How to Quickly Defrost Bacon

Bacon is a delicious snack that makes a great addition to meals. Thawing bacon in the refrigerator takes a long time, so try other quicker ways, such as using the microwave or submerging the meat in its original packaging in water. These methods can defrost meat in less than 1 hour.

Table of Contents

Use the microwave

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Arrange meat on a microwaveable plate lined with paper towels. Cover with paper towels in a microwaveable dish. If it’s a large dish, you’ll need 2 sheets of paper towels to cover the bottom of the plate. The paper towels will help absorb the excess fat in the melted meat. Remove the meat from the package and place on paper towels. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Spread the pieces as wide as possible to speed up defrosting. If the pieces of meat stick together, you need to defrost 2 minutes before spreading out on a plate. This will make it easier for you to separate.

Cover the meat with a paper towel. The inherent fat in bacon will splatter and contaminate the microwave, so you should cover it with a paper towel to prevent the fat from splattering ^{[2] X Research Source}

Use regular kitchen paper towels. You can buy this product at the supermarket.

Press the defrost button on the microwave. If your microwave requires a meat quantity, check the packaging and enter the correct number on it. The microwave oven will use this information to set the defrost time. If you’re using an oven with automatic defrost, just press the “meat defrost” button and press the start button. The microwave oven will automatically set the defrost time. ^{[3] X Trusted Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Go to Source}

If bacon is out of packaging, use a kitchen scale to weigh the meat.
The time to defrost bacon in the microwave is usually less than 15 minutes.

Cook meat immediately after defrosting. When the microwave stops, carefully remove the plate of meat and place it on the table and remove the paper towel. Process meat immediately to prevent bacteria from multiplying in meat and causing disease. Fry bacon in a pan, bake in the oven or microwave. ^{[4] X Trusted Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Go to Source}

Store cooked bacon in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store cooked bacon in an airtight container before placing in the refrigerator. Do not eat if the meat has an unpleasant taste. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Defrost in cold water

Place bacon in a sealed bag if opened. If the original packaging of the meat has been opened or torn, you will need to transfer the meat to an airtight container to prevent water and bacteria from entering. Zippered plastic bags are great for this as they are easy to open and close. ^{[6] X Trusted Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Go to Source}

You can buy waterproof plastic bags at the supermarket.
Leave the meat pack intact if the packaging is intact.

Soak the bacon pack in cold water. Fill a sink or large bowl with cold water and submerge the waterproof package of meat. ^{[7] X Trusted Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Go to Source}

Do not use the sink to soak meat if you need to wash the dishes within 1 hour.

Change the water every 30 minutes until the meat is thawed. The broth will warm the meat, especially if you live in a warm climate. You need to change the water every 30 minutes for the meat to continue to defrost quickly. Once defrosted, the bacon will be soft, not stiff.

Half a pound of bacon will defrost in about 1 hour. ^{[8] X Trusted Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Go to Source}

Cook meat in the oven, in the pan, or in the microwave. Bacon should be cooked immediately after thawing to prevent bacteria from multiplying. You can use your favorite methods to prepare bacon even if it’s not completely thawed. ^{[9] X Trusted Source Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA Go to Source}

Store cooked bacon in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store cooked bacon in an airtight container and refrigerate. Note, do not eat if the meat has an unpleasant smell. ^{[10] X Research Source}

If you want to store your prepared bacon for later, you can store it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Use any of the methods above to defrost meat.

Things you need

Use the microwave

Tissue
The dish can be used in the microwave
Microwave oven
Kitchen scale (optional)
Sealed container (to preserve leftover meat)

Defrost in cold water

Large bowl or sink
Waterproof nylon bag
Sealed container (to preserve leftover meat)

Steps

Use the microwave

Defrost in cold water

Things you need

Use the microwave

Defrost in cold water

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