Saturday, January 29, 2011

Kitchen Tip: Freeze Cooked Bacon

I had no idea this would be of interest to anyone, but everyone who’s found out about it has told me they do it now and LOVE IT!  So, I thought I would post it for others to see.

We used to have a house full of 5 teenagers at once, so there was no need for this because the bacon all got eaten at one meal.  But since July 2010, my husband and I are empty nester's and I’ve found it difficult to keep bacon in the fridge once opened without it going bad before it’s eaten.  My solution was to cook it all at once!

I still buy the better quality thick center-cut bacon from BJ’s warehouse club.  It comes in a pack of 2 – 1 & 1/2 pound packages.  I freeze both packages until I can cook one.  (Already started to cook it before I realized I should take pics!)

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So, today is Saturday and DH wanted brunch of eggs, bacon, and sweet-potato pancakes. {Sounds good to me!}  I had pulled the bacon out of the freezer yesterday, thinking I would cook it this weekend.  I pulled it out of the fridge and brought out my BIG griddle.

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I cook the bacon in two batches for the 1 & 1/2 pound package. 

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Drain on paper towels.

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Once it’s done… eat your brunch.  Then come back to the bacon and remove the old paper towels and wrap the cooked bacon pieces in fresh paper towels.  Put the wrapped bacon in a large zip-lock bag and toss in the freezer. 

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When bacon is needed for a meal, BLT sandwich, chopped for a recipe or salad, just take some pieces out of the freezer bag and microwave for about 30 seconds.  It comes out of the microwave cooked and CRISPY, like it was cooked for the first time straight out of the package!  And I also save the bacon grease for recipes, greasing a cast-iron skillet for cornbread, use in salad dressings etc. by putting it in an empty vegetable can (rinsed) and putting it in the freezer too. 

Saves you time and trouble when your in a pinch.

DD, Allison, came over today and smelled the bacon had been cooked.  She said “oh, I tried your trick and now I do this with our bacon.  It comes out crispy and Philipe [her fiancĂ©’] loves bacon!”



Copyright © 2010 Joanne Schleier