How to Cook Frozen Bacon
See if you can separate the bacon into slices., If you can't separate the slices, heat the block on low., Peel pieces off as they loosen., Cook the separated pieces as normal.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: See if you can separate the bacon into slices.
When frozen, bacon can more or less be cooked in the same ways as when it isn't frozen: frying, baking, microwaving, etc.
There is just one major difference: if the frozen bacon slices are stuck together, you need to separate them first.If you froze the slices separately or you can pry them apart easily, you're set.
Simply cook the bacon as you normally would, allowing a little extra cooking time to compensate for the fact that they are frozen.
Some meats take an extra 50% of their original cooking time to cook from frozen, but bacon slices are so thin that they'll usually only take an extra minute or two at most. -
Step 2: If you can't separate the slices
Often, if you freeze a package of bacon, it will form a large solid block that can't easily be broken into individual slices.
This is OK — you can still cook your bacon fairly quickly.
Start by cooking the entire block with low heat to loosen up the slices.
There are a few ways to do this:
The easiest is generally to put the frozen block into a frying pan and heat it over a burner set to "low." Turn it frequently to ensure even cooking.
You can also put the block on a paper towel-lined plate and use your microwave's "defrost" setting.
Don't use the oven to loosen up a block of frozen bacon.
It's usually too much trouble to constantly transfer it in and out as you check it for doneness. , The low heat will quickly start to soften the outer layers of the bacon block.
As they soften, they'll become much easier to remove.
Peel the individual pieces of bacon off as soon as you can do so.
Lay them next to the block or in a separate dish.
Use a set of tongs or another utensil here.
You're using low heat, but it can still be enough to burn you. , Once all the pieces are separated, they should be most of the way (if not completely) thawed, so you can cook them as normal.
Our guide to cooking bacon has detailed instructions on how to do this.
In broad strokes, you should:
Turn the heat up to medium-low or medium.
If you removed the bacon from the pan while it was defrosting, transfer it back in.
Let the bacon cook until it starts sizzling.
At this point, start turning the slices every few minutes to ensure even cooking.
When the bacon is well-browned and reaches your desired level of done-ness, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate.
You're done! -
Step 3: heat the block on low.
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Step 4: Peel pieces off as they loosen.
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Step 5: Cook the separated pieces as normal.
Detailed Guide
When frozen, bacon can more or less be cooked in the same ways as when it isn't frozen: frying, baking, microwaving, etc.
There is just one major difference: if the frozen bacon slices are stuck together, you need to separate them first.If you froze the slices separately or you can pry them apart easily, you're set.
Simply cook the bacon as you normally would, allowing a little extra cooking time to compensate for the fact that they are frozen.
Some meats take an extra 50% of their original cooking time to cook from frozen, but bacon slices are so thin that they'll usually only take an extra minute or two at most.
Often, if you freeze a package of bacon, it will form a large solid block that can't easily be broken into individual slices.
This is OK — you can still cook your bacon fairly quickly.
Start by cooking the entire block with low heat to loosen up the slices.
There are a few ways to do this:
The easiest is generally to put the frozen block into a frying pan and heat it over a burner set to "low." Turn it frequently to ensure even cooking.
You can also put the block on a paper towel-lined plate and use your microwave's "defrost" setting.
Don't use the oven to loosen up a block of frozen bacon.
It's usually too much trouble to constantly transfer it in and out as you check it for doneness. , The low heat will quickly start to soften the outer layers of the bacon block.
As they soften, they'll become much easier to remove.
Peel the individual pieces of bacon off as soon as you can do so.
Lay them next to the block or in a separate dish.
Use a set of tongs or another utensil here.
You're using low heat, but it can still be enough to burn you. , Once all the pieces are separated, they should be most of the way (if not completely) thawed, so you can cook them as normal.
Our guide to cooking bacon has detailed instructions on how to do this.
In broad strokes, you should:
Turn the heat up to medium-low or medium.
If you removed the bacon from the pan while it was defrosting, transfer it back in.
Let the bacon cook until it starts sizzling.
At this point, start turning the slices every few minutes to ensure even cooking.
When the bacon is well-browned and reaches your desired level of done-ness, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate.
You're done!
About the Author
Jessica Parker
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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