or two. Avoid refreezing any thawed bacon. Store fresh packages for maximal freezer shelf life.
Food Safety Tips for Thawing Bacon
While thawing isn’t mandatory, there are safe ways to do it if needed:
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Thaw in the refrigerator over 24-48 hours. Keep thawed bacon refrigerated.
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Submerge in cold water, changing water every 30 minutes until pliable. Cook immediately.
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Thaw in the microwave on defrost setting. This can lead to uneven cooking so cook bacon immediately after thawing.
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Never thaw bacon at room temperature more than 2 hours. Toxin-producing bacteria can multiply rapidly.
Proper food handling is important, but cooking frozen bacon negates safety concerns. Just be sure to cook it fully to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Cooking Frozen Bacon Pieces and Bacon Bits
While cooking full bacon slices from frozen is easy, bacon pieces require some modifications:
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For bacon bits, use a cold skillet to render over low heat, stirring often. Or bake at 375°F until crispy, 15-25 minutes.
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For lardons or diced bacon, sauté over medium-low heat in a cold pan. Stir regularly and add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
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For bacon crumbles, microwave on defrost setting for 1 minute to separate pieces. Finish cooking in a skillet or bake until crisp.
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Drain and dry cooked bits well on paper towels before sprinkling onto dishes.
With some extra care, you can still achieve crispy, flavorful bacon bits and lardons straight from frozen.
Should You Freeze Cooked Bacon?
While freezing raw bacon works beautifully, freezing cooked bacon can make it tough and rubbery. The high heat of cooking denatures proteins and ruptures cell walls. Subsequent freezing exacerbates this damage.
For best results, cook only the amount of bacon you plan to eat fresh. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. The exception is cooked crumbled bacon, which holds up better to freezing if well drained first.
Thawing bacon improperly is a food safety issue
If you thought thawing bacon before cooking was necessary, you might have been tempted to run it under hot water or leave it out on the kitchen counter, but these methods are actually significant food safety mistakes. According to the USDA, safe thawing methods for bacon include using cold water, the refrigerator, or the microwaves defrost setting. The refrigerator method is the easiest, but also the slowest. The cold water method is quicker, but you need to change the water regularly to ensure the bacons temperature doesnt rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, theres a risk of spreading bacteria if the bacons packaging is perforated.
If you’re trying to cook frozen bacon but can’t get the slices to separate, the microwave is probably your best bet. Low power or the defrost setting should be used in the microwave to cook the bacon. Microwave it for 30 seconds at a time. You don’t have to let it thaw all the way, though. After a short time, the outer slices should be easier to peel off.
Remember that bacon partially defrosted in water or the microwave must be cooked immediately. Even if the bacon is still mostly frozen, you cannot put it back in the freezer for storage.
Do I have to thaw frozen bacon before cooking?
Can you cook thawed Bacon in hot water?
Hot water will not only cause your bacon to thaw unevenly, but it will also increase the risk of food poisoning occurring. In the same way, you can cook steak from frozen; you can cook frozen bacon. However, you may not get the same results as cooking thawed bacon. If you cook bacon from frozen, your slices may not cook evenly.
Can you cook thawed Bacon in a microwave?
Be sure to cook the thawed bacon immediately when using this method. If you don’t have an hour to wait, the microwave is your best bet. If your microwave has a “defrost” button, use this setting and flip the bacon every 1-2 minutes until thawed enough to cook. Be sure to use a microwave-safe plate and a safe covering for the meat.
Can You refreeze thawed Bacon?
The only way you can refreeze bacon is if it was thawed using the refrigerator method. If you thawed your bacon using another method such as the microwave or air fryer, it must be cooked once it is thawed. In addition to this, you must refreeze your bacon within 3 days after it was thawed. There are multiple ways to thaw bacon.
Can you cook frozen bacon?
It is safe to cook bacon from the frozen state. The three main ways to cook bacon are in a skillet or pan on the stove, in a conventional oven, or in the microwave. However, foods defrosted in the microwave or by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing because they may have been held at temperatures above 40 °F, where bacteria can multiply.