Can you cook bacon from frozen?

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Bacon is one of the most tasteful and simple go-to breakfast items that can make you feel awesome and indulgent at the same time. Due to the overwhelming benefits and convenience, whether you have turkey bacon or regular bacon, people freeze it so that it last longer. 

The challenging part about  frozen bacon is the cooking method. Let’s discuss the possibility of cooking bacon from frozen, and whether you need to defrost bacon before it can be cooked.

Can you cook bacon from frozen? Yes, separate the bacon pieces so it is easy to cook. Be aware frozen bacon tends to stick to the cooking plate, so ensure to separate the pieces instead of cooking as a whole block. 

Use low heat to separate the bacon pieces first, and then crank the heat up to cook them as you desired. This same method applies if you want to microwave bacon from frozen.

From breakfast to dinner time, crunchy and meaty pieces of bacon adds a finishing touches to burgers, sandwiches, and other favorite meals. Arguably, there are distinct methods to cook bacon properly. 

If you are wondering if microwave, pan fried or oven baked bacon is best method, the aim is at addressing different ways to prepare bacon to meet your liking. Read on and find out! 

This article focuses on whether it is possible to cook bacon from frozen. Answered below are frequently asked questions about cooking frozen bacon so that it turns out perfectly every time.

Can you cook bacon from frozen?

The short and simple answer is YES. There is no need to wait to thaw or defrost bacon before cooking it. 

It is very easy process to cook bacon from frozen using the following steps.

• Check if it is possible to separate bacon slices into small pieces. Frozen bacon cooks differently from unfrozen one when baking, frying, and microwaving. The main difference between the two is that when frozen, you will find slices of bacon stuck on the cooking plate, therefore you must separate the pieces beforehand. In a frozen state, it is easy to separate and cook your bacon. Give a little additional time while cooking because they started in a frozen condition. 
• Heat the bacon on low if it is challenging to have small slices. When freezing bacon, the outcome is always a solid block that is hard to break into smaller slices. Nothing wrong with that, all you need to do is to cook the block fairly. Utilize low heat at the start to help loosen up the block and break into smaller pieces. 
• Separate the pieces after loosening. Heating the bacon block on low heat will soften it quickly. When this happens, it becomes effortless to separate the slices. Just peel the pieces as soon as possible using tongs or spatula and place them in another dish. 
• Start cooking your bacon pieces. After separating all the pieces, the next thing will be cooking them. Choose your preferred method as the bacon should cook just like normal.

Do you defrost bacon before cooking?

While you can cook bacon from frozen, it is still straightforward to thaw and cook it normally. This can be the best way, especially if you prefer to fully defrost the bacon before cooking. 

The approach of defrosting bacon includes;

• Refrigerator thawing: Thawing in a refrigerator is one of the cleanest and safest methods. Use the fridge and put your bacon in there and wait for thawing to take place. This can be several hours, or even overnight, but relies on the temperature of your refrigerator and keep the bacon out of the temperature danger zone. Normally, thawing leaves your bacon at risk for a long time. It is the same as transferring freshly packaged bacon into your fridge. Perishable food must not stay in the temperature danger zone, 40°F to 140°F, for too long as the bacteria growth happens extremely rapidly in that range.
• Thawing in water: Put cold water into your sink and drop a block of bacon. In case it floats, use a heavy plate or pan to weigh it down. A smaller block of bacon will only require 10-15 minutes to thaw. In case you are using larger blocks of bacon, thawing will be at least 30 minutes. Note that you must avoid hot or warm water. Also, if the bacon is not in its package, ensure that it is packaged in a well sealed airtight Ziploc bag before thawing.
• Use the microwave to defrost: Defrost bacon on a paper towel lined plate for up to 3 minutes. Slice the bacon into small pieces to encourage faster defrosting. 
• Cook your thawed bacon: After the bacon is completely thawed, the last thing is cooking. Use a frying pan to cook it normally, but remember to wash hands and ensure it is fairly cooked to prevent bacterial contamination. 

How to defrost bacon fast?

One of the quickest and best methods of defrosting bacon is using cold water. Although this will take a lot of time, the method is reliable and safe. 

To do this, place frozen bacon in a watertight plastic bag. Ensure the upper part of the bag is airtight and put it in a sink or bowl full of cold water. 

The level of water must be covering the watertight bag. This is a natural, fast, and reliable way of defrosting bacon. 

What happens is that water absorbs atmospheric heat making the frozen bacon absorb it. This makes the frozen bacon begin defrosting naturally. 

Replace water because it will get warm after around 30 minutes. Repeat this process at an interval of 30 minutes. 

Have a timer to make it easy. Consider checking the bacon and if it gets a delicate and soft touch without stiffness, then the defrosting process is complete. 

Can you defrost bacon in the microwave?

The short answer is YES. It is easy and saves you 80% of cooking time to defrost bacon in a microwave. Essentially, it is important to defrost because frozen bacon does not cook uniformly and will take a lot longer to cook. 

In case you try cooking frozen bacon, you will realize that even slices will not cook well. Besides, it is difficult to achieve crispy bacon as frozen ones release a lot of water, making it challenging to fry. 

If you are wondering whether it is safe to defrost in the microwave, again the is a resounding YES. However, the thawed bacon must be cooked immediately. 

A package of thawed bacon takes few minutes in a microwave. However, you must do it with care and follow the guidelines below:

• Defrost when the appliance is in defrosting mode.
• Employ short time increments.
• Create some holes in the package to prevent pressure build-up.
• Do not defrost for long time to prevent the plastic packaging from melting.

How do you cook frozen bacon?

Cooking frozen bacon encompasses two easy steps i.e., thawing and cooking. Here are easy to follow instructions to cook frozen bacon in a proper manner to achieve crisp and fingerpicking bacon strips to enjoy.

How to thaw bacon in a microwave

Thawing bacon in the microwave starts by setting the microwave in its defrost mode. After that, place your bacon on a microwave-safe plate and use the defrost setting for up to 1 minute. 

Rotate and flip the bacon each minute and continue defrosting again until the latter is fully thawed. Basically, thawing bacon in a microwave is effective, quicker, and saves time. 

How to cook bacon in a microwave

Have a microwave safe plate ideal for the microwaving. Place the bacon and don’t overlap or overcrowding them. 

Use paper towels to cover the bacon and microwave the bacon for 4-6 minutes to get tasty and crispy bacon. 

To achieve optimal crispiness or chewy textures, use microwave bacon cooker for best result. 

Cooking Bacon From Frozen: Conclusion

Thawing and cooking bacon are both ideal ways of to achieve soft, crispy, or chewy bacon to make every family member happy with their desired texture. To get them right, you do need specific cooking tips and technique when using the microwave method. 

Bacon is easy to cook whether it is frozen or unfrozen. If you are dealing with frozen bacon, make sure they are broken into smaller pieces to reduce cooking time instead of trying to cook a block of bacon all at once.

Also, separating the block of bacon into slices may take time, and you may use heat on low to break into smaller slices. Otherwise, use refrigerator or water thawing method, however, these method can take much longer time to defrost bacon and also may risk health by creating bacteria if not handled properly.

Thaw bacon in microwave by selecting defrosting mode and use short time increments. Avoid using original plastic package, and  instead place in microwave-safe plate to get the job done. 

Once the bacon is defrosted, start cooking in the microwave by covering with paper towel and cook for 4-6 minutes. Furthermore, utilizing microwave bacon cooker can also help you to get cooking done to perfection.

Just remember that whichever method you choose, thawing your bacon in a microwave will always remain the effective and fastest way to have desirable and consistent results. Try these different methods for yourself to see which one works best for your meal prep, be sure to share your experience with us!