September 4, 2008 by Marianne

September 4, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes, International Bacon Day

Chrissy & Smiley: Two people you cannot help but love. These friends (and avid readers) brought their own special bacon tribute to the party…a tribute to the king of all bacon lovers himself: His Holy Elvis. As seen in this photo, bacon pairs up with peanut butter and jelly on white bread for a scaled-down version of the famous Fool’s Gold sandwich. And of course each mini-sandwich was beautifully topped with an individual icon of His Holiness. If I was much, much cooler, I would have thought of this myself.

You’ve probably heard this story about how Elvis once flew himself and some friends to Colorado on his private jet in the middle of the night, just to get this famous sandwich from the Colorado Mine Company restaurant. I always thought that was an outrageous stunt, until I tried this sandwich. I could have gone my whole life not knowing I liked bacon in my PB&J, but now the veil has been lifted and I can never unlearn what I have learned. I am totally in love.

I guess I should just thank my lucky stars they didn’t bring the deep-fried peanut butter, bacon and banana sandwich. I would have to drop one seriously bad habit to make room for that one.

September 3, 2008 by Marianne

September 3, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes, International Bacon Day

So I thought I would give Bacon Bourbon another try, because it absolutely had to be shared on Bacon Day. I had high hopes as I was using my favorite bourbon this time, Maker’s Mark. It has a warm, slightly smoky flavor to begin with, so seemed perfect for the infusion.

I began as last time with several ounces of fresh bacon grease in a pitcher with a full bottle of Maker’s Mark. This time I also added a slice of bacon for the three hours of room-temperature infusion. I used a thick-cut, applewood smoked bacon this time. I then froze the infusion for several hours and did a first straining through cheese cloth and a wire mesh strainer. Last time I ended up with a bit of grease in the final stage, so this time I washed the pitcher, put the bourbon back in and froze it again overnight. The morning of Bacon Day I did a second cheese cloth/mesh straining, but still ended up with a tiny bit of grease and particulate matter. No one found it off-putting, so I won’t worry so much about that in the future.

And the results? Once again, the smoke was subtle and some people didn’t even taste a difference. I should have had plain Maker’s for comparison. A few people who claimed to really know their bourbon reported tasting the smoke, and I myself thought it was slightly more noticeable than last time. But still, not quite the difference I was looking for.

In the end, no one complained about having a bottle of Maker’s to sip on, and whether they tasted the smoke or not, everyone enjoyed the Bourbon. As I mentioned yesterday, it was a hit combination with the Bacondoodles. Just as a side note, I took a bite of the bacon I used for the infusion after the first freezing. Wow, was that an unpleasant experience…I couldn’t bring myself to swallow it. So I can say unequivocally that I do NOT recommend bourbon-infused bacon!

September 2, 2008 by Marianne

September 2, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes, International Bacon Day

Bacon Day gave us a great excuse to try and share some of the recipes we’ve talked about on this site. The first, which I believe may be entirely original to Royal Bacon Society, was the Bacondoodle. It began with this basic Snickerdoodle recipe, but in place of the butter I used bacon grease. I also took about 5 slices of cooked bacon and ground them up in my mini-processor and added that to the batter. I also cooked a batch of regular Snickerdoodles for comparison.

I was really excited about this new recipe, and was a little let down by the results. First of all, the Bacondoodle took a little longer to cook than the Snickerdoodles and didn’t flatten out as much. That was no big deal, but then I tasted one while it was still warm and was disappointed by the lack of bacon flavor. I mean, it was there, but very subtle. If you didn’t know you were eating a Bacondoodle, you wouldn’t notice it. On the bright side, our friends said it was more moist than the Snickerdoodle, and a couple people thought it perfectly complemented the Bacon Bourbon. So all in all, a success.

My favorite recipe of the day was the Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Popper. So delicious and relatively easy to make, despite the hours of burning under my fingernails. (I recommend gloves when seeding the jalapenos.) I loved these babies so much that after several glasses of wine I promised to make them every single time any of the guests came to my house for dinner for the rest of their lives. I’m sure that won’t come back to bite me in the butt.

Finally, we had some simple bacon-wrapped asparagus. I blanched the asparagus for one-minute in boiling water, then wrapped each 5 spears in a half slice of bacon and baked at 350 for about 30 minutes. I really should have pre-cooked the bacon about half way so that the asparagus could have spent less time in the oven. Their little heads got a bit over-cooked, but it wasn’t the end of the world.

Even Kindergartners agree: Bacon is worth celebrating!

August 29, 2008 by Marianne

August 29, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes

Holy smokes, is that a mouthful, or what? A mouthful I’d be more than happy to try. This beauty of a treat came from more than once source. The unique French toast cupcake recipe is from Bake and Destroy, a name and site I just adore, even as a non-baker. You can find the recipe here. The maple glaze and burst of bacon inspiration came from this Live Journal entry from a pink-haired genius who goes by sweetkisses0530. All in all, I’d say a breakfast, dessert, or anytime snack that would make a great addition to your Bacon Day celebration.

And with that I sign off for the week to start preparing for the Royal Bacon Society’s International Bacon Day party. We’ll begin with a few bacon & wine pairings for our guests to rate, and follow it up with some of our favorite bacon recipes including, of course, the famous Bacon Bourbon. We’ll be sure to take lots of pictures and give you a full report on how the first annual event goes.

In the meantime, go ahead and start celebrating with your favorite bacon indulgence. And always remember: Everything tastes better with bacon!!

August 27, 2008 by Marianne

August 27, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes

Labor Day weekend is fast approaching…kids are getting ready for another school year, parents are thanking heaven that summer is finally over, and we’re all planning our BBQ menus. For an added bonus, Saturday, August 30 is International Bacon Day! (Visit this link for good ideas on how to celebrate.) So clearly, all grill-related cooking should celebrate the wrappable pork product that makes our lives so meaningful.

My brother-in-law Sean first introduced me to this recipe, but I was able to find it on the web at My Wooden Spoon, complete with step-by-step photo instructions. It is my belief that every recipe worth trying should have step-by-step photos. It is Sean’s belief that every BBQ should begin with this tasty treat.

Basically, you cut your jalapenos in half and scoop out all the seeds and membrane. Fill with cream cheese, wrap with bacon, hold together with toothpick and grill (or bake in oven as the recipe suggests). Amazingly easy, incredibly delicious. These would make a great party appetizer or could be served right alongside the main dishes.

If anyone has any other great recipes to share for International Bacon Day, please send them our way! The more we share, the better a holiday it will be!

August 20, 2008 by Marianne

August 20, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Porn, Bacon Recipes

Have I mentioned before how much I love potatoes? For many years I was an addict, barely able to prepare a meal without them. I’m a mashed potato expert, but never tell my guests that they’re eating equal parts potato, cream and butter. I want them to enjoy the experience without the guilt.

Sadly, in an effort to keep from buying an entire wardrobe in the next size up, I’ve cut the instances of potatoes in my diet to “infrequent.” And now they’re usually steamed or grilled baby potatoes rather than gooey mashed pillows of heaven. On a very rare occasion, I’ll make a homemade gratin of potatoes and cheddar, a guilty pleasure my husband and I both love. Which brings me to the topic of today’s post: the Potato Bacon Cheddar Tart by Michael Smith of the Food Network Canada. You can find the recipe here at Jumbo Empanadas, a lovely site that I highly recommend for your viewing and drooling pleasure.

You would almost think that a potato and cheese tart couldn’t get any better, but as we all know, BACON MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER. There could be no clearer evidence than this recipe. And so the next time I’m ready to splurge on potatoes, I will have the double luxury of splurging on bacon. I can hardly wait.

August 18, 2008 by Marianne

August 18, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes

When I saw Rachelle Bowden’s post about Bacon Bread at the Blue Ribbon Bakery in New York, I thought, “So simple. So genius.” I never really thought about putting bacon in bread. Mind you, I haven’t made bread in years, but even so. Why didn’t I think of this?

Now the reason I haven’t made bread in recent years is that yeast is my enemy. Every year I make my mom’s butterhorn rolls for Thanksgiving, and they NEVER rise like hers do. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but I always end up with these tiny, although still delicious little rolls, too small to make a proper turkey sandwich out of. And so I avoid any serious baking whenever possible. I buy pre-made pie crusts and pizza doughs. And if my husband wants bread, he relies on Oroweat.

And yet…I want bacon bread! What will I do with this dilemma? Hey wait, the internet! The internet is the solution to all my problems. And so I’ve found a quick and easy recipe for semi-homemade, pull-apart bacon cheese bread. No yeast or food thermometers required. And if we don’t tell anyone, they’ll never know how easy it was. I fully intend to claim that I slaved all day making this bread.

August 13, 2008 by Marianne

August 13, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes

When my husband became enamored of Eggs Benedict, I learned to make them at home. The hollandaise is time-consuming, but not as difficult as I had imagined. The egg poaching, however, I never quite mastered. Instead, I bought these handy egg frying rings from Williams Sonoma. They make the perfect size and shape of egg for an English muffin. And although I haven’t quite poached eggs in them, with a lid and a little water, they’re more steamed than fried.

Anyhow, the other day I wanted bacon & eggs. I didn’t want the eggs scrambled, but I wanted the bacon to be more incorporated–more a part of the eggs. That’s when I had this brainstorm: Line the egg rings with fried bacon, creating a bacon-wrapped egg! I immediately set to work.

First I fried three slices of bacon. I was using center cut, and was afraid a single slice wouldn’t go all the way around the ring. I was right. But a slice and a half was just the perfect amount. I might use 2 slices per ring next time, just for fun.

Next I added the eggs and a little salt and pepper. Once the eggs started to firm on the bottom, I put a little water in the pan and threw on a lid.

Finally, when the eggs were cooked enough to flip, I removed the rings and turned the eggs for a nice over-medium. They don’t look all that pretty, but I was totally satisfied with the flavor. These are destined to be a weekend regular at my house.

August 11, 2008 by Marianne

August 11, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes

Some of you may remember an image used on this site: an ultimate bacon sandwich made of 22 slices of fried bacon and two slices of white bread. Period. Nothing more. Well that image was from years ago. The maniacal wizard behind that sandwich has moved on to bigger and…I won’t say better…more bacony things. Like Bacon Cereal. And I must say, this particular brainstorm is too much, even for me. This recipe calls for a pound of finely chopped bacon (the cereal), a bunch of blue cheese dressing (the milk), topped with bacon bits (the sugar). I just have to say WOW. This guy has guts of steel if he did indeed, as he claims, eat the whole thing.

And of course that recipe is totally last season. His most recent exploit is a Bacon Cheeseburger (didn’t I tell you they were everywhere??) using ground bacon as the burger meat. I have to give this guy props for so consistently treating his stomach with such utter disdain. I honestly don’t know if I have the nerve.

August 5, 2008 by Marianne

August 5, 2008 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes, Most Popular Bacon

So I finally did it. I made bacon bourbon over the weekend to share with some friends, and I thought I’d give you the step-by-step account. First things first, introductions. Bacon, meet Bourbon. Bourbon, Bacon.

Okay, pleasantries out of the way, I fried up a few slices. The recipes I’ve read have called for anywhere from 1 to 4 ounces of bacon grease. I went with about 2, although I didn’t actually measure so it could have been as much as 3. I used fresh, hot grease to warm up some grease i’d been saving in the fridge, and poured them into a clean pitcher.

And now the Bacon and Bourbon are getting to know each other on a more intimate level.

Mmm…congealing already.

While the infusion process takes place, I share the bacon bounty with my most discriminating friend.

After 2 hours at room temperature, I placed the pitcher in the freezer for more than an hour so all the grease could become very firm. I used a slotted spoon to fish out the larger chunks of grease, then I went with a double straining method: first, with a wire mesh strainer, then with cheese cloth and a funnel to make sure no little bacony bits made it back into the bottle.

And voila! Ready for tasting. In tomorrow’s exciting installment: Did Anybody Like It?!

UPDATE: Welcome reddit! Check out the post on tasting this delicious concoction!