How Much Bacon per Person to Bake? [ Chart Included ]

Bacon enriches even the dullest of dishes; whatever you put bacon on, meat or pasta, it will taste much better than on its own. Bacon isn’t only for savory dishes; in fact, many cuisines practice adding bacon bits to sweat dishes too. However, bacon is very greasy, so getting the dosage right is crucial when serving it. So, how much bacon should you bake per person?

The standard amount is 2-3 pieces of cooked bacon per person, though it isn’t always possible to know how much you’ll need for a larger group of people. Raw bacon is one thing, and cooked bacon is entirely another. Since there are significant changes in the weight, it is best to measure it in pieces. 

Since bacon is a treasured addition to my cooking and a very dear personal friend, I have important information about distributing it. Going over the right amount could result in an overly greasy dish and trouble digesting, but going under the right amount will leave us yearning for taste we can only smell but can’t feel. In the following paragraphs, I will explain everything about the dosage, cooking, and serving of bacon to avoid these troubles. 

How Much Bacon Is a Serving?

The general conclusion is that one serving of bacon is 0.5 oz (15 grams) of cooked bacon which is a bit more than one slice. However, since the recommended quantity is 2-3 pieces per person, that would mean 1.1 to 1.3 oz or two servings. 

The recommended bacon amount per person is 1 ounce, which is 28 grams, so a bit less than two whole servings; however, you don’t have to worry about a few grams, so feel free to go with the easy rule and count slices instead of grams. 

How Many Slices of Bacon Are in a Pound?

The answer to this question is highly dependent on the thickness of the bacon slices. The number of pieces in a pound won’t be the same if you slice it in thin and thick slices; therefore, giving one definite number is inaccurate and impossible. 

To provide the most accurate information here, I will divide the answer into three categories according to the thickness of the slices- thin, regular, and thick. Still, the number of pieces won’t be the same as what is thin for me may not be for you. So to avoid any misunderstanding, I will provide the standard definitions of the thickness of the slices. 

A thin slice is a slice you can see through and is very fragile. It is mainly used for bacon bits topping. They get crispy when fried and have a delightful burnt-like aroma and taste.

A regular slice is a slice that is consistent but not thick. It isn’t as crispy as the thin piece but still quite dry when fried. This is the one you use for BLT sandwiches or fried eggs. 

A thick slice is a piece you can further dice, chop or slice, so it has quite a substance. The thick slices are usually used to add flavor to other cooked dishes and aren’t intended for consumption as a side of fried eggs or in BLT sandwiches. 

So, one pound of bacon, which is about 450 grams, contains about 35 thin strips, 16-20 regular strips, and 12-16 thick strips. 

How Many Pounds of Bacon Do You Need to Feed a Crowd?

We all get greedy for bacon, as it tastes so good. So not only that we often tend to overestimate our own needs and bacon capacity, we tend to overestimate the needs and capacity of the people we are serving. 

To this day, I haven’t heard of “leftover bacon,” but even though your guests will wipe it all off, overdoing is never a good idea, as it will result in some stomach trouble. 

Bacon is a greasy product, so more isn’t always better. However, you must consider the type of bacon you will be serving, as there are some differences. 

It is also worth mentioning that there is turkey bacon other than pork bacon. These two aren’t that big, but turkey bacon does have fewer calories and is somewhat the healthier choice. Still, the dosage would remain the same. 

The standard amount of bacon per person is approximately two servings, about 30-35 grams, but the recommended dosage is 1 ounce, about 28 grams. So to round up, I will go with 30 grams or approximately three pieces per person. 

Also, you must consider the weight differences between raw and cooked bacon, one pound of raw bacon is 4 ounces cooked. So from 450 grams raw bacon, you get 113 grams cooked.

It is easy to serve up to five people, but as the number of people rises, things tend to become a bit more complicated since you risk running out or having too much.

Below are two tables with the recommended amounts for bacon per person. Feel free to modify and adjust it according to your own needs, but I wouldn’t change too much. 

The numbers in the tables represent the optimum quantities for bacon per person. I’d recommend you don’t modify it much. You can add or subtract 100 to 200 grams based on your needs, but don’t go over or under it. 

Can You Cook Bacon in Advance?

This would be a judgment call. Since bacon doesn’t affect the rest of the dish, in terms of texture and consistency, whether it is cooked in advance or just made, it won’t make much difference. 

Taste-wise precooked bacon tends to be milder-tasting and drier. Also, it would taste more greasy and fatty, as all the fat will be absorbed and solidified. 

On the other hand, freshly cooked bacon has a more expressed taste, you will feel the aroma and saltiness more, and it will feel juicier since the fat hasn’t solidified yet. 

In each case, the bacon will remain tasty, it will enrich your dish, and it won’t affect the other ingredients with whom you are combining it. So feel free to follow your preference on this. 

However, the best time to serve the bacon is about 20 minutes after cooking it. The excess fat will get out, the bacon will become crispier, and it won’t be hot or cold. 

How Do You Keep Bacon Warm for a Crowd? 

The universal way to keep your bacon warm is to keep it in the oven at a low temperature, about 212 °F (100 °C). Don’t forget to place it on baking paper to keep it from sticking and to let the excess fat melt away. 

However, something else to keep in mind when keeping your bacon warm for a crowd. In this case, it would be best not to fry your bacon in the first place but to oven bake it. That way, you leave it in the oven until your guests arrive, without having to transfer it from a frying pan. 

To conclude, when you deal with larger amounts of bacon, it is always better to bake it because frying the bacon would be more time-consuming, requires more effort, and risks not having your bacon strips cooked equally.