Hi Matt. Here is a document from the USDA that you may find useful
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...at-preparation/bacon-and-food-safety/ct_index
The recommended storage time will depend on how the bacon is produced. You are using a brined bacon and so has a shorter shelf life than dry cured. The maximum recommended storage time for immersion cured bacon is 7 days in the fridge whereas the maximum for dry cured bacon is 4 weeks sliced and 6 weeks as a slab. The difference is mainly down to the final Water Activity in the bacon from the different curing methods
| | |
| Not applicable (N/A) | 1 month | 4 to 6 months |
| N/A | 7 days | 4 months |
| N/A | 7 days | 4 months |
| N/A | 3 to 4 days | 4 to 8 weeks |
| N/A | 7 days | 4 months |
| N/A | 7 days | 4 months |
| 10 days without refrigeration | 4 weeks in the refrigerator | 3 months |
| 3 weeks without refrigeration | 4 to 6 weeks in the refrigerator | 3 months |
| N/A | 3 weeks in the refrigerator | 6 months |
| N/A | 4 to 5 days | 1 month |
| Observe “use-by” date. | 2 to 3 days after opening (leftovers not heated) | 1 month |
| Unopened in the pantry (stored below 85 °F) until the “use-by” date on the package | After opening, refrigerate and use within 5 to 14 days. See product package for specific recommendations. | 3 months |
| Observe manufacturer's "use-by" date. | Observe manufacturer's "use-by" date. | 3 months for best quality |
| 2 to 5 years in pantry | 3 to 4 days after opening | 2 to 3 months after opening |
| Unopened in pantry, good until “sell-by” date | After opening, refrigerate up to 6 weeks. | 1 to 2 months |
| 4 months in pantry | Refer to jar for refrigerator storage. | Not necessary for safety. |
[th="col"]
PRODUCT
[/th][th="col"]
PANTRY
[/th][th="col"]
REFRIGERATOR 40 °F or below
[/th][th="col"]FREEZER 0 °F or below[/th]
[th="row"]Salt pork[/th]
[th="row"]
Bacon
[/th]
[th="row"]Beef bacon[/th]
[th="row"]Canadian bacon, sliced[/th]
[th="row"]Poultry bacon[/th]
[th="row"]Pancetta[/th]
[th="row"]
Dry-cured sliced bacon
[/th]
[th="row"]
Dry-cured slab bacon
[/th]
[th="row"]Bacon cured without nitrites[/th]
[th="row"]Leftover cooked bacon, cooked by consumer[/th]
[th="row"]Baby food with fresh bacon[/th]
[th="row"]Cooked bacon, purchased shelf stable[/th]
[th="row"]Cooked bacon, purchased refrigerated[/th]
[th="row"]Canned bacon in pantry[/th]
[th="row"]Bacon bits, made with real bacon[/th]
[th="row"]Imitation bacon bits (made with soy)[/th]
Another good guide is to look at the use by dates for chilled bacon at your local store. These dates will be conservative however it will give you a good indication of the times that you should expect. The store bacon will almost certainly have been injected/pumped rather than immersion cured and is likely to contain more water, however both commercial brined and pumped bacon will have similar Aw values.
Home brining and smoking though will result in a product that is somewhere in between commercial bacon and home dry cured bacon. The drying time in the fridge and the 24 hour smoke will help to reduce the water content of the final bacon - however it will have already picked up between 5-10% extra weight in water from being immersed in the curing brine. Unfortunately, without an expensive water activity meter, this makes assessing it more of an art than a science. It is therefore safest to consider the shelf life of your home immersion brined bacon as if it were the same as store bought bacon.
Yes, I know that there will be many on here who will say that they have stored their immersion cured bacon for longer than 7 days and have not been ill - I have done that too. This is where common sense needs to play a big factor. Botulinum isn't a problem as the Nitrite is taking care of that, it is the other spoilage bacteria that you are looking out for. Here the sight and sniff test is a good guide. If it looks fine and smells fine then it is very likely to be safe to eat.
