March 4, 2009 by Marianne

March 4, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon Recipes , Bacon, bacon cheeseburger explosion, bacon explosion

So I know the Bacon Explosion is probably getting old for some of you, but I never made it because I don’t like sausage. I’m a little slow on the up-take, but eventually an idea came to me: substitute hamburger for the sausage! Add cheese! Bacon Cheeseburger Explosion! So that’s what I did last weekend.

This was my first-ever bacon mat, and creating it was strangely satisfying. I used a whole 12 ounce package of Niman Ranch uncured, applewood smoked bacon.

Next came a pound of 85% lean hamburger. I wish I hadn’t flattened it directly onto the bacon mat, as it stuck to the bacon and made it difficult to roll up. Next time I’ll measure out a piece of foil or waxed paper for the burger layer. I topped the meat with pepper and a little paprika, figuring that the bacon would provide enough salt. After that came 3 slices of deli cut American cheese (because I’m old school like that) and just a little pickled jalapeno for a kick. (It could have used at least twice this much.)

Then I rolled it up with much difficulty, and patched any holes. I should have just put the cheese on one end and not tried to roll it into the whole thing. Would have been much easier.

Finally, I wrapped it in its cozy mat, and popped it in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour. The internal temperature when done was about 165 degrees.  I let it sit for 10 minute before slicing.  

 As you can see, a lot of the cheese melted out and made a cheesy crust on the outside. I’m sure the cheese added some flavor to the meat, but I would really have preferred it if more of it had remained on the inside. Maybe a heartier cheese, like mozzarella, would have worked better. Should have just thrown in a string cheese.

All in all, I’d say it was a success. The end pieces went to the dog because, believe it or not, there was just too much bacon. Also, next time I make it, I’ll use a bit more hamburger so the roll has a larger diameter and the bacon mat just barely fits around. Any overlapping bacon stayed a bit soggy, which is not my thing. But for the most part it had a good burger to bacon ratio, and the jalapenos added a lot to the flavor. Not bad for a first try.

February 12, 2009 by Marianne

February 12, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon Photos, Bacon Recipes , Bacon, bacon explosion, BBQ Addicts, SOTNews

Do you love bacon? Really? Are you sure? Because if you’re not wearing a t-shirt or in some way physically sporting your devotion, I’m not sure I can buy it. That’s why I’m so proud of our reader, Nick, who is clearly determined to show us all up with his bacon license plate. Assuming it’s really his…Nick, is this really your plate? Anyway, Nick or some New Yorker is cruising around, showing the world how he feels, and I’m super jealous. I wonder if this plate is already taken for California.

In other news, the folks at SOT have done it again. Acme sent me this response to the Bacon Explosion. At first I was all, “so it’s a bacon explosion with an extra bacon mat, right?” Wrong. After baking this double-wrapped porkfest, they topped it with what appears to be American cheese and BBQ sauce, and surrounded it with link sausage and pepperoni. Really DSnipe? Couldn’t fit it all inside? Come on! I feel a challenge in your future. May I suggest, at very least, throwing some string cheese in middle?

I have a feeling that the ripple affect of the Bacon Explosion is going to go on for years. Thanks again, BBQ Addicts!

January 28, 2009 by Marianne

January 28, 2009 • Filed Under: Bacon Porn, Bacon Recipes , Bacon, bacon explosion, BBQ Addicts, New York Times

I love when one idea snowballs into several others, and the bacon mat has been a major springboard for lots of bacon creations over the past few months. Of course there was the bacon cheese roll, followed by the bacon, chicken, cheese roll. And now this: the Bacon Explosion. Kaboom!

It was covered by the New York Times here, as a great idea for this weekend’s big game. But for the original step-by-step recipe, you can go to BBQ Addicts and see the carnage for yourself. This is more than just sausage wrapped in a bacon mat. This is a bacon mat topped with dry rub, covered in bulk pork sausage, topped with cooked chopped bacon and BBQ sauce, rolled together and thrown on a grill. Think you’re done yet? Wrong! Cover that sucker in another layer of BBQ sauce before resting briefly and slicing into juicy spirals of cardiac arrest. My breathing becomes labored just thinking about it.

In the off chance that this recipe doesn’t do it for you, you can find lots of other great super bowl ideas at BBQ Addicts. These guys are a competitive BBQ team from Kansas City, so you know they know their stuff. Personally, I think it’s an amazing gift that these experts are willing to share their tips and recipes. I plan to bookmark this site and have the best summer BBQ season ever. Blam-o!