Is Canned Bacon Already Cooked?

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There are some canned foods the world doesn't bat an eye at, like vegetables, fruit, and tuna fish. But there are others which surprise people, including canned brown bread, cheeseburgers, whole chickens, and tamales (you should think twice about buying these). Did you know there's even such a thing as canned bacon? 

In a way, canned bacon is like the Forrest Gump of foods. It's shown up in many historical events including a 1914 trek through the South Pole led by Ernest Shackleton, ration kits of World Wars I and II, and at the International Space Station in 2016. This preserved pork product is fully cooked and ready to eat as soon as you open the can it sits in.

To produce canned bacon, sliced bacon is cooked, placed in a can, and heat pasteurized. This makes the bacon shelf stable for years; making it a perfect meat product for campers, emergency food supply kits, or, really, anyone who likes the convenience of opening up a can of food instead of cooking it from raw. There's no popping oil involved, and no greasy cleanup. By the way, look no further than your pantry to clean up bacon grease. After the can is opened, any leftover canned bacon should be refrigerated.

Canned bacon can be enjoyed just like regular bacon. While you can eat it cold, you might find it tastier if you briefly heat it up in the microwave or on a campfire skillet. You can make BLT's, enjoy a couple of slices alongside some fried eggs, or chop it up and garnish salads, soups, and baked potatoes. Canned bacon also makes a convenient ingredient for hors d'oeuvres. Remove it from its packaging (it usually comes folded up in plastic or parchment paper) and use it to wrap cooked scallops, shrimp, or dates. You can use the slices to top hamburgers or brush them with maple syrup and heat in the oven to make candied bacon.

For the most part, you can order canned bacon online, but brands vary in regards to crispiness, greasiness, sodium level, and cost (it's typically much more expensive than raw bacon). If you purchase canned bacon, it's nice to know that it will last a long time. If there's ever a global apocalypse, at least you won't be limited to cans of beans and chicken noodle soup.