Can I freeze bacon?
- Thread starter rdstoll
- Start date
MisterChrister
Quintessential Chatty Farker
It freezes very well, especially if you have a Foodsaver. Even if you don't, it'll do fine tightly wrapped in freezer paper or freezer bags for a couple/few months.
krex1010
is Blowin Smoke!
I do it all the time, I cut it into approx 1lb chunks and wrap in cling wrap and then into a freezer bag, not sure how long it will last as we finish it within 2 months but I've had venison and other meats last at least a year with the this method.....if you have a vacuum sealer even better, I would slice mine before freezing if I still had a vacuum sealer.
IamMadMan
somebody shut me the fark up.
You can freeze bacon like any other meat. Keeping the package void of air can extend the storage time in the freezer.
Meat in the freezer when in contact with air becomes freezer burned. Freezer burn is frozen food that has been damaged by dehydration and oxidation, due to air reaching the food. It is generally caused by food not being securely sealed in air-tight packaging. Vac-sealing gives the best storage conditions, but tightly wrapped will work for short term storage.
Meat in the freezer when in contact with air becomes freezer burned. Freezer burn is frozen food that has been damaged by dehydration and oxidation, due to air reaching the food. It is generally caused by food not being securely sealed in air-tight packaging. Vac-sealing gives the best storage conditions, but tightly wrapped will work for short term storage.
rdstoll
is one Smokin' Farker
I have a Foodsaver so that helps. Thanks for the replies - I've been meaning to do a bunch of bacon but had it stuck in my head that I had seen a comment saying that freezing bacon was no bueno. Glad I was wrong!
Now I just need a few new recipes to try out...
Now I just need a few new recipes to try out...
Ackman
Full Fledged Farker
for recipes might want to look at this one:
[ame="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017HR6YJE/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1"]The Smoking Bacon & Hog Cookbook: The Whole Pig & Nothing But the Pig BBQ Recipes - Kindle edition by Bill Gillespie. Cookbooks, Food & Wine Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.[/ame]
[ame="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017HR6YJE/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1"]The Smoking Bacon & Hog Cookbook: The Whole Pig & Nothing But the Pig BBQ Recipes - Kindle edition by Bill Gillespie. Cookbooks, Food & Wine Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.[/ame]
Shagdog
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Absolutely. I usually make mine in batches of 50-75 lbs, slice it all, and package in 1-2 lb bags, kind of like you would buy in the store, maybe a little bigger. Vacuum seal and freeze. It keeps very well, and you just pull out a package as needed.
Gary Tomato
is one Smokin' Farker
I do it all the time, I slice it first, then package it in a dozen slices each and then put what i don't next for the net few days straight into the freezer. It doesn't usually last more than a month so there's no problem with it being in there too long.
angryelfFan
is one Smokin' Farker
Double thumbs up on this. Have it an love it. Have done 3 of the bacon recipes and all were great.
rdstoll
is one Smokin' Farker
Awesome this post just cost me $50 as I got this book along with Project Smoke by Steve Reichlen and Meathead by Meathead Goldwyn!
I'm usually not a big "how to" book reader but am finding I need some direction and inspiration at this point in my smokin' career...something away from the four basic meats of bbq (brisket, ribs, chicken and port butt).
gcs
is one Smokin' Farker
Yep, I freeze mine, if it's vacuum packed it will last for a long,long, time, un sliced technically should last the longest,
Only problem I see if you want to pre slice ,is doing it by hand is challenging,especially if doing a whole belly or more. If you have, or can borrow a slicer, that would make it dead simple
Only problem I see if you want to pre slice ,is doing it by hand is challenging,especially if doing a whole belly or more. If you have, or can borrow a slicer, that would make it dead simple
Wood Fire Steel
Full Fledged Farker
Bacon
i second the vacume sealing. I do 50# a year. When freezing, I slice the bacon then wrap them in parchment paper. I lay down a slice, roll it over, place another slice and repeat. It placed parchment paper between every slice. It is a little extra labor but I can keep a pound in the freezer and just get the number of slices I want with defrosting the whole pound. I use the pound up quick enough that I don't worry about resealing with the vacume sealer.
i second the vacume sealing. I do 50# a year. When freezing, I slice the bacon then wrap them in parchment paper. I lay down a slice, roll it over, place another slice and repeat. It placed parchment paper between every slice. It is a little extra labor but I can keep a pound in the freezer and just get the number of slices I want with defrosting the whole pound. I use the pound up quick enough that I don't worry about resealing with the vacume sealer.
I agree completely.
leanza
Babbling Farker
Hell ya you can!
rdstoll
is one Smokin' Farker
I got this book and am doing 4 different bacon recipes in it - 22lbs of bacon in total.
One thing that surprised me was the amount of salt called for in these recipes. Each recipe was for 3-4lbs of belly (1.4-1.8kg). Since my slabs were different weights I calculated the percentages for each of the ingredients using the mid-point of this range - so 1600g.
Each recipe called for at least 144g of kosher salt, which equates to about 9.0% of kosher salt per gram of meat weight (144g ksalt / 1600g meat). That seemed really high to me as other recipes I've done in the past were closer to ~3% salt weight.
I went ahead and did all four recipes exactly as called for so I assume it's fine. Haven't seen any complaints online and the 2 folks here that cited this book seemed to like the results.
In the past, I haven't had to soak the bellies after the 7 day cure process to help get rid of any excessive saltiness but wonder if I'll have to do that this time around.
Excited to see the results!
RevZiLLa
is One Chatty Farker
Freezes just fine
