If you’re a meat eater, chances are, you love a bit of bacon. Whether it’s part of your Sunday breakfast or you regularly have a bacon sarnie for lunch, it’s a favourite throughout the country.
In fact, in 2018, 18% of people in the UK said that it was their favourite food.
However, despite all this love and appreciation for the aromatic meat, chances are many of us haven’t been storing it properly and are missing out on longer-lasting freshness because of it.
Yes, that’s right, instead of storing it in the original packaging, bacon should be stored in a sealed container.
Why should bacon be stored in a sealed container?
It all comes down to oxygen. If you’ve ever found that slightly older bacon is a little discoloured or has changed in texture, this is because the spoilage process has begun and it’s due to the meat being exposed to oxygen for too long.
According to the food experts at Tasting Table, oxygen speeds up the spoilage process because it provides an “ideal environment” for bacteria to thrive.
To avoid this, and keep your bacon fresher for longer, you should store bacon in a resealable ziplock bag or a sealed container.
How to keep bacon fresh for longer
According to Allrecipes, an unopened pack of bacon will last for up to two weeks in the fridge. Raw bacon in a package that’s been opened and resealed will last up to a week in the fridge and cooked bacon will last for four to five days.
If you have no immediate use for the meat, unopened bacon can be stored in the freezer for up to eight months, leftover raw bacon will last around six months and cooked bacon will last up to one month in the freezer.
As for the leftover bacon grease, if stored in an airtight container, it can last for six months in the fridge or nine months in the freezer.
How to tell if bacon has gone bad
Healthline recommends keeping an eye out for these signs of spoilage:
- A change in colour to a grey, brown, or even greenish colour
- Slimy and sticky texture rather than soft and moist
- A sour smell or rotting odour
If you do notice any signs of spoilage, immediately throw the packet out to keep it from contaminating other meats and foods.