Canning bacon may be one of the last foods you would learn to do. But it’s bacon, we all love it. So in this post, we’re going to talk about how to can bacon to stash away in a crisis.
You know what time it is. It’s time for bacon. Most meals aren’t worth eating unless there is bacon involved. Bacon is salt-cured meat carved out of a pig’s belly or back. Today, who would’ve known that the world would turn out this way.
Perhaps in some sort of parallel universe, however circumstances like COVID-19 and quarantining are staring right back at us. However, this is easily compatible with the power of bacon and learning how to store this delicacy.
Materials:
- Bacon (the more the merrier)
- Pressure canner
- Canning jar
- Electric griddle
- Parchment paper
Instructions
Pre Cooking
A lot of professionals tend to discourage people from doing this because they deem it ‘unsafe’. However, if you can have beef and chicken preserved, it’s certain that canning bacon is something that can definitely be accomplished.
Step 1: Clean Jars
Where the bacon is stored is even more important than the actual bacon itself. No one wants to open their canned bacon to find mold inside. It can lead to food poisoning resulting in a swift trip to the emergency room.
The perfect place to store bacon would generally be in a glass mason jar of the size of your choosing. Just be sure to examine the jar for any cracks or holes. The littlest things can lead to bigger issues later on.
Next, be sure to check out the rings of the jar. If they are old, just head over to your local grocery store. This also goes for the lid, because they can’t be reused.
Now the last step when it comes to the jars is just to wash them well. Wash the jars with warm water and soap. Afterward, proceed to wipe them dry.
Cooking
Step 2: Make It Crisp
Now it’s time for the most important step, cooking that juicy bacon. First, have each bacon strip cut in half. This will double the amount of bacon that was initially there.
When cooking the bacon, strive to have it cooked until it’s completely light brown hue, and crispy ends, over medium heat. It smells delicious, doesn’t it?
Step 3: Lay Bacon On Parchment Paper
Now that bacon looks stunning. It’s must be tempting to try to eat the bacon, right? Yet, it still needs to be placed inside the jars.
The best type of parchment paper to use is a non-bleached version. Just to keep it on the safe side. Now roll out the paper to at least a foot long, or depending on how much bacon was prepared.
Place the bacon on the parchment paper as close to each other as possible. It would make sure that the bacon doesn’t overlap, because it can result in challenges when placing the bacon in the jars.
Afterward, check if there is any loose paper. If there happens to extra paper, just trim those ends and toss them into the trash. Now the bacon will be covered with another layer of paper on top of it.
Step 3: Fold It Up
Yes. There is a whole process of getting these suckers into the jars, however, it’ll be a piece of cake. Start off at one end of ‘bacon street’, and begin to roll the bacon in the parchment paper. It should be tightly rolled together. Keep going until the end of the bacon strip.
If the roll looks like a mini burrito, the rolling process has been a success. The reason behind rolling the bacon is just so that when it is placed inside the jar, it is not a hassle.
Post Cooking
Step 3: Be The Presser To My Canner
Did you like the joke? Ok, maybe not. It’s time to get your pressure canner out.
Once the bacon has been placed inside the jars, place the lids and rings on top. Be sure that they are dry though, no liquid can enter the jar. Close the jar tight.
Pour a few cups of water into the pressure canner. When ready, place the bacon-filled jars into the device and close the lid. It’s best to leave it in for about 10 minutes, to really seal the deal.
How would you know if the jars have been sealed properly? If the lid of the mason jar had not dipped down, then the jar has not been sealed properly.
Oh, did you hear the beep? The jars have been completely sealed and it’s time to store these beauties.
Step 4: Storing The Bacon Jars
This is optional, but to keep the jars organized, label them. It can prevent you from opening the wrong jars if you happen to choose to ferment other meats. Finally, proceed to store the bacon-filled jars in a cool, dry area.
Congratulations, to everyone that made it thus far. You have successfully canned bacon. A good time period to leave the bacon is for 6-8 months according to authorizedboots.com. Perhaps it may be possible to keep the bacon even up to a year.
Goodbye Bacon?
As you are now munching on those delicious bacon pieces, you must be wondering what would have happened if not every single step was completed perfectly. Well, a number of things would have occurred.
First of all, you would not be the bacon that you currently have in your hand. Second, months later after storing the bacon, you would have been slammed with pungent smells of rotting meat and mold. That would be a disastrous situation. Finally, maybe you end up opening the jar too early and the desire for some good bacon was too much to resist.
Conclusion
Canning Bacon isn’t as hard as it seems as long as you have all the materials needed to make it work. It seems impossible, yet you never know until you try. Especially with the situation of lockdown throughout the entire world, it makes sense to learn how to preserve one of the most delicious foods on the planet.
I hope you liked this recipe post on how to can bacon. If you liked it, you might also want to check out my other guide on canning ravioli at home.
