Turkey bacon is a super delicious stuff that goes well with almost any garnish or just by itself, in salads and even in quesadillas! So no wonder that people tend to ask the same question again and again: how long does turkey bacon last?
Naturally, you would like to preserve it as long as possible to enjoy the delicious meaty yummy anytime you are craving it!
So today we will tell you how long you can keep your turkey bacon refrigerated and frozen, as well as what to do to make it last longer.
You will also learn more about the storage durability of different types of turkey bacon, such as pre-cooked, raw, opened and sealed, etc.
So stay with us and read on! It’s gonna be interesting?
The Lifespan Of a Turkey Bacon. All You Ever Wanted to Ask
The lifespan of a turkey bacon will depend on whether it is cooked or not, whether its package is still sealed or you have already opened it, and of course, also it matters a lot where you are going to keep it, in the fridge or in the freezer.
In general, if you are wondering about the common term of storage for this product, you can expect this foodstuff to last for approximately a week or so if refrigerated, and for a couple of months if you freeze it.
For a more detailed information, check out the chart below:
| Cooked | Uncooked | Commercially Packed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counter | - | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Fridge | 3-4 days | up to 1 week | 3-4 days |
| Freezer | 4 months | 1-2 months+ | 7-10 days |
And now let us see in detail how long your turkey bacon will survive under different storage conditions and being kept in different places, such as a fridge, freezer, etc.
How Long Does Turkey Bacon Last In the Fridge?
If we speak of the package of turkey bacon that has already been opened, its contents will remain safe to eat for approximately seven to ten days.
Also, please note that the sell-by date indicated on the package may expire during that storage time! However, it is still fine since your bacon will remain edible.
If you want to know how much time this foodstuff will last refrigerated after you cook it, you should expect a period of three to five days if you cooled it down before refrigerating, and if the foodstuff is packed properly.
How Long Does Turkey Bacon Last In the Freezer?
Freezing is the best known way to preserve almost any food to eat later. It is handy when you have way too much food left and you don’t want to discard it. So if you bought or cooked too much turkey bacon, and you would like to preserve it, opt for freezing.
Frozen turkey bacon will remain edible for nearly four months if it is cooked, and for one or two months if uncooked.
However, in the latter case, you can still keep on storing it in your freezer! The food will not spoil or become unsafe, its quality will just start getting low slowly.
This is why it is recommended to consume your frozen turkey bacon within two months after it was placed into the freezer.
How Long Does Cooked Turkey Bacon Last?
If you have already cooked your turkey bacon, and you have quite a lot of it left, you might want to keep it.
Normally, cooked foodstuff lasts around three to four days if you keep it in the fridge properly sealed.
And if you cooked way too much, you’d better freeze your bacon for good.
When being frozen, this foodstuff will be able to stay consumable for nearly four months for sure keeping its quality high.
How Long Does an Open Package Of Turkey Bacon Last?
However, we don’t always have enough time to spend time in the kitchen cooking, this is why many of us prefer buying packed turkey bacon instead. Nevertheless, it does not free us from the same food lifespan issue!
Regarding the commercially packed turkey bacon, you can keep it in your fridge for three to four days safely, and if you know you will not consume it that soon, better freeze it.
Like this, your bacon will extend its lifespan to one week or even ten days. As for the counter storage, it is not recommended, but if you happen to leave a package of turkey bacon unchilled for an hour or two, it will not spoil.
How Long Does Unopened Turkey Bacon Last In the Refrigerator?
Speaking of a commercially packaged turkey bacon and its shelf life, we can say that the package that is still sealed can easily be kept for three or four days in your fridge.
If you have opened it already, you’d better finish your turkey bacon faster in order to enjoy the food while it is still of the highest quality.
How Long Does Precooked Turkey Bacon Last?
If you are wondering how much time a pre-cooked turkey bacon will retain its quality and taste when being stored at home, we can say that you should expect it to last for a period of up to five days.
However, if stored longer, the foodstuff may start losing its quality and other indicators, such as taste, scent, texture, etc.
Besides, turkey bacon that has been stored longer than that may become hazardous for your health due to the bacteria growth!
How Long Does Cooked Turkey Bacon Last Out Of Fridge?
It is not recommended to not just store but even leave cooked turkey bacon unchilled!
The only acceptable exception is when you leave it on the counter to cool down after the cooking process and prior to putting it into the fridge or the freezer.
Anyway, keep in mind that cooked turkey bacon is only allowed to spend no more than two hours on the counter!
If left there longer, it will start degrading because of the bacteria’s rapid growth!
How Long Does Raw Turkey Bacon Last In the Fridge?
After being opened, a packet of raw turkey bacon will remain safe to eat within seven to fourteen days in the fridge.
However, if during that period of time you notice it has turned brown or gray, its smell changed, or there are any bad changes in its texture, discard that food since it’s not safe to consume already!
Like this, now you know exactly how much time your turkey bacon will be able to spend in the fridge, in the freezer, and even on the kitchen counter (though it is not the best place for it!).
You also learned how the shelf life differs for both sealed and opened packed bacon, and how long cooked foodstuff will remain consumable.
With all this in mind, you will hardly be even bothered by the turkey bacon lifespan issue again! From now on, you will know for sure for how long each type of bacon will last if placed either in the fridge or into the freezer.
How to Store Your Turkey Bacon Properly. Handy Tips And Easy Life Hacks
Nevertheless, knowing how long you can keep your turkey bacon in the fridge or in the freezer is not enough for keeping it properly.
The way it is packed, as well as what it is packed in, also matters a lot! It means that you can’t just unpack or cook your turkey bacon and then simply shove it into the fridge!
Like this, you will only make its expiry date arrive way faster.
This is why we suggest you to note a few useful recommendations on how to pack your turkey bacon and what to use for it to be able to extend its shelf life and thus enjoy this delicious food longer.
- For storing it in the fridge, use either aluminum foil or a cling wrap. When using the cling wrap, make sure you cover the whole piece of bacon with it completely. Wrapping it twice around will be more than enough.
- Also, for keeping it refrigerated, shallow airtight containers or heavy duty freezer bags will do.
- And always remember to cool the bacon down after cooking it and before putting it into the fridge or the freezer!
- As for the freezer storage, use the same cling wrap or aluminum foil.
- Also, for more convenience, you could divide your turkey bacon in portions to use for cooking later.
And of course, note that the optimal way of thawing it is to replace the foodstuff into the fridge and let it defrost. It will not take you more than twenty-four hours.
But thawing it at room temperature on the kitchen counter is not a good idea! It may lead to the rapid growth of bacteria and thus to the faster spoilage of the food!
How Do I Know If My Turkey Bacon Is Bad?
This question always bothers us, no matter whether it is all about turkey bacon or any other food! Being able to define whether the food is still good or not is crucial since it allows us to avoid any issues with health, such as food poisoning.
Fortunately, when it comes to turkey bacon, defining whether it is still edible or it turned bad is pretty simple. You just need to pay closer attention to several significant factors:
- Its appearance.
- Its smell
- Its texture
Normally, fresh turkey bacon is pink, not overly bright, but also not too pale with white and yellow stripes of fat.
If you see that your turkey bacon turned brownish or gray, or if there are any traces of blue or green, this is the obvious sign that it has spoiled or it’s already on the way to it.
Next, it is the smell. While fresh turkey bacon smells like raw meat, if it gets spoiled, the smell will shift for an unpleasant sour and rancid odor.
You will not mistake it for anything, so this is quite an obvious and clear sign of spoilage.
Finally, its texture will also change. Fresh turkey bacon is soft to the touch with a slight hint of moistness.
However, if you feel that your turkey bacon feels gooey or slimy when you touch it, this is not good! It means that it has already spoiled and you must not consume or even try it!
Tips For Keeping Your Turkey Bacon Longer
All of us want to keep our food longer since it saves money and time, and also allows us to pay more attention to other things and chores rather than simply think about food we need to buy all the time!
This is why a few handy tips on your turkey bacon storage will surely become useful even if you are an experienced food-storage veteran!
- Keep turkey bacon in its original package unopened until you use it.
- Do not leave it on the kitchen counter.
- If you opened the package but didn’t use all of its contents, store the remaining bacon in the airtight tank.
- Never keep turkey bacon in the fridge for more than two weeks.
- Before freezing it, check that your turkey bacon is still of a good quality and it’s not about to spoil.
Like this, you will avoid quite a lot of unpleasant accidents connected with the food, and also, you will be able to enjoy this delicious meaty stuff way longer!
Since turkey bacon is so versatile that we can use it for pizza or salad topping, mix it into our chicken pasta, add it to burgers and sandwiches, and also mix in casseroles, it makes sense to ensure that we keep it properly.
And we hope that with our tips and recommendations, you will do this easily.
Store it right and enjoy it in your dishes!
Bon appetit!
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