Bacon goes with everything, and I mean everything. Scrambled eggs? Better with bacon. Lunchtime sammich? Not complete if it doesn’t have bacon. Brain-freezing milkshake? Shockingly good with a little bacon. The only time bacon isn’t the answer is if the question is “What is the worst food ever?” Because the answer to that question is durian. But bacon? Bacon is the opposite. It’s the best food ever.
Unfortunately, according to some people (like my nutrition, my cardiologist, and my teary-eyed mother), you can’t eat nothing but bacon 24/7. You’ve got to have your daily allowance of fruits, vegetables, dairies, and grains, too. Laaaaaame.
Luckily, there’s no law against adding bacon to those things.
Spread It
When you think of ooey, gooey condiments, you probably don’t think of bacon. Bacon’s more for crumbling, right? While I’ll never turn down salad or sweets dressed with little pieces of delicious, salty pork, you’d be surprised how good bacon is when reimagined in spread form.
Pork-infused condiments like store-bought bacon jam or homemade baconnaise turn any burger or sandwich into a sweet ‘n’ savory smash success. Bacon jam can also be a great addition to a charcuterie board and is especially delicious on a buttery cracker or paired with a creamy cheese like brie or bleu. For more adventurous cooks, bacon jam can be incorporated into pasta sauces or even baking recipes (bacon muffins anyone?).
Wrap It
No, not like Ice-T: “rap it.” Like a birthday present: “wrap it.” Although iced tea is pretty good for washing down bacon. I digress. Anyway, this might not be the most subtle way of adding bacon to a dish, but it certainly is a tasty way.
Bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapenos or even bacon-stuffed cocktail weenies make for classic hors d’oeuvres, and bacon-wrapped shrimp and bacon-wrapped scallops help add a robust oomph to the daintier taste of seafood. If you want to go big, though, bacon-wrapped steak or bacon-wrapped meatloaf are surefire winners when you need a marvelously meaty main course.
Drain It
Bacon is the gift that keeps on giving. Even when it’s already been gobbled up and is making its slow, mushy way through our digestive system, there’s still some secret magic to be mined from this wondrous meat product. I’m talking of course about leftover bacon grease.
No, you don’t throw it away! That’s sacrilege. Instead, if you’re wise, you save it. Keep it in a covered container in the fridge and it will turn solid. Later, thaw it out and this liquid gold can be used to enhance the taste of split-pea and ham soup or country gravy. You can brush it onto pizza dough or use it to fry hash browns. You can even mix it into cornbread or spread it on biscuits while it’s in a semi-solid state. There’s no limit to the possibilities.