If you love to cook bacon but hate the mess it makes, you’ll love this instant pot bacon recipe. The instant pot's high sides help to reduce splatter making it a great way to get crispy bacon with less messiness. This post will show you all you need to know about how to do it.
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Can You Cook Bacon in an Instant Pot?
Yep! It’s actually pretty easy. I just started doing this recently and it is a lot less messy than other methods.
Reasons to Love Instant Pot Bacon
- It’s less messy than other methods because the high sides of the instant pot prevent splatter.
- It’s great for meal prep. Bacon can be used for tons of different meals throughout the week.
- It can be AIP, Paleo, Keto, and Whole30 compliant if selected carefully.
Here's How to Make It
Step 1
Line a plate with a couple of layers of paper towels. Set aside.
Step 2
Open the pack of bacon and cut the pieces in half (optional).
Step 3
Turn the instant pot on the saute function and place the bacon slices in the instant pot in a single layer.
Step 4
Let it cook for about 3 minutes then flip them over with tongs or a spatula and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 5
Place the cooked bacon on the paper towel-lined plate.
Step 6
Repeat the process until you get through the whole package of bacon. It will probably take at least 4 rounds.
Check out the video in the recipe card to see this process in action!
What to do with the Grease
I let the extra grease stay in the instant pot for a few rounds of cooking but it did start to splatter a lot more as it accumulated. It also begins to get burnt. So, I’d say it’s ok to leave the extra grease in for about 2 rounds of cooking and then drain it before moving on to the next.
Don’t Throw the Grease Away
You can save the grease for cooking later on. It adds a ton of flavor to meals and it lasts for a very long time. I just save some whenever I make bacon and keep it in a glass jar in the fridge.
It’s handy to be able to use it for recipes that call for it without having to make bacon first. My Nightshade-Free BBQ Sauce and Pineapple Bacon Dipping Sauce are perfect examples.
How Long Does Bacon Grease Last?
Bacon grease will stay good in the fridge for about 3 months. As with other foods, just be sure to keep it tightly covered/sealed for freshness.
How Long Can You Store Bacon in the Fridge?
Cooked bacon will stay good in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for about 5-7 days.
How to Freeze Cooked Bacon
If you want to save bacon for later or maybe use it as part of your meal prep process, freezing it is a great option. Here’s how to do that:
- Once the bacon has been cooked and cooled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and form a single layer with the bacon being sure that the pieces don’t touch. If they don’t all fit, just add another sheet of wax/parchment paper on top of the first layer and keep going until you get through all the bacon.
- Cover the bacon with plastic wrap and transfer it to the freezer. Leave it for 2-3 hours.
- Take the bacon out of the freezer. Take it off the baking sheet and put it in freezer-safe storage bags (or other freezer-safe containers).
How Long Will Bacon Stay Fresh in the Freezer?
It’ll stay good for up to 6 months! Just be sure to store it in a tightly-sealed, freezer-safe container.
A Few Notes
- Try to choose high-quality bacon that’s uncured, free of antibiotics, and preferably has no added sugar. If you’re following a particular diet like AIP, Paleo, or Whole 30, I have a post all about AIP, Paleo, and Whole compliant bacon products.
- ButcherBox carries nitrate/nitrite-free bacon with no added sugar. It is AIP compliant.
- This method will likely take you a few batches to get through a whole package of bacon. I cut my bacon pieces in half with kitchen shears so they fit a little better in the instant pot but this is optional.
- I generally prefer regular bacon but you can also do this with turkey bacon.
- Be sure to wait for the instant pot to ready “hot” before adding the bacon. This helps to prevent sticking.
- You can add a tiny bit of oil to the bottom of the pan before adding the bacon to help with preventing sticking. I usually don't find it necessary though.
- Keep in mind that if you use thick-cut bacon, your cooking time will be a little longer
- I have a 6 quart instant pot- This is the one I use.
You may also like these other simple instant pot recipes:
Instant Pot Sirloin Tip Roast with Vegetables and Gravy
Instant Pot Egg Roll in a Bowl
Recipes to use this bacon for:
Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad Recipe
Bacon Burger Cauliflower Casserole
Conclusion:
I hope you found this post useful. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @foodcourage for the latest AIP/Paleo recipes, autoimmune nutrition info, and Food Courage happenings!
Instant Pot Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz bacon slices cut in half
Instructions
- Line a plate with a couple of layers of paper towels. Set aside.
- Press the saute function on the instant pot.
- Put some of the bacon in the instant pot in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the slices over with a spatula or tongs and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the bacon from the instant pot.
- Place the cooked bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Repeat this process until you get through the whole package of bacon. (it will probably take at least 4 rounds)
Video
Notes
- Be sure to wait for the instant pot to ready “hot” before adding the bacon. This helps to prevent sticking.
- You can add a tiny bit of oil to the bottom of the pan before adding the bacon to help with preventing sticking (this is completely optional though).
- Keep in mind that if you use thick-cut bacon, your cooking time will be a little longer
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