How to Make Homemade Bacon Bits

Get your bacon bits perfectly crispy AND know exactly what’s inside by making them at home! Perfect to sprinkle on salads, pizza, casseroles, anything that could use some bacon magic. Here’s How to Make Homemade Bacon Bits, with both stovetop and oven instructions!
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Bacon and I have had an interesting relationship over the course of my life. I’ve gone through various phases of eating, from bacon-hating teen to vegetarian to non-red meat eater, and now here we are. Me, writing about cooking bacon.

It’s a little weird when I think about it, but it makes sense. I’ve learned to care more about where my food comes from and what’s in it, rather than eliminating food groups entirely. 

Getting back to bacon – I learned the difference between REAL bacon and that stuff that you microwave in plastic, which I still don’t get how they can call bacon. But they do. So you have to watch out. Check labels, avoid sugar, eat bacon. 

Are bacon bits real bacon?

I’m pretty sure the only reason people are asking this question is because the huge companies that make bacon bits decided to slap the word “REAL” on their packaging. We all thought it was real bacon until they made us question it by going a little over the top.

So when you find bacon bits at the store, you’ll normally see the word “Bacon” first on the ingredients list, which is pretty much what you’d hope for. But then there are some parentheses and words I’ve never seen in my life. Oh, and always sugar.

Then, what I like least, is that some of them say “May also contain:”.

Uhmmm, shouldn’t you know?! I can’t speak for everyone, but I don’t like this part. So here’s my answer to the question, “Are bacon bits real bacon?”

Store-bought bacon bits: Yes* – yes because they come from an animal and they taste and look like bacon. But you don’t know the source and you DO know that it’s not just bacon in there.

Homemade bacon bits: Yes! If you made bacon bits out of strips of bacon with a completely recognizable & clean ingredients list, then yes, they are very real.

What kind of bacon do you use for homemade bacon bits?

Did you know that almost all bacon sold at the store has sugar in it? Yes! I prefer to get my bacon from Butcherbox (affiliate link), my monthly meat delivery service.

Their bacon is completely sugar free, organic, comes from sustainably and humanely raised animals, and you can legit taste the quality. No preservatives, hormones, nitrates or nitrites either. It’s good stuff.

When I’ve run out of my monthly bacon supply and just need more bacon, I’ll grab some at Whole Foods, where I can get the same quality bacon as I get from Butcherbox.

How do you make homemade bacon bits on the stovetop?

If you’d like to use your stovetop to cook the bacon bits, here’s what to do. I think this method works best when the bacon is cut before being cooked.

First, remove the raw bacon from packaging and lay it on a large cutting board, keeping it stacked as it was in the package. With a sharp knife, cut the strips up and down, then side to side. Continue to cut the bacon until it’s in small bits 1/2 inch or less on each side.

Please note, if you do not have a super sharp knife, you may prefer the oven method. Cutting raw bacon is extremely difficult with a dull knife. Cooked bacon is much easier to cut.

Heat a deep skillet or Dutch Oven over medium heat. When hot, add the raw bacon pieces. Cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the bits are completely browned and bubbly. Keep an eye on them!

Remove from heat and then remove the bacon bits from the pan into a bowl lined with a paper towel to catch extra grease. 

Pros & Cons of the Stovetop Method

Pros:
– quicker than cooking the bacon in the oven
– slightly crispier because every edge has been fried up

Cons:
– a bit messier than the oven method due to splatter
– cutting raw bacon is slightly more difficult than cutting cooked bacon

How do you make homemade bacon bits in the oven?

If you’d like to use your oven to bake the bacon for homemade bacon bits, here’s what to do. If you use this method, please note it is easier to cut your bacon into bits after it is cooked.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the 8 strips of bacon flat on the parchment paper, as evenly spaced as you can.

Place the baking sheet into a COLD oven, THEN turn the oven to 375F degrees. This helps the bacon cook evenly.

Bake for 22-25 minutes, keeping an eye on the bacon at the end. Remove from the oven when the bacon is bubbling and *slightly* browner than you’d prefer when eating bacon plain. The total baking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon and how crispy you like it.

Place the bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel to catch extra grease. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

After the bacon has cooled, it should be crisp and firm, not flimsy and bendy. Stack the bacon on a cutting board and chop with sharp knife until your bacon bits are as small as you prefer.

Pros & Cons of the Oven Method

Pros:
– no grease splattering, so less mess
– no burners on to watch
– bacon is easier to cut after it is cooked

Cons:
– can’t use the oven for anything else (like potatoes for breakfast)
– harder to get to preferred crispness because you can’t see it as well
– need parchment paper

How long do homemade bacon bits last?

Homemade bacon bits will last up to 3 days in a sealed container in the fridge. But seriously how could they last that long?!

Can I freeze homemade bacon bits?

Yes, you can freeze homemade bacon bits. Place the bacon into an airtight container (I like to use Stasher Silicone Food Storage Bags (affiliate link!) for this) and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipes Where You Can Use Homemade Bacon Bits

The most common kind of recipe on Project Meal Plan that uses bacon bits are the casseroles, but they’re also good for salads, pizzas, soups and more! Here are some recipe ideas where you can use your homemade bacon bits! 

• Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Kale Casserole
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Bake
• Kimchi Bacon Greek Yogurt Mac & Cheese
• Whole30 Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
• Cheddar Veggie Instant Pot Egg Bites
• IP Jalapeno Popper Chicken Soup
• Meat Lover’s Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole

Bacon to Bacon Bits Conversion

Based on my own research, one piece of bacon equals about one ounce of bacon which equals about 1 heaping tablespoon of bacon bits.

Please note, this will vary highly based on the brand of bacon you use and how thick it is cut!

More How-Tos from Project Meal Plan:

• How to Make Apple Chips in an Air Fryer
• How to Make Baked Parmesan Crisps
• How to Make Whipped Greek Yogurt

Did you make Homemade Bacon Bits?! I want to see how they turned out! Tag @projectmealplan on Instagram and use the hashtag #projectmealplan so I can see what you did with your bacon bits!