Author Topic: How well does bacon freeze?  (Read 2077 times)

K Frame

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How well does bacon freeze?
« on: October 15, 2021, 09:33:08 AM »
I don't use a lot of bacon, and I use it mainly for seasoning other dishs, such as stew, chili, etc.

Which means that in the past I've often used a half pound only to have the other half pound go bad.

Plus, with bacon prices rising like they are, I want to take advantage of sales.

So, how well does bacon freeze?
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WLJ

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2021, 09:36:08 AM »
I don't use a lot of bacon, and I use it mainly for seasoning other dishs, such as stew, chili, etc.

Which means that in the past I've often used a half pound only to have the other half pound go bad.

Plus, with bacon prices rising like they are, I want to take advantage of sales.

So, how well does bacon freeze?

I usually buy bulk Sam's packages and freeze much of it. It seems to freeze just fine with no real change in quality
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MillCreek

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2021, 09:36:49 AM »
Extremely well.  I put the sealed package in the freezer and pull it out as needed.  Once it is thawed, I keep it in the fridge until I use it up.  We do not have a problem using up a pound before it goes off. I have not noticed any loss of quality. I buy it on sale, and I probably have around six or seven pounds in the garage freezer right now.
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Ben

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2021, 09:36:56 AM »
I'm just one data point, but I freeze bacon all the time and I don't think I can detect any flavor or cooking differences.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2021, 09:45:38 AM »
If your store has a decent spice & flavorings aisle, there are "bacon bits" in small jars that don't require refrigeration and would meet your occasional use requirement without refrigeration or freezng.  I kinda thought that was why bacon was smoked and salted --for preservation.

Besides, I don't think one buys bacon itself, one buys the smoke.  That spice aisle should contain liquid hickory smoke elixir or tincture in small bottles which might meet your needs anyway if you aren't a hyper-epicurean.

I like to use a bit of those crunchy little bits on salads and some other stuff, but as for real bacon, I try to avoid it because of the fat and salt content.

However, at least one company (Hormel?) puts out sliced bacon in a no-refrigeration package which works out well when I succumb to the bacon monkey on my back.

I guess they irradiate it for preservation, but once the package is open, it requires refrigeration or freezing.  In that case, I separate the remaining slices into convenient amounts and freeze them in those small sandwich bags.  Though they're stuck together, µwaving them results in their neat separation and crunchification, depending on how long you subject them to the 7-8 cm energy of the usual kitchen µwave.

Bon appetit ! =D

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« Last Edit: October 15, 2021, 10:35:43 AM by 230RN »

HankB

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2021, 09:48:46 AM »
I have a good amount of frozen bacon in my freezer right now - the vacuum packed packages it's sold in are just fine and require no additional wrapping.

Hmmmm . . . thinking about it now, I think I should probably make some bacon buns this weekend . . .
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2021, 09:54:31 AM »
 Bought a ten pound box and froze meal sizes in vac bags. Used it for a year just fine. The precooked stuff is handy too.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2021, 10:03:39 AM »
I keep mine in the original packaging. The packs I buy at Costco have two packages in each pack, with 10-12 slices of bacon per pack. I have bacon and eggs 1-2 times a week, with 5-6 pieces of bacon per meal (or 4-5 because of the begging dog) so that works out just fine without worrying about the bacon going bad after I've opened a package.
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K Frame

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2021, 10:06:36 AM »
Those bacon bits generally aren't bacon.

They're flavored textured vegetable protein, and they just taste... weird... to me.

When I want the flavor of bacon in a dish, I want the flavor of real bacon. For example, a good one is bean and bacon soup. It's just not the same with liquid smoke. 
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Brad Johnson

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2021, 10:12:10 AM »
Seems to freeze perfectly fine if left in the original vacuum-sealed packaging. Sams carries my favorite bacon, Wright thick-cut hickory smoked, in 4 lb lots (two 2 lb sealed packages). On occasion I've cooked it after being frozen for several months. No issues at all. I usually cook the entire package on a Saturday morning. We'll gnaw on it over the weekend, then bag it up and keep for things like sandwiches, salads, etc. Once cooked, it seems to do just fine in the fridge for several weeks.

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2021, 10:14:22 AM »
I just pulled a bacon package out to thaw so we can make this on Sunday:  https://www.bigoven.com/recipe/split-pea-soup-hearty-split-pea-soup-from-the-new-york-times/972325

One of the best split pea soups we have ever had and any time I get to use the immersion blender, it is good. We serve it with homemade bread.
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Jim147

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2021, 10:16:38 AM »
"I don't use a lot of bacon."

That's something a woke commie pinko would say.
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K Frame

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2021, 10:19:18 AM »
"I don't use a lot of bacon."

That's something a woke commie pinko would say.

I use a lot of ham and sausage, Comrade.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2021, 10:56:07 AM »
We've never had a problem freezing bacon, with one caveat.  We have found that its flavor or texture can change if its left frozen for more than a year.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2021, 11:38:05 AM »
There are actual real bacon bits/crumblies out there for sale. I think that Hormel is one brand.
 
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2021, 11:39:20 AM »
I'll buy 20-30# when it's on sale, it freezes well. If you ever have a pig slaughtered, you get your bacon back frozen.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2021, 11:57:50 AM »
Those bacon bits generally aren't bacon.

They're flavored textured vegetable protein, and they just taste... weird... to me.

When I want the flavor of bacon in a dish, I want the flavor of real bacon. For example, a good one is bean and bacon soup. It's just not the same with liquid smoke. 

Wally World sells real bacon bits under their house brand.  They're not bad.  We have a bag in the fridge right now that we use as a salad topping.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2021, 12:02:00 PM »
Wally World sells real bacon bits under their house brand.  They're not bad.  We have a bag in the fridge right now that we use as a salad topping.

Sam’s has a big bag for $10 of probably the same stuff it’s good stuff and a real bargain compared to little bags from Hormel or Oscar Mayer for $4-5 apiece.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2021, 12:40:49 PM »
Those bacon bits generally aren't bacon.

They're flavored textured vegetable protein, and they just taste... weird... to me.

When I want the flavor of bacon in a dish, I want the flavor of real bacon. For example, a good one is bean and bacon soup. It's just not the same with liquid smoke.

You can get real bacon bits. The "stuff" that you speak of is vile.
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K Frame

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2021, 12:42:58 PM »
Wally World sells real bacon bits under their house brand.  They're not bad.  We have a bag in the fridge right now that we use as a salad topping.

You know, I had NO idea that companies were selling pre-cooked bacon bits.

Still, I'd rather have a package of real bacon in the freezer, just in case.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #20 on: October 15, 2021, 12:48:21 PM »
Like those above, I buy bacon in bulk and freeze.

Not only can you freeze it but it probably tolerates freezing better than any other meat I've frozen.
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K Frame

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #21 on: October 15, 2021, 01:45:49 PM »
Generally it makes sense that it would freeze well because it's preserved, and the preservation process removes water from the meat, which reduces the chance of freezer burn and the like.

I just wanted to make sure that something else didn't come into play that I didn't expect, like the fat getting weird and spongy or something, or it developing some other off trait that some foods can when they're frozen.
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MillCreek

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #22 on: October 15, 2021, 01:52:10 PM »
Sam’s has a big bag for $10 of probably the same stuff it’s good stuff and a real bargain compared to little bags from Hormel or Oscar Mayer for $4-5 apiece.

Costco does this as well, with the big bag of Hormel brand.  It just perfect when I want to add bacon to a pasta sauce, throw on top of a salad, or mash into the devilled egg filling.

ETA: I keep this bag of bacon bits in the kitchen freezer so I can add bacon at a whim.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2021, 02:46:01 PM by MillCreek »
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K Frame

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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #23 on: October 15, 2021, 01:55:41 PM »
I really should consider rejoining Costco or BJs.

But I hate to do so for a couple of reasons...

1. I'm single. I just can't use a lot of the stuff in the quantities sold there.

2. Costco especially is a seething mass of humanity. I break into a sweat just thinking about walking into that place.
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Re: How well does bacon freeze?
« Reply #24 on: October 15, 2021, 01:55:58 PM »
Costco does this as well, with the big bag of Hormel brand.  It just perfect when I want to add bacon to a pasta sauce, throw on top of a salad, or mash into the devilled egg filling.

I never heard of such a thing.  Sounds real good.  I'll have to give that a try.
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