Best Way to Reheat Bacon

The smell of freshly grilled bacon is just so hard to resist. It’s a versatile food that can be eaten from breakfast, dinner, or at any time of the day. But do you know the best way to reheat bacon just in case you’ve got some leftovers?

For people who don’t have the luxury of time to spend grilling their bacon every time they crave for one, a great option would be to cook a huge batch and reheat it at a later time. Unfortunately, reheating bacon is a hit or miss. Sometimes you’re lucky and other times you’ll end up with a dry, tasteless, and soggy bacon strips.

To avoid this, here’s what you need to know when it comes to the reheating bacon.

Best Way to Reheat Bacon

Reheating bacon is not that complicated. But if you’re not careful, your bacon will go dry or it will end up so overcooked that you’ll be left with a teeny tiny strip. Remember that no matter how simple the dish is, if you’re not sure what you’re doing, it will still end up a disaster. There are three popular methods that people use when it comes to reheating bacon.

How to Heat Up Bacon in The Microwave

The first method is using the microwave, which is popular among busy individuals since it’s convenient, fast, and easy. For this method,

Thing You Need:

• Microwave
• Paper towel
• A mocrowave safe plate

Instructions:

1. Line a microwave-safe plate with paper towels. This is for the towel to absorb the oil coming from the bacon.
2. After placing the bacon strips on top of the towel, cover them with another sheet of the towel.
3. Place inside the microwave and heat for up to 10 seconds. If the bacon comes from the freezer, then microwave it for a little bit longer. Once ready, serve in another plate and enjoy.

Reheat Bacon in the Oven

Another popular method is the use of an oven. To reheat bacon in an oven,

Thing You Need:

• Oven
• Aluminum foil
• Cooking oil
• Baking tray

Instructions:

1. preheat the oven to 350°F and line the dish with foil. Flatten the foil and spray some non-stick cooking oil.
2. Place the bacon slices over the foil. Space the strips well so they will not end up overlapping with each other.
3. Cook in the oven for up to five minutes. It could take longer depending on how they were previously cooked.
   Note: If you prefer your bacon to be crispy, reheat them a little bit longer but make sure that they will not end up overcooking or they could get burnt. The bacon’s coagulated fat will end up melting, giving the meat a crispy, irresistible texture.

Using the oven is highly recommended if you’ve got plenty of bacon slices to reheat. Since the oven is usually spacious, it’s possible to heat a big batch at once. This method is faster, easier, and more convenient.

How to Reheat Bacon in Skillet

To reheat bacon with the use of a skillet,

Thing You Need:

• A skillet
• Cooking oil
• Paper towel

Instructions:

1. Arrange the bacon on the skillet and place the skillet in the cooktop.
2. Set it to medium. Once they are hot enough, toss the bacon slices. There’s no need to use oil when reheating already cooked bacon. This is because the oil will be released out of the bacon itself.
3. When the smoke starts to buildup, consider that an indication that your bacon is now ready.
4. Transfer it in a plate that’s lined with paper towels so the excess oil will be absorbed. Leave the bacon to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note: When using the skillet, there’s a tendency that the bacon can get hot very quickly. Try to use a cast iron skillet since this will not burn the bacon. If using the skillet to reheat bacon, place the bacon slices on the pan first before you heat the pan on the stove.

Make sure the strips are not too close to each other. If your bacon came from the fridge, this method might not work. This is recommended only if the bacon is slightly cold.

Also read: what are the differences between induction and gas cooktops and which should you choose

How to Thaw Frozen Bacon

Frozen bacon must be defrosted before cooking. To do this,

How to Defrost Bacon With Frying Pan

Thing You Need:

• A pan

Instructions:

1. Simply place the frozen strips of bacon in a frying pan and set the burner on low heat.
2. Regularly flip the bacon over to ensure that it’s cooked evenly.

How to Defrost Bacon in Microwave

Thing You Need:

• Microwave
• Paper towel
• A microwave safe plate

Instructions:

1. Place the frozen bacon strips in a microwave-safe plate that’s lined with a paper towel
2. Microwave in the “defrost setting.” Avoid cooking the frozen bacon in the oven when loosening it up.

Can You Thaw Bacon in The Microwave

Yes, you can. When defrosting bacon in the microwave, the process will usually depend on the brand and model of your microwave. Some microwaves come with the “by weight” defrost setting. In this case, weigh the strips to determine the right setting. If you don’t have a weighing scale, you can estimate the weight based on the bacon’s packaging.

For instance, ¼ of 1-lb. of bacon package should be equivalent to 0.25 pounds. For those who don’t have a defrost setting in their microwave, simply set the power to 30% when defrosting the bacon.

Also read: How to Reheat Wings Will Make Them Crispy

Does cooked bacon need to be refrigerated?

Yes, cooked bacon has to be put in a fridge. Since the bacon is cooked, the fats and proteins could decompose and will lead to the development of molds and bacteria, which causes the meat to spoil.

How do you reheat cooked bacon?

The best way how to reheat cooked bacon is with the use of the non-stick skillet. When using the skillet, there’s no longer a need to grease the pan. Another great way to reheat cooked bacon is through an electric grill or grill pan. Just be careful not to overcook the bacon so it won’t get charred.

Can I reheat bacon the next day?

Yes, it’s possible to cook the bacon in advance and reheat it the following day. Cook it until it goes crisp. So when the time comes that you need to reheat it, you will be able to reheat it until it’s already crisp. When reheating, it’s best to use the oven or toaster.

Related: How to Cook Bacon on a Pellet Grill

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Lakeside Smokers is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with BBQ Smoking (& Japanese food!) at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.