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| Fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels. Layer four strips at a time on stacks of super absorbent paper towels (I use Bounty). |
My mother is the freezer
queen. At 85 and suffering with both spinal
stenosis and sciatica, she has to be; making things ahead and freezing them is the
only way she can put on a party for a big crowd (something she still loves to
do). Now, I freeze things as well, but
this tip was new to me and, to be truthful, I was a bit appalled. Bacon, I reasoned, is meant to be enjoyed
fresh. What wakes up a household better than
a brewing pot of freshly ground coffee and bacon cooking on the stove? But during the busy summer days, who has the time
to labor over a hot stove, and yet we still want those BLTs, bacon topping our
potatoes, and providing some crunch to our salads. So, I tried doing what my mother does, frying
up an entire pound the day I brought it home from the market, draining it thoroughly,
and then placing the strips into a zipper-top plastic freezer bag. It’s
amazingly delicious, unbelievably convenient, and will allow you to keep your
cool on the hottest of days.
When you're ready to use the frozen strips, put them on a microwave-safe plate that has been topped with a paper towel and microwave for a minute. No one will ever guess that you didn't fry it up fresh.
As an aside, I also sieved the bacon drippings, jarred them, and put them in
the refrigerator for use later. This is
something my grandmother (who lived to be 83), and her two sisters (who lived
to be 92 and 96) did routinely. I
thought strongly about these three amazing women that day.
Give this a try; it’s a great
summer time saver.
Looking for new ways to use bacon? This book is for you!
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Thanks! Great tip! I usually fry the bacon up all at once the put it in a zip lock in the fridge and us it all week for lunches, salads, and BLTs. It's so good to know it freezes so well. Didn't know why I haven't tried it yet. I cook up all the Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage and freeze that to add to my scrambled eggs each morning that I bring to work with me to eat and that works well.
ReplyDeleteI like reading about your mom and your aunts and their 'old-fashioned' kitchen tips. I think sometimes the old ways are the best..... freeze away! And EAT BACON !!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDelete