How to Freeze Bacon

Reviewed by Ashley Crawford

Last Updated: December 4, 2024 References

While bacon should only be refrigerated for up to seven days,^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source

US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health

Go to source} you can prolong the freshness of your bacon by freezing it. However, if you freeze the entire package, you’ll need to thaw and cook the entire package, too! For those times when you need a couple slices of bacon for your dinner recipe or are craving just one slice (or two… or three…) to go with your morning eggs, here are a couple methods for freezing bacon individually.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Folding Your Bacon in Wax Paper

Download Article

You want to have enough wax paper to spread out your entire package of bacon with a couple inches between each piece.^{[2]
X
Research source} You can also use parchment paper.^{[3]
X
Research source}
Be sure your counter is clean and free of crumbs.

Advertisement
With your fingers or tongs, place one piece of bacon on one end of the wax paper.^{[4]
X
Research source} Smooth the bacon flat.
4
Wrap your bacon.^{[5]
X
Research source} Grab the other end of the wax paper and pull it toward your bacon until it touches the edge of the slice you just laid down. Create a crease so that your bacon stays put.
- Your first slice of bacon is now covered with wax paper on both sides.
Place it directly on top of the wax paper covering the top of your first slice.^{[6]
X
Research source}
6
Repeat your fold.^{[7]
X
Research source} Pull the end of your wax paper that is free of bacon back over the top of your second slice of bacon.
- You are essentially creating an accordion fold around each slice of bacon so that they are individually wrapped.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
- Continue this process until all your bacon is folded into the wax paper.
7
Place your bacon in a freezer bag. ^{[9]
X
Research source} Place your wax paper-wrapped bacon stack in the bottom of the bag and use your arm to flatten the rest of the bag against the counter. Be sure to squeeze all the air out of the bag.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source

National Center for Home Food Preservation
Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food

Go to source}
- Write the date on your freezer bag so that you remember how long you have stored it.
^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source

National Center for Home Food Preservation
Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food

Go to source} There’s no need to deep freeze your bacon, just be sure that your freezer is set at zero degrees.^{[12]
X
Trustworthy Source

US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health

Go to source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Rolling Your Bacon Individually

Download Article

Line your baking sheet with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. The lined baking sheet will serve as your surface for creating and freezing your bacon rolls.
You can lay your bacon onto your prepared baking sheet or roll your bacon as you pull it out of the package. Begin on one end of the bacon strip and roll it until the entire piece is wrapped around itself.
3
Place your rolls on your baking sheet. Be sure that the end of your bacon roll is on the bottom so that the bacon doesn’t uncoil. Your bacon will resemble the shape of a snail.
- Be sure that the bacon rolls aren’t touching each other.
Once you have completed all of your bacon rolls, place the baking sheet into your freezer. Wait until the bacon is frozen solid.
5
Put your bacon in a freezer safe bag. Once your bacon has frozen into the rolls, you can take them off the baking pan, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and put them back in the freezer immediately.
- You can now use your bacon as needed. You won’t need to pry frozen bacon off of wax paper, and the bacon strips will only be frozen to themselves (not each other).

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Flash Freezing Your Bacon

Download Article

This method also requires that you line your baking sheet with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. The lined baking sheet will serve as your surface for laying out and freezing your bacon slices.^{[13]
X
Research source}
You don’t need to leave a lot of space between each slice, but be sure the sides of your bacon are not touching.^{[14]
X
Research source}
If have more bacon than fits on your baking sheet, you can add another sheet of wax paper on top of your first layer of bacon. Then you can finish spreading out your bacon on top of that second sheet of wax paper.^{[15]
X
Research source}
Place your baking sheet in the freezer.^{[16]
X
Research source} Wait until the bacon is frozen solid.
Once your bacon is frozen on your baking sheet, pull off the slices of bacon from your wax paper, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and put them back in the freezer immediately.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Handling Bacon Safely

Download Article

At the supermarket, be sure that your bacon is the very last item you select before checking out.^{[17]
X
Trustworthy Source

Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA
Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Go to source} If you pick up your bacon at the beginning of your supermarket trip, it’s potentially developing bacteria while you are checking the other items off your list.
Do not use previously opened bacon that has already been stored in your fridge. Cured meats like bacon can spoil or develop bacteria at temperatures higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit^{[18]
X
Trustworthy Source

US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health

Go to source}, so be sure to prepare your bacon for individual freezing immediately after purchasing it.^{[19]
X
Research source}
3
Wash your hands. While this step might seem obvious, it’s still important. Even beyond washing your hands before and after you prepare your bacon, you should also wash your hands at any point after touching the bacon and before touching any supplies.
- For instance, if you need to grab some more wax paper or a freezer bag, don’t forget to wash your hands first. Otherwise, your roll of wax paper or box of storage bags will be contaminated.
It’s important to disinfect both before and after you prepare your bacon for freezing. Any bacteria that is on your counter can be transferred to the wax paper and onto your bacon.
5
Check the date. Be sure to check the “use by” date and the number of days recommended for refrigeration, as well. While freezing keeps your bacon fresher longer, you should definitely freeze your bacon prior to the expiration date. Likewise, if you needed to store the bacon in your fridge before freezing it, be sure to freeze it before the end of the suggested refrigeration period,^{[20]
X
Research source} which is seven days.^{[21]
X
Trustworthy Source

US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health

Go to source}
- The longer bacon is stored, the less flavorful it will be. For best quality, store your bacon in the freezer for no more than one month.^{[22]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  US Food and Drug Administration
  U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
  
  Go to source} Three months is the recommended maximum storage time.^{[23]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  National Center for Home Food Preservation
  Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food
  
  Go to source}
Always thaw food in the refrigerator or in cold water. If using cold water, replace the water at 30 minute intervals. Do not thaw bacon at room temperature.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I freeze cooked turkey bacon?

Community Answer

Just seal it in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze it.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 1

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

It is best to freeze unopened packages of bacon.^{[24]
X
Trustworthy Source

National Center for Home Food Preservation
Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food

Go to source} However, if you do follow one of these methods, be sure to keep your bacon frozen at 0 degrees Fahrenheit^{[25]
X
Trustworthy Source

US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health

Go to source} and use it immediately after defrosting.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Check your bacon before cooking to make sure it hasn’t gone bad. If your bacon is slimy or has a dull color, discard it immediately.^{[26]
X
Research source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0