Turkey bacon is my favorite type of bacon because it is a tasty and healthy substitute for pork bacon. In my years of buying this flavorful meat strip, I’ve found that it stays good in the fridge for about a week.
It took a few trials and errors, but I’ve reached a point where I can buy several packs of bacon without having any of them go bad. Today, I’ll discuss my experiences with storing this lean strip of meat and tell you more about how long turkey bacon lasts in the fridge. Let’s get started.
Store-bought uncooked bacon (which is usually kept in freezers) can last up to one week in the fridge. This is because the fridge’s temperature (usually at 40°C) isn’t low enough (as the 0°C temperature of freezers) to halt the spread of bacteria for too long.
Additionally, it doesn’t matter if the meat hasn’t reached its expiration date; it will go bad if it isn’t stored under the right conditions. Keep this in mind to make sure they don’t remain in the fridge for too long. It is best to move the bacon to a freezer to buy more time.
Once the turkey bacon package is opened, it’s recommended to cook all the meat inside. If you can’t cook all the turkey in the package or have any cooked bacon leftovers, simply wrap it in plastic wrap. Then, place it in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag, and store it in the fridge. If the package isn’t airtight, your bacon will be exposed to air for too long and bacteria will grow and quicken the rate at which it spoils.
Remember, even though you can store the bacon in a container without wrapping it, keeping it covered in the plastic film will keep the moisture in. So, it won’t dry up as quickly when you wish to reheat it.
Know that after it’s kept in the fridge, the cooked turkey bacon must be eaten within 3–5 days. This is because cooked turkey bacon loses freshness when it is stored in the fridge. So, leftovers that have exceeded five days in the fridge may be inedible.
Freezing cooked turkey bacon is an effective way to extend its shelf life if you’re not ready to eat it yet. Wrapping the bacon in plastic wrap and placing it in an airtight container will buy you more time and reduce the rate it spoils. You have three months before the meat starts losing flavor. Remember to label the container so you can easily identify it.
Let’s talk about some helpful tips for packaging your turkey bacon to increase its shelf life.
Since turkey is thinner meat than normal bacon, many people use it as a healthy substitute. However, is turkey bacon really healthy?
Remember that even though turkey bacon is a healthier option than pork bacon, it is also cured, so salt and other additives are added to give it a smokey flavor. So, ensure that turkey bacon isn’t a regular part of your diet and only eat it occasionally.
Turkey bacon can be prepared in various ways while retaining its tasty, smoky flavor. I love cooking bacon in a skillet. There are two other delicious ways to cook turkey bacon.
My preferred method for cooking turkey bacon is in a skillet. Cooking bacon on a skillet gives you more control over the cooking temperature, so you can crisp the meat as you like. It’s also easier to add extra condiments for even better flavor. For example, I enjoy cooking meat with a stick of butter. I found that butter made the meat taste even better than cooking oil.
You can also fry turkey bacon in an air fryer. This option is clearly the healthiest of the three because you only need a tiny drizzle of oil to cook it. Air fry the bacon at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, and take it out once it’s as crunchy as you like.
Cooking bacon in a deep fryer is the least healthy option because of the amount of cooking oil required. Nonetheless, if you decide to deep fry your bacon, set the deep fryer to 375 degrees, and cook for 6 to 12 minutes. Then remove the bacon from the oil and place it on a paper towel or strainer.
Spoiled turkey can expose you to food poisoning symptoms and be harmful to your overall health. Here’s how you can identify bad turkey:
You can find out if your turkey bacon has gone bad just by looking at it. Turkey bacon has a natural pink tinge that is neither too bright nor too pale. The whitish colors on the meat are specks of fat that render nicely when seared.
Bacon will change from its original, natural pink hue as soon as it starts spoiling. Bad turkey bacon typically appears gray or brown. Even though the color changes may be gradual, if you notice these colors on the meat, something is probably wrong.
Moreover, the brown or gray hues can have accents of blue or even green. If you notice any of these colors, the turkey bacon has clearly spoiled and is growing mold. So, avoid eating it. These strange colors develop when the bacon has been exposed to air for too long. If you’re not entirely sure whether the meat has gone bad just by looking at it, try smelling and touching it to confirm.
If turkey bacon is bad, the smell will be a dead giveaway. Fresh turkey bacon will smell like raw meat. In contrast, spoiled turkey bacon develops a rancid and sour smell. So, if you open the meat pack and a foul smell instantly greets you, throw it away.
Touching the bacon is another effective way to tell if turkey bacon has gone bad. The texture of turkey bacon will change substantially as it spoils, making it easy to determine if it is bad.
Fresh turkey bacon typically has a soft, slightly moist feel. The meat should feel somewhat spongy, but it shouldn’t be sticky or slimy to the touch. Avoid eating turkey bacon if it has a slimy texture or appears to be gooey in any way.
If you’re stuck with cooked leftover turkey bacon, don’t worry. This meat strip is just as versatile as regular bacon. Here are some of my favorite dishes to make with leftover turkey bacon:
The primary distinction between these two types of bacon is that pork bacon is made from pig meat, whereas turkey bacon is made from turkey meat. Moreover, pork bacon contains more fat than turkey bacon.
Know that turkey bacon isn’t actually bacon. It’s a product made of ground turkey that has been combined with flavors and preservatives before being molded into strips like bacon. Some producers even replicate the stripes in regular pork bacon by using light and dark turkey meat.
Before being sold, precooked turkey bacon goes through two distinct processes. First, it is cured (by smoking), and then the bacon is smoked to add flavor. That said, it’s risky to eat precooked meat because you can’t tell how it was handled. So, it’s best to sizzle it to kill any bacteria before eating.
It depends on how the bacon looks. The meat is safe to eat if you don’t notice any signs of spoilage such as discoloration, a foul smell, or a slimy texture. So thoroughly examine the meat. If it looks, feels, and smells good, it’s okay to eat.
In conclusion, turkey bacon should be edible for up to a week in your refrigerator before it goes bad. Whenever you buy turkey bacon, it’s best to cook it immediately or put it in the freezer to keep it fresh until you need it. Follow the steps discussed here to ensure that the meat is properly stored.
