Looking at your leftover bacon, you must be wondering how long does bacon last in the fridge. Just like other refrigerated foodstuffs, even bacon has a sell-by date printed on its packaging. Bacon’s shelf life depends on a number of factors such as its type, packaging condition, and storage. In today’s post, we will discuss how long does raw bacon last in the fridge. Bacon has a sweet, salty, and smoky flavor which can light up a dish. However, it is quite tough to finish an entire packet in one sitting. You can keep on reading to know how long does bacon last in the fridge.
How Long Does Bacon Last In The Fridge?
In this section, I will discuss how long does bacon last in the fridge in detail. Bacon can last anywhere from four days to two weeks in the fridge at 40 ºF or below. You can even keep it frozen at 0 ºF for four months. If you are wondering how long does unopened bacon last in the fridge, it can last up to 2 weeks.
However, the shelf life of bacon shortens once you open the packaging. You can either cook it immediately or use it later on. So, how long does opened bacon last in the fridge? Raw bacon that has been opened and re-sealed can easily last up to one week in the fridge. If you properly store it in the freezer, it will last up to six months.
Most people keep the leftover bacon in vacuum sealed package. But do you know how long does vacuum-sealed bacon last in the fridge? Vacuum-sealed bacon packages are safe to eat for seven days after the sell-by date. While a sealed package of unopened bacon can last up to 2 weeks.
You can keep on reading to know how long does bacon last in the fridge after cooking.
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Lasting Time Of Cooked Bacon
Many people among us cook more bacon for later use. You need to brush up on your bacon cooking basics to make sure that bacon is safe to eat. To keep it fresh for a longer time, you must know how long does cooked bacon last in the fridge. An opened and cooked bacon can last for five to seven days when stored in the refrigerator. Just make sure you store it correctly in a sealed container, a zip-lock plastic bag, or an airtight bag. This will help you to keep its delicious flavor and texture in place.
However, smoked bacon can last for 5-7 days if you are wondering how long does smoked bacon last in the fridge.
Keep on reading further to know more about how long does bacon last in the fridge.
How Long Does Turkey Bacon Last In The Fridge?
There are different types of bacon such as turkey bacon and pancetta. An unopened packet of turkey bacon can last up to two weeks or seven days past the expiration date in the refrigerator. Once you open the package, you must store it tightly wrapped in the fridge. In this way, it can easily last for up to one week. While you’re preparing turkey bacon, make sure you don’t leave it out on the counter for more than an hour. Immediately wrap and refrigerate any unused bacon to avoid spoilage.
You can keep on reading to know more about how long does bacon last in the fridge along with bacon grease.
How Long Does Bacon Grease Last In The Fridge?
After knowing how long does bacon last in the fridge, let’s move toward bacon grease. Several home cooks store extra bacon grease in jars at room temperature. But this is not a safe method if you want to reuse the grease. One of the best places to store bacon grease is in the refrigerator. Bacon grease when stored in the refrigerator can last for three to six months and indefinitely in the freezer. Before storing the grease make sure you strain out any bits of leftover bacon using a coffee filter or mesh strainer.
How To Tell If Bacon Is Bad?
Now, I hope you’ve understood how long does bacon last in the fridge unopened (and cooked). Bacon can get spoiled quickly if you fail to store it properly. Do not worry, bacon gives the following clear signs which indicate that it’s good or bad.
- Appearance: When your bacon has its natural pink color with white or yellow fat, it is safe to eat. But if the bacon has turned brown or gray with green or blue fat, then it is spoiled. This can cause due to too much exposure to air.
- Smell: Fresh bacon always have a natural meaty smell. If it smells sour, fishy, rotting, or unpleasant, your bacon is spoiled. Bacteria growth can easily make bacon smell nasty.
- Touch: A good bacon is always soft, fresh, and moist. Whereas bad bacon can feel slimy to the touch and has a sticky sheen around it. This is usually caused due to lactic acid bacteria.
If your bacon shows any of these signs, you should dispose of it immediately before it contaminates other meat products. Just make sure you wrap it up with plastic and throw it out to prevent the smell from spreading.
What Happens If You Eat Bad Bacon?
Consuming spoiled foodstuffs can be very dangerous. Spoiled bacon contains bacteria such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Bacillus, Clostridium, and Escherichia coli. Food poisoning can happen if you accidentally eat bad bacon. This may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, headache, and body aches. In extreme cases, people can develop complications like vomiting of blood, severe dehydration, high fever, and extreme drowsiness. If you suspect food poisoning get proper treatment from a doctor.
Tips To Store Raw Bacon In The Fridge
It is crucial to know how long does bacon last in the fridge as bacon has a bad reputation. Bacon is actually healthy but can also be dangerous at the same time. You can consider the following tips to properly store bacon whether it is uncooked or cooked.
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Uncooked Bacon
Before buying bacon always check the sell-by date to make sure you are purchasing a fresh product. You can wrap opened, uncooked bacon with paper towels to absorb the excess moisture. You can even store it in a resealable plastic bag or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil.
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Cooked Bacon
You can store cooked bacon in shallow airtight containers. To ensure the quality and safety of cooked bacon, wrap it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Even if you know how long does bacon last in the fridge, make sure you regularly check it to prevent contamination.
Note: Bacon can last several months in the freezer but it is recommended to store it for a shorter period of time. This will prevent the bacon’s quality and flavour from deteriorating.
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FAQ
Can Bacon Go Bad In The Fridge?
Generally, unopened bacon can last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator and up to 8 months in the freezer. Meanwhile, bacon that has been opened but not cooked may only last around 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.
Can You Eat 2 Week Old Bacon?
Unopened bacon will last for one to two weeks in the fridge and for six to eight months in the freezer. Opened and uncooked bacon will last for one week in the refrigerator and up to six months in the freezer.
Is Bacon OK In The Fridge For A Week?
Even if you reseal your bacon after opening, the initial exposure has begun the chemical reactions leading to spoilage. Therefore, you can expect open bacon to last for about a week in the refrigerator. To keep your bacon fresh for a bit longer, seal it in an airtight plastic bag and pop it in the freezer.
Can You Eat 7 Day Old Cooked Bacon?
USDA guidelines say that cooked bacon can be refrigerated up to 7 days, but in our experience the flavor and texture are best when the tasty strips are eaten within a day or two after cooking.
What Happens If I Accidentally Ate Expired Bacon?
Bacon that has been spoiled by bacterial growth can cause food poisoning, which may result in symptoms like stomach cramps, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, high fever and diarrhea.
How Do You Know If Bacon Is 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.
Is Bacon Still Good After 2 Weeks In The Fridge?
Always keep your bacon in a refrigerator or a freezer. Unopened bacon will last for one to two weeks in the fridge and for six to eight months in the freezer. Opened and uncooked bacon will last for one week in the refrigerator and up to six months in the freezer.
Conclusion
In the above post, I’ve discussed how long can you keep an opened packaging of bacon. You should always keep the bacon in a refrigerator or a freezer. According to USDA, you can store any type of uncooked bacon at 40 degrees F and below for two weeks. You can also store it in a freezer below zero degrees F for up to four months. But we advise you to cook and eat an open package of bacon within two to three days or else refrigerate/freeze it. Once you know how long does bacon last in the fridge, you can easily save leftover raw/cooked bacon!