Specially FriedReheatCan You Reheat Bacon? – [Hacks That Keep Bacon Fresh]
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Can You Reheat Bacon? – [Hacks That Keep Bacon Fresh]

FACT CHECKED BY EXPERTS
Immad Amir
Written by
Immad is a talented home cook and editorial director at Specially Fried. With his culinary expertise, love for gadgets and creative flair, he brings a fresh perspective to the world of food blogging.
Reviewed by

Lisa is a nutritionist with a passion for promoting healthy eating habits. With her expertise, she meticulously cross-checks the content on Specially Fried, ensuring accurate and reliable nutrition information.

Can you reheat bacon_ - hacks that keep bacon fresh!
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Having strips of crispy bacon for breakfast (or any time of the day, really) is the perfect way to kick-start your day. But with our hectic schedules, we don’t really have time to cook bacon every single day. So what do we do? You make extra batches that you can store for later! To ensure your leftover bacon is fresh and crispy the next time you have it, you need to reheat it properly. Well, can you reheat bacon? Keep on reading to find out more about reheating bacon. 

Yes, you can reheat bacon until it gains a crisp texture. Appliances such as an oven or a toaster oven are best for reheating bacon to perfection. You may also reheat it in a microwave or air fryer.

Can I reheat bacon in the oven?

Yes! Reheating bacon in the oven is the best method if you have a lot of bacon to reheat and are running out on time. However, an oven will consume loads of electricity to do so!

How do you reheat cooked bacon?

If you have leftover bacon, then you can reheat it in the ways mentioned below. If your bacon is frozen, then you need to defrost it first before reheating so that there isn’t a ton of moisture while you’re reheating it.

An easy way of reheating cooked bacon is by microwaving it for 20 to 40 seconds so that the internal temperature of the bacon reaches 165°F.

Reheat bacon in a microwave

The easiest and most convenient way of reheating bacon is by warming it up in the microwave. Follow these steps to do so:

  1. Take a microwave-safe plate or container and place some paper towels in it. 
  2. Place the pieces of bacon on the paper towels and put the container or plate in the microwave oven. 
  3. Reheat the bacon for 20 to 45 seconds on the highest microwave setting. The timing may vary depending on different microwaves, so you should monitor your bacon while it’s reheating.
  4. Carefully remove the plate or container from the oven and serve the bacon immediately. 

Reheat bacon in the oven  

We know this is the best way of reheating a big batch of bacon. Here are the steps to reheating bacon in an oven: 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  2. Take a baking tray and line it with parchment paper, aluminum foil, or a silicone mat. 
  3. Place your bacon over the prepared baking tray and cover it with aluminum foil. 
  4. Put the tray in the preheated oven and then wait for the bacon to sizzle. It will take about 5 minutes or so.
  5. Remove the tray from the oven and serve immediately. 

Reheat bacon on the stove

If you don’t have any of the aforementioned kitchen appliances available or want to reheat your bacon the conventional way, you can easily do so on a stovetop. All you need is a skillet or a pan, then follow these steps:

  1. Take a pan/skillet and place it on medium-high heat. Allow it to heat up. 
  2. Place the bacon strips, without adding any fat, in the pan/skillet once it has heated up.
  3. Heat each side of the bacon for 1 to 3 minutes, or until crisp and hot. 
  4. Remove the bacon from the pan/skillet and place it on some paper towels to absorb any excess fat.
  5. Serve immediately. 

Reheat bacon in an air fryer

We all know the capabilities of this incredible appliance to crisp any food up! These simple steps will guide you on how to reheat bacon in an air fryer to get crispy hot bacon whenever you want:

  1. Place the strips of leftover bacon down in the air fryer. 
  2. Heat the strips at 360°F for 4 to 5 minutes. 
  3. For best results, do not layer them in the air fryer or overload the air fryer to ensure the bacon is heated thoroughly and evenly. 

Can you microwave-cooked bacon?

Yes, you can! However, the bacon will turn out to be a bit chewier but very much crispy. Simply put your bacon strips over a microwave-safe dish lined with paper towels and microwave for 20 to 40 seconds or until reheated. 

Can you reheat bacon twice?

If your leftover bacon is stored properly, heated at the correct temperature, and for the right duration, it can easily be reheated multiple times.

Is cooked bacon good the next day?

Yes, it is. If stored properly, cooked bacon can last for 4 to 5 days inside the refrigerator.

How long will cooked bacon last in the fridge?

If stored properly, cooked bacon will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. 

How long can bacon sit out after being cooked?

Try not to leave out your cooked bacon at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Bacteria grow very fast between 40°F and 140°F temperatures. If the bacon has been left out for longer than 2 hours, look for signs such as an off smell, slimy layer over the bacon, and mold. If you detect any of these, you must discard the bacon. 

Is it better to fry or microwave bacon?

If you’re looking to achieve that traditional texture – crisp fat and chewy meat – then you should fry your bacon. Microwaving bacon makes both the fat and meat crispy. 

Bacon cooked in the microwave has 25 calories and 2 grams of fat per strip, while fried bacon has 42 calories and 3 grams of fat. We conclude that bacon cooked in the microwave is the healthier option compared to pan-fried bacon. 

Read this guide to learn how to reheat beef properly!

How do you store leftover bacon?

To store leftover bacon, put it in an airtight container or wrap it up in plastic or aluminum foil. Then, refrigerate it. This method will keep your bacon fine for 4 to 5 days.

These simple steps will guide you on how to store leftover bacon to keep it fresh:

  1. Cook your bacon like you normally do, then remove any excess fat with the help of paper towels. 
  2. Place the bacon strips on a wire rack to allow them to cool down to room temperature. 
  3. Once cooled, put the strips in an airtight Ziploc bag or a shallow airtight container. 
  4. Place the container/bag in the refrigerator. 

Bacon stored this way will keep well for 4 to 5 days. 

Final thoughts on reheating bacon!

The main concern with reheating leftover bacon is its crispiness. Remember, as long as the bacon is heated for the right amount of time at the right temperature; it’ll turn out to be perfect and can be reheated multiple times!

We have mentioned multiple methods to reheat bacon to perfection; follow them to the dot to enjoy crisp and fresh bacon the next day too!


Immad Amir
Written by
Immad is a talented home cook and editorial director at Specially Fried. With his culinary expertise, love for gadgets and creative flair, he brings a fresh perspective to the world of food blogging.
Reviewed by

Lisa is a nutritionist with a passion for promoting healthy eating habits. With her expertise, she meticulously cross-checks the content on Specially Fried, ensuring accurate and reliable nutrition information.

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