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Bacon is the breakfast staple. Nothing is better than the smell of bacon sizzling on the stove, which makes tragic accidents like leaving the bacon out of the fridge overnight so horrific. Can you eat it, or will it make you sick?
It is not safe to eat bacon after it has been left out of the fridge overnight. The FDA suggests that food should not be left out for over 4 hours. However, each type of bacon has its own special food preservation rules, so it is safe to eat some types of unrefrigerated bacon.
After talking with a nutritionist I was able to find out the different preservation tips for bacon. Read on to figure out if your bacon is okay to eat.
Back Bacon
Back bacon would not be safe to eat if left out overnight. It has a room temperature life span of four hours.
Back bacon is, as the name suggests, from the back region of the pig. Since the only thing that makes back bacon unique is the location it is harvested from it means there are no extra preservative strengths given to this type of bacon.
In the fridge back bacon can last 2 weeks if left unopened. Therefore, it is best if you make sure that you leave your back bacon in the fridge to give it a better lifespan.
Pancetta
Pancetta can last outside of the fridge overnight if it is in an unopened bag. Pancetta can last one week outside of the fridge if it is in an unopened bag.
Pancetta is a piece of Italian bacon. It is salted and cured to be able to last longer.
Pancetta is cured and rolled in one setting, which is what sets it apart from other kinds of bacon. It is also left in salt for up to two months of time. This removes all the moisture that was in the meat, helping keep it fresh for longer.
Streaky Bacon
Streaky bacon would not be safe to eat if left outside of the fridge overnight. Streaky bacon is not prepared with preservatives that make it last longer. Streaky bacon is different from other kinds of bacon because it comes from the belly of a pig.
If streaky bacon was left out of the fridge it would have a lifespan of four hours. Then it would start creating toxic bacteria that would hurt your digestive system if you were to eat it.
Slab Bacon
Slab bacon comes in a couple of different preparation styles. Slab bacon by definition is the entire belly of a pig. Therefore, there are a few ways that it can be prepared.
Some people have slab bacon dried and cured. If your slab bacon is dried and cured, you can eat it after it has been left out. Dried and cured slab bacon can be left outside of the fridge for three weeks.
If your slab bacon has not been dried and cured then it will last only four hours outside of the fridge.
Lardon
Lardon can be left outside of the fridge overnight if it has not been opened. Lardon has a six-month lifespan outside of the fridge if it has not been opened.
Lardon is a piece of French bacon. It is created by rubbing salt and other spices on it and then hanging it out to dry. This is what gives lardon its long lifespan.
Once your lardon is opened, it will not last overnight outside of the fridge. It will actually only last two weeks in the fridge once it has been opened.
Turkey Bacon
You should never eat turkey bacon that has been left out overnight. Turkey bacon has a room-temperature lifespan of two hours.
You can tell your turkey bacon is going bad because of several factors. You can check it for grey spots. If your turkey bacon is greying then it is going bad.
If your turkey bacon feels lumpy when you touch it that is also not a good sign that it is healthy to eat. Also, smell your bacon. If it is rotting, it will give off a bad order that will indicate that the safest option is to toss your bacon.
Guanciale
Guanciale can be eaten if left out overnight and it is sealed. Guanciale is another Italian delicacy.
Guanciale is created by adding special seasonings to the pig meat. It is then hung in cold ventilated rooms that preserve meat. This is what gives Guanciale such a longer lifespan.
It is very rare to come by Guanciale in the United States of America. Yet, if you are lucky enough to come by it be aware that it will only last ten days if opened in the fridge. Therefore, be ready to eat your meat once it is opened.
Cottage Bacon
Cottage bacon should not be eaten if left out of the fridge overnight. It has a lifespan of 4 hours at room temperatures.
Cottage bacon is usually brined and then cold-smoked. This helps enhance the flavor of cottage bacon. It does not unfortunately help with the preservation of cottage bacon.
Cottage bacon is defined as the shoulder cut of a pig. Therefore, it can be preserved. Brining and cold-smoking are the preferred and the most common ways of preservation of this type of bacon. If you find out your bacon has been cured and unopened in its packaging, it will most likely be safe to eat.
Vegetarian Bacon
Surprisingly if you leave your vegetarian bacon out of the fridge you should not eat it. Vegetarian bacon can only last a couple of hours outside of the fridge.
Vegetarian bacon is usually made with tofu. Tofu does not survive long outside of the fridge. It will quickly start creating bacteria if it reaches temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Vegetarian bacon also does not have a very long refrigeration lifespan. Once it has been opened, it must be used within three days. If your vegetarian bacon is completely sealed and unopened, it must be used within 10 days of purchase.
Collar Bacon
Collar bacon should not be eaten if left out overnight. Collar bacon lasts four hours after being left out of the fridge.
Collar bacon is a cut from the pig’s shoulder. It is usually not cured and therefore has a shorter lifespan.It is very disappointing though if your collar bacon is left out since it is one of the rarer cuts of a pig to obtain. The food poisoning that would most likely ensue after eating it after being left out overnight is not worth the taste of collar bacon.
Samgyeopsal
Samgyeopsal should not be eaten if left out overnight. Samgyeopsal has a lifespan of four hours outside of the fridge.
Samgyeopsal is a piece of Korean bacon. It is made from pork belly and has not been cured to make it last longer.
There is an old wise tale related to Samgyeopsal that states eating Samgyeopsal will clear out your throat and lungs. This is how Samgyeopsal became popular. It was a common food for miners to eat.
Unfortunately, because it is not cured, it is not an accurate myth. In reality, Samgyeopsal is very absorbent of outside pestilences, so it can deposit toxins into your body if you eat it after it has been left out overnight.
Duck Bacon
Duck bacon should not be eaten if left out overnight. Duck bacon will last only two hours at room temperature.
Duck bacon is usually prepared in a smoker or oven. It is usually salted and seasoned to enhance flavor, but not to preserve the meat.
Duck bacon will only last three days once opened in the fridge. This shows us that duck bacon does not have a long lifespan and therefore should be eaten quickly after the decision to use duck bacon has been made.
Salo
If you left your salo outside of your refrigerator overnight, the good news is it is safe to eat. Salo can be stored outside of the refrigerator since it is heavenly cured and preserved.
Salo is a piece of Ukrainian bacon. It is known to have come around after steppe nomads took over Ukrainian. They took all the farm animals from the locals besides the pigs because the pigs had short legs. Therefore the locals had to find different recipes on how to cook pig to last longer.
This makes Salo a very safe option for you to eat if left out overnight.
Pork Loin
Pork loins should not be eaten if left out overnight. It has a room-temperature shelf life of two hours.
Pork loins are a cut from a pig’s back. It is very tender and is usually curated to be able to soak in whatever seasoning you may put on it. This makes it a very tender and nice cut, but also not good for withstanding time.
Pork loins will only last 3 to 5 days in the fridge. This shows that pork loins are not a very high preserved meat and should be eaten quickly.
Coconut Bacon
If you left coconut bacon outside of the fridge overnight it is safe to eat. Coconut bacon does not have any meat on it and is not made with ingredients like tofu so it can be stored outside of a fridge.
Coconut bacon is made from baked coconuts dipped in seasonings like soy sauce and maple syrup to give the coconut a bacon taste.
Coconut bacon should be stored in a more cool area to help it last longer, but that can be as simple as your pantry. It does not have to be stored in a fridge or freezer.
Peameal Bacon
If you left your peameal bacon out overnight you can eat it the next day. Peameal bacon can be left outside of the fridge for five days if unopened.
Peameal bacon is from Canada. Canadian bacon is highly cured and therefore is safer to keep outside of the fridge.
You should still inspect your meat to make sure that there are no signs of bacteria growth. Peameal bacon can be stored in the freezer for eight months. Since the meat is cured it should not lose much of its flavor if frozen. This shows the preservative strength of curing your meat.
Smoked Bacon
Smoked bacon should not be eaten if left out overnight. Smoked bacon only lasts 2 hours if left out of the fridge.
Smoked bacon is a very flavor enhancive way to prepare pork meat. It is usually dipped in salt and other seasonings to enhance the flavor of the meat. Smoked bacon is then hung inside of a smoker to allow those flavors to settle within the very grains of the meat and prepare it to be ready for consumption.
These preparation tools are great for taste, but not great for preserving the meat’s shelf life. Therefore if you have smoked bacon it should be eaten within two weeks of being stored in the fridge or eight months if stored inside of a freezer.
Salt Pork
If you left salt pork outside of the fridge overnight it is safe to eat. Salt pork can last up to two weeks outside of the fridge.
Salt pork has a very long shelf life. Salt pork can last 18 months in a freezer.
Salt pork is from the pig’s underbelly. Salt pork is prepared by bringing the meat and then curing it to make it last longer and have a more distinctive flavor. The curing process is what gives your meat long shelf life.
Pork Belly
If you left pork belly out overnight it would not be safe to eat it the next morning. Pork belly has a very short shelf life and would attract bacteria at room temperatures very quickly.
The pork belly is the underside of a pig. Pork belly is usually not prepared by being cured or brined. Instead, it is usually sold in its natural state.
Pork belly only lasts 1 to 2 days in the fridge. Once it has been cooked though it will last 4 days in the fridge. Pork belly will also only last 6 months in the freezer. This is a very low shelf life for most meats.
