I love bacon! It is so versatile. It enhances many foods, and is good all by itself. I am very thankful to whomever invented this delicious cure for pork.
There’s things like
- Bacon and Eggs
- Cheddar Bacon Corn Chowder
- Bacon Quiche
- Bacon Cheeseburgers
- Filet Mignon
- Bacon wrapped Shrimp
- Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwiches
- Marshall Salad with Bacon
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon
- Pancakes and Bacon
- Maple Bacon Scones
- Candied Bacon
- Chocolate Covered Bacon
- Bacon wrapped Dates
- Bacon Slaw
- Bacon Pizza
- Bacon Brittle
- Bacon wrapped Asparagus
- Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Bacon Potato Salad
- Potato Soup with Bacon
- Maple Ice Cream with Candied Bacon
- Egg Bake with Bacon
- Bacon Mashed Potatoes
- Split Pea and Bacon Soup
- Bacon, Chive, and Cheddar Biscuits
- Tomato Bacon Pasta
- Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
- Bacon wrapped Trout
- Bacon wrapped Chicken
- Spinach and Bacon Frittata
- Green Beans and Bacon
I could go on, but my mouth is watering uncontrollably right now! Many of the items listed have recipes on the internet that you can easily find. Not sure what kind of bacon to buy, or how to prepare it without a mess? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
When you have a recipe that calls for bacon, you can buy your favorite kind unless the type is specified (Canadian Bacon or Pancetta, for example). Our favorite is a thick cut bacon that we get from our butcher. We raise pigs, and take pigs from our barn to butcher, so we are able to dictate how we would like ours cut. Some people like a medium cut bacon (the most common type found in a grocery store), or thin cut when making recipes that call for wrapping with bacon. The thick cut may be difficult to wrap around a date or asparagus spear. Sweeter dishes pair well with maple flavored bacon.
The easiest way to prepare bacon is in your oven. There is no mess on your stove top, and if you have a large jellyroll pan (half sheet size), you can fit an entire package on the one pan.
Line your pan with foil, making sure the foil is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of your pan. If you have to splice it, make sure you fold the seam together to eliminate grease from seeping through. It makes for easier clean up. Separate the bacon and lay it in a single layer on the foil.
I put the pan in a cold oven, and heat it to 425 degrees. I use my convection setting for this. After the oven has reached full temperature, I check the bacon after 10 minutes. The closer it gets to your preferred doneness, the more frequent you will need to check it. For some recipes, I cook the bacon to the “floppy” stage, meaning there is still flexibility in the meat. For others, I cook it until it is a bit darker, and crumbles easily after it has cooled.
Remove the bacon from the pan, and let it drain on a paper towel lined plate. When the pan and foil have cooled, carefully roll the foil into a ball to contain the grease, and toss. If you like to save your bacon grease, you can easily make a funnel type lip with the foil to help pour it into your grease container.
I think I am going to make Bacon Mac and Cheese with the extra bacon I cooked up for the bacon cheeseburgers I grilled for our Sunday dinner…or maybe I should make the Cheddar Bacon Corn Chowder…I wonder how many times I can say bacon in one sentence…bacon.
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