Bacon on the trail

[TKE402]

Hi all, I have seen some pre-cooked bacon at the supermarkets and it seems like a great food item to bring. However can I just cook bacon at home and bring it on a section hike? How long do you think bacon will last on the trail before spoiling? The longest section hikes I take are typically a week. Can cooked bacon last that long without preservatives?

[lonehiker]

Just take the pre-cooked shelf stable stuff and then you don't have to worry about it.

[Hikerhead]

Microwave the precooked stuff for about a minute. Pat it dry with a paper towel and it will last a week with no problem. And it will good and crispy. I've done it many times.

[Hikingjim]

My bacon lasts until the first rest stop. Then I eat it all.

[Hikerhead]

My bacon lasts until the first rest stop. Then I eat it all.

True that!

[Zendoutsu]

If the bacon is cooked crispy and kept in a airtight container it'll last a few days. restaurants often leave bacon at room temp to keep it from looking fat covered.

[Mr. Sparky]

I've often wonded about the shelf-stable items like bacon bits. The packages say to keep refrigerated after opening. How long will they last after opening when in the heat on the trail?

[Wise Old Owl]

An old and well known alternative is to take raw bacon with Nitrate. Set the Nesco Dehydrator to 160° and 5 hours. Prospectors and 49'ers used dried beef, hard tack (saltines) and bacon in the back country.

Now you know how to make Bacon Jerky. For an added twist wipe it in Stubbs Hot BBQ sauce, do not use Sweet Baby Rays.

[TexasBob]

Just take the pre-cooked shelf stable stuff and then you don't have to worry about it.

It will last several days at least in the cooler weather. Mine was always eaten within about 3-4 days so I can't swear it lasts a week but I bet it does.

[Hikes in Rain]

Not long enough to go bad. You'll eat it before then.

[Obiwan]

I can tell you that grilled bacon wrapped shrimp will make a fine first night meal on the trail....but your friends will want you to share :-)

Which is why I tend to hike solo....at least until I can find some vegans to hike with

[Christoph]

I carried a package of bacon on one part and the grease from the packaging outweighed the benefit. It just got all over everything, so I cooked it up over a fire and ate the entire thing. So I switched to bacon bits as they're pretty lightweight and I added them to my instant potatoes and other instant stuff all the time. Adds somewhat a fair amount of calories but the sodium is pretty high.

[Odd Man Out]

Just take the pre-cooked shelf stable stuff and then you don't have to worry about it.

I used some of the pre cooked product last year. Added it to all my dried meals (past, rice an beans, etc) but I think home cooked bacon would taste better so I am interested in trying this.

[Farr Away]

Maybe try cooking your bacon; blotting the grease, and putting it in the dehydrator - bacon jerky. Downside is the bacon would still have fat, so that will go rancid, but should still get more time (than just cooked bacon) before it goes bad.

-FA

[SWODaddy]

It will last longer than you might think. You can also buy salt-cured "Country" bacon which, although uncooked, is shelf-stable. This is much easier to buy in the South, but there are also places online.

Benton Farms is my favorite:

http://shop.bentonscountryham.com/Pr...oductCode=hscb

It's shipped unrefrigerated. Very expensive restaurants use their bacon. Not too salty.

Here's another one:

http://store.lovelesscafe.com/produc...bl4aAps58P8HAQ

I haven't bought from them yet, just something I found doing a quick search.

[lonehiker]

My all time favorite lunch is a few slices of shelf-stable bacon, couple packets of Miracle Whip, light tasting cheese, all rolled up in a tortilla.

[MuddyWaters]

Bacon jerky, all the flavor without the mess.
I like precooked, its just bacon. But if you cant eat the whole pack at once, it do get a bit greasy messy. They should vacuum 3 strips together at a time.

[TexasBob]

It will last longer than you might think. You can also buy salt-cured "Country" bacon which, although uncooked, is shelf-stable. This is much easier to buy in the South, but there are also places online.

Benton Farms is my favorite:

http://shop.bentonscountryham.com/Pr...oductCode=hscb.................

I got a package of this bacon once from a friend at work and it is does not taste like the bacon we are used to at all.

[ScottishLass]

An old and well known alternative is to take raw bacon with Nitrate. Set the Nesco Dehydrator to 160° and 5 hours. Prospectors and 49'ers used dried beef, hard tack (saltines) and bacon in the back country.

Now you know how to make Bacon Jerky. For an added twist wipe it in Stubbs Hot BBQ sauce, do not use Sweet Baby Rays.

Why don't you use Sweet Baby Ray's? I love that stuff.

[SWODaddy]

I got a package of this bacon once from a friend at work and it is does not taste like the bacon we are used to at all.

It's different, but in a good way IMO. Because it has so much less water (hence being shelf stable), you have to cook it on much lower heat.