This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.
Easy bake and freeze make-ahead bacon
Love bacon but hate the splattery mess it makes?
What if I told you there was an easier way to get an endless supply of ready to eat bacon stocked up in your freezer in less than 20 minutes?
Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it?
And no, this doesn’t involve going to the grocery store and filling your cart with pre-cooked bacon, which BTW is severely overpriced.
Whether you are feeding a large family, on the keto diet, or just love a few slices of bacon with your eggs in the morning, you’ll love this easy bake and freeze make-ahead bacon.
This recipe is also a great way to save hours in the kitchen when a recipe calls for bacon, you just want to make quick BLT sandwiches for lunch, or to crumble some fresh bacon into your garden salad whenever you want…
And if you are anything like me and just love finding ways to meal prep to save both time and money (like make-ahead bacon), check out this free freezer cooking webinar that’ll show you how to put 10 meals into your freezer in just 1 hour (recipes included).
>>> Free webinar – 10 freezer meals prepped and in your freezer in just one hour!
*** scroll down the page to find the free webinar link
What You’ll Need For Make Ahead Bacon
Foil (optional)
Wax paper
Large zipper freezer bags
1 or more pounds of bacon
Make-Ahead Bacon Instructions
- Start by lining your sheet pan with aluminum foil, this is optional but it’ll definitely make clean up easier.
- Lay a single layer of bacon strips on the sheet pan.
- Cook the bacon in a 400 degree preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes depending on how crispy you want the bacon to be. Flip bacon halfway through cooking.
- Remove sheet pan from oven and use thongs to transfer the bacon onto a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb some of the greases.
- Let bacon cool to room temperature.
Pro Tip: Use two sheet pans to speed up cooking time
How long does cooked bacon stay good when frozen
Make-ahead bacon can stay good in your freezer for up to six months if stored properly. There are three techniques you can use to freeze bacon depending on your preference and needs.
How to Freeze Bacon
Once you have your bacon, you’ll want to freeze it in a way that makes it easy to grab as much or as little as you need. There are three methods you can use to do this.
Create serving size packages of bacon
Flash freeze the bacon and store
Layer bacon on wax paper
Create serving-sized packages of bacon
The first method is to create serving-sized packages of bacon. So if you want to have bacon with you eggs in the morning, place just enough to feed your family in individualized zipper bags.
This way you can just grab a package of bacon out of the freezer and without having to thaw out more bacon than you need.
Flash freeze bacon before storing
If you prefer to store your bacon in bulk, the second method is to flash freeze your bacon before storing to prevent the bacon from freezing together.
To do this you’ll want to place your cooked bacon on a sheet pan in single layers and put it in the freezer for around twenty minutes. Then place the bacon in a large freezer bag as is.
This will make it easier to grab as much or as little as you need without having to thaw out your entire supply.
Layer bacon wax paper
The third method is to layer your bacon using wax paper before freezing it. Simply place bacon in a single layer using wax paper to keep the layers separated making grabbing as much or as little as you want really easy.
Pro Tip: Use a vacuum food saver to package your bacon so it last longer in the freezer and prevent freezer burn.
Ways to Use Make-Ahead Bacon To Save Time
Crumble into a fresh garden salad
Easily add flavor to sandwiches
Make-ahead Bacon Egg & Cheese McMuffins
Make quick BLT sandwiches for lunch in minutes
Use in any recipe that calls for pre-cooked bacon
Make Ahead Bacon Meal Prep
Equipment
- Sheet pan with a rim
- Foil (optional)
- Large zipper bags
- Wax paper (depending on how you freeze the bacon)
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon or more depending on how much you want to make ahead
Instructions
- Start by lining your sheet pan with aluminum foil, this is optional but it'll definitely make clean up easier.
- Lay a single layer of bacon strips on the sheet pan.
- Cook the bacon in a 400 degree preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes depending on how crispy you want the bacon to be.
- Flip bacon halfway through cooking.
- Remove sheet pan from oven and use thongs to transfer the bacon onto a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb some of the greases.
- Let bacon cool to room temperature.
Notes
How to Freeze Bacon
Once you have your bacon, you'll want to freeze it in a way that makes it easy to grab as much or as little as you need. There are three methods you can use to do this.Create serving-sized packages of bacon
The first method is to create serving-sized packages of bacon. So if you want to have bacon with you eggs in the morning, place just enough to feed your family in individualized zipper bags. This way you can just grab a package of bacon out of the freezer and without having to thaw out more bacon than you need.Flash freeze bacon before storing
If you prefer to store your bacon in bulk, the second method is to flash freeze your bacon before storing to prevent the bacon from freezing together. To do this you'll want to place your cooked bacon on a sheet pan in single layers and put it in the freezer for around twenty minutes. Then place the bacon in a large freezer bag as is. This will make it easier to grab as much or as little as you need without having to thaw out your entire supply.Layer bacon wax paper
The third method is to layer your bacon using wax paper before freezing it. Simply place bacon in a single layer using wax paper to keep the layers separated making grabbing as much or as little as you want really easy.
More delicious meal prep ideas
Frugal friendly casserole recipes
How do you recommend heating to serve after its frozen? Put it in the oven??
This looks super helpful. Thank you!!
I just heat it up in the microwave for 15-30 seconds (a bit longer if frozen) before serving.