Can You Cook Peameal Bacon from Frozen? A Step-by-Step Guide

As a busy home cook and bacon lover, I’m always looking for ways to make meal prep more convenient. That’s why I love keeping peameal bacon in my freezer—it’s ready to go whenever I need a quick, tasty source of protein!

But can you actually cook frozen peameal bacon properly? Or does it need to be fully thawed first? I did some experimenting to find out,

In this article, I’ll share my tips for successfully cooking peameal bacon from frozen. You’ll learn:

• What is peameal bacon? A quick intro
• Can you cook frozen peameal bacon? The short answer
• Step-by-step instructions for cooking from frozen
• How to freeze peameal bacon for convenience
• Thawing methods for when you have more time
• Serving ideas and recipe inspiration
• Pro tips for the best results (and avoiding failures!)

I’ll also answer common questions like how long it takes and whether you can bake, pan fry or even microwave frozen peameal bacon. Let’s dive in!

What Is Peameal Bacon?

Before we get into cooking methods, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what peameal bacon is.

Peameal bacon is a Canadian specialty made from lean pork loin It gets its name from the traditional “peameal” coating—crushed yellow peas that cover the meat

While regular bacon comes from pork belly and is quite fatty, peameal bacon has very little fat. The loin cut makes it extra lean.

The pea-meal coating gives peameal bacon its signature texture. When the peas are crushed onto the meat, it almost cures it.

Flavor-wise, peameal bacon is milder and less smoky than regular bacon. It has a lovely ham-like flavor from the curing brine.

You’ll often see it called “Canadian bacon” too, but true Canadian bacon is made from pork loin only, without the pea coating.

Now let’s get to the question you really want the answer to!

Can You Cook Frozen Peameal Bacon?

The short answer is yes—you can absolutely cook peameal bacon straight from frozen!

In most cases, there is no need to thaw it first. I’ve cooked many a frozen slice for breakfast sandwiches and peameal bacon wraps.

However, a few things to keep in mind:

• Smaller pieces will cook more evenly from frozen. Focus on thin slices rather than big 1-inch thick slabs.

• Adjust cooking times and temperatures. It will take longer to cook through frozen meat. Lower heat helps prevent burning.

• Don’t expect it to get crispy. Frozen peameal bacon comes out chewier, not crispy.

• Prepare for splatter! Grease pops when it hits the hot pan. Watch out.

With the right techniques, you can pan-fry, bake, or even microwave peameal bacon from its frozen state. More on that next!

How to Cook Frozen Peameal Bacon

Here are my step-by-step methods for cooking peameal bacon from frozen three different ways.

Pan-Frying Frozen Peameal Bacon

Pan-frying is my go-to for weeknight convenience. Here’s how to nail it:

1. Choose thin slices no more than 1⁄4-inch thick if cooking from frozen. Thicker slices may not cook through.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Nonstick is ideal to prevent sticking. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom.

3. Lay the frozen slices in the skillet. Do not overcrowd. Work in batches for even cooking.

4. Fry for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping occasionally. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.

5. Remove peameal bacon from the skillet when both sides are browned. It will be warm and pliable but not crispy.

6. Drain on paper towels before serving to soak up excess grease.

The lower heat gives time for the inside to fully cook before the outside burns. Keep an eye on it and flip occasionally for even cooking.

Baking Frozen Peameal Bacon

For a hands-off method, baking is great too:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

2. Arrange the frozen slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Flip halfway through.

4. When done, the peameal bacon will be lightly browned but still pliable.

5. Drain on paper towels before eating.

Baking won’t make the peameal bacon crispy but gives you perfect results without babysitting a skillet.

Microwaving Frozen Peameal Bacon

My least favorite option, but doable in a pinch:

1. Place frozen slices on a microwave-safe plate in a single layer.

2. Microwave on 50% power for 2-3 minutes. Check and flip halfway through.

3. Microwave until peameal bacon is warm and pliable, about 4-6 minutes total.

4. Drain on paper towels.

Keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking. And make sure to cover any cooked peameal bacon to avoid splatters if microwaving more than one batch.

So as you can see, cooking from frozen just takes a bit more care and patience. Now let’s look at the best practices for freezing peameal bacon for convenience.

How to Freeze Peameal Bacon

To always have peameal bacon ready for quick cooking, here are some tips:

• Buy fresh peameal bacon and freeze it at home rather than freezing meat that’s already been frozen previously.

• Portion into serving sizes before freezing. Wrap individual slices or stacks for grab-and-go convenience.

• Use freezer-safe wrap like plastic freezer bags or aluminum foil. Squeeze out excess air and seal tightly.

• Label with contents and date. Include “previously frozen” if you froze meat yourself.

• Freeze immediately after purchasing. Don’t leave it sitting in the fridge.

• Avoid freezer burn by minimizing air exposure. Use high-quality sealing bags.

• Store frozen peameal bacon flat in a single layer to prevent sticking.

• Maximum freezer life is 2-3 months for optimal freshness and texture.

With proper freezing and reheating methods, you can enjoy convenience without sacrificing quality!

But for even better results, take the time to thaw peameal bacon instead. Here’s how.

Thawing Frozen Peameal Bacon

While you can cook peameal bacon straight from the freezer, thawing does offer benefits:

• More even cooking: No icy cold centers or scorched outsides

• Better texture: Thawed peameal bacon will be tender instead of chewy

• Crispier results: You can get crispy, browned edges when thawed

• Faster cooking: Slices will cook in just a few minutes when thawed

• More flavor: Frozen peameal bacon needs extra seasoning but thawed has great flavor

• Less mess: Thawed bacon splatters less than frozen

Here are a few easy methods for thawing:

• Fridge thawing: Unwrap and place on a plate overnight, or up to 2 days max

• Cold water bath: Submerge bagged peameal bacon for 30-60 minutes

• Microwave defrost: Use defrost setting or 50% power in 30 second bursts

Give yourself some extra time when meal planning to thaw the peameal bacon in the fridge overnight or morning of cooking for best results.

The few extra minutes of planning makes a huge difference you can really taste. Now let’s talk recipes!

Cooking with Peameal Bacon: Recipe Ideas

My favorite way to eat peameal bacon is in breakfast sandwiches, wraps, and tacos. But here are some other tasty ways to use it:

• Chopped over salads or soups

• Layered on baked potatoes or sweet potatoes

• In pasta carbonara or mac and cheese

• On top of chicken breasts or pork chops

• Crumbled into stuffing or potato casseroles

• Added to grilled cheese for a twist

• Wrapped around smoked sausage or shrimp

• On mini skewers or toothpicks as an appetizer

And let’s not forget about everyone’s favorite bite—bacon-wrapped scallops! Swap in peameal bacon for a delicious change of pace.

The options are endless. Peameal bacon adds a tasty cured flavor to just about anything.

Just remember to account for the extra frozen cooking time in recipes and adjust seasonings to compensate for any lost flavor from freezing.

And now for some troubleshooting tips to avoid potential peameal bacon pitfalls!

Frozen Peameal Bacon Problems and Solutions

Cooking peameal bacon from frozen can lead to a few hiccups if you aren’t careful:

Burnt outsides: Use medium-low heat and flip occasionally for more even cooking.

Undercooked centers: Start with thin slices and adapt cooking times as needed.

Chewy texture: Opt for thawing beforehand when possible or use baked/microwaved methods.

No crispiness: Don’t expect crispy results when cooking from frozen. Thaw first if you want crispy.

Bland flavor: Boost seasoning or marinades to make up for loss of flavor from freezing.

Excess splatter: Watch out for grease splatter when pan frying. Use baking instead to avoid.

Sticking: Make sure pan is hot before adding frozen slices and use a nonstick pan.

With a few simple adjustments, you can avoid potential pitfalls and enjoy delicious peameal bacon even when cooking directly from frozen.

Let’s Get Cooking!

Armed with this knowledge, you can now cook peameal bacon straight from the freezer with confidence. No more waiting around for it to thaw!

While thawing does offer some advantages, the convenience of being able to grab a few frozen slices and cook them up in minutes can’t be beat.

Now it’s time to put this info to use. I’m off to fry up some frozen peameal bacon for breakfast sandwiches! Enjoy.