3965. BEER and BACON PORK PIE

1 lb. roast pork loin, cut into small pieces

6 oz. apple smoked bacon cooked, cut into small pieces

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stalk of celery. finely chopped

1/3 cup beer (I chose a lager)

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp minced fresh sage

1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

pinch grated nutmeg

pinch allspice

pinch black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, finely sliced

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 egg, beaten

2 cups grated sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the roast pork, bacon, beer, Worcestershire, carrot, celery into a medium sized pan over medium-low heat. Let come to a slow boil and stir in sage, parsley, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper.

Divide the pork filling mixture among 4 individual greased mini pie pans and bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Halfway through baking, cover the edges of your pies with aluminum foil to ensure the crust edge does not burn.

Meanwhile, for the balsamic onions, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.

Add the sugar and vinegar, stir and bring the mixture to the boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions are sticky.

Remove the pies from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Carefully remove the pies from the pans*, brush the sides with the beaten egg yolk and place onto a baking tray. Spoon the balsamic onions on top of the pies and sprinkle over the cheese.

Bake the pies for a further 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.

*Pie Tip: If the pies don’t release easily from the pan, run a butter knife around the edge. If it still does not release, the crust may not be fully baked, continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes.

bacon recipe source: Alisun "Sunny" Hernandez, For Your Pies Only (@foryourpiesonly) 

3583. BLUE CHEESE and BACON STUFFED FLANK STEAK

serves four as entrée; serves 10-12 as appetizer


1, 1½-2 lb. flank steak
¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
6 oz. bacon, diced medium
2 tablespoons green onion
2 oz. bread crumbs
2 oz. baby spinach
2 oz. ale or lager beer
2 oz. olive oil
Kosher or sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

On an even cutting surface, trim the fat off the flank steak. With a sharp knife, cut the thickness of the flank steak in half as evenly as possible. You should have two pieces that are as large as your original piece but half as thick. Lay each piece side-by-side; place plastic wrap over the top of both pieces and, with the smooth side of a tenderizer, pound meat until its total size has increased slightly and the meat has an even thickness. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Fry bacon on medium heat, rendering the fat. Remove the bacon and set in a mixing bowl. Add garlic to the hot bacon fat; when it starts to brown, add the beer and, with a wooden spoon, detach the bacon particles from the bottom of the pan (deglaze). Add the spinach and wilt it for about 15-20 seconds, then scrape the entire contents of the pan into the mixing bowl with the bacon. Add blue cheese, bread crumbs, and green onion; mix thoroughly and divide in two.

Remove meat from refrigerator; season both sides with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly on the flank steak pieces, leaving about 1½ inches of exposed meat around the edge. Roll firmly but not super tight; hold seam together with toothpicks.

Brown in hot pan with olive oil, seam side down first, evenly on all sides. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and finish in a 350°F oven for 15-18 minutes. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.


bacon recipe source: Nugget Markets (@Nugget_Market), 168 Court St, Woodland, CA 95695

2879. LAGER-STEAMED CLAMS with APPLEWOOD-SMOKED BACON

serves four


3 pounds steamer clams
1 12-ounce can lager
4 strips applewood-smoked bacon, chopped in half-inch chunks
1 medium onion, diced medium
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
sea salt and cornmeal for cleaning

Several hours before cooking, place clams in a large bowl; add cold water to cover, plus a few tablespoons of sea salt and a fistful of cornmeal to dislodge the sand in the clams. Let the steamers soak while refrigerating, changing the water mixture once or twice. Before cooking, rinse steamers under cold water, scrubbing the shells lightly with a stiff brush.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from pot.

Add onion to pot, and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, sautéing 1 minute more. Pour in beer, and bring to a boil. Add clams and cover tightly; raise heat to medium-high, and steam 6 to 8 minutes, or until clams just open.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer clams, bacon and onion to individual serving bowls. Discard any unopened clams. Pour broth through a fine sieve into a medium bowl to remove any lingering sand.

Pour broth over clams and serve with crusty bread.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Laraine Perri, DRAFT Magazine

2539. SPICY OSTRICH LIVER, SMOKY BACON and ONIONS

serves two


350 g (12 oz) ostrich liver, de-veined and thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
6 slices home smoked bacon, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon white cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds, ground
½ chili powder (or to taste)
½ teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
4 tablespoon plain flour
juice from half a lemon
zest from ¼ of a lemon, finely chopped
½ teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons of beer or lager
olive oil for frying

Mix the plain flour, ground spices, salt and add to a shallow dish and roll the liver in the mixture so it's really well covered. Leave the liver in the flour while you cook the onions, so it grabs as much flour as possible. Mix the beer, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and lemon zest together and put to one side. Heat a wok and add a few glugs of olive oil and gently fry the onions for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Just as the onions start to color, add the chopped bacon slices. When the onions are done, reserve and keep warm. Add a dash more oil if the wok is dry and over a low to medium heat, fry the liver for about 1 minute a side so it browns slightly and the blood runs a little. Turn the heat up high and add the liquid and the reserved onions and bacon and reduce to most of the liquid has gone. You should be left with a nice gooey sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cookipedia UK

1969. BACON with PINEAPPLE JUS and BACON-SALTED PEANUTS

yields six servings


1/2 pound slab bacon (skin off)
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup lager-style beer
3/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of thyme
1 pineapple
1/2 cup bacon fat (from about 1 pound of bacon)
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked salt

In a large pot with high sides, combine the bacon, stock, beer, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 2 hours, or until the tip of a knife pierces the bacon easily. Use tongs to carefully transfer the bacon to a flat tray or plate. Refrigerate the bacon overnight until completely cool and stiff.

Peel and core the pineapple. Cut into medium-sized pieces. Cook in a medium sauce pot over very low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, until the pineapple gives off its juices and becomes soft. Transfer the pineapple to a food processor and purée for up to 5 minutes, until the pineapple jus is very smooth. Chill.

Warm the bacon fat over low heat in a medium pot and add the peanuts. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour; the fat should remain just below simmering. Preheat the oven to 350º F while the peanuts cook.

Drain the peanuts on paper towels. Spoon them onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven until just golden brown and fragrant, about 7 to 10 minutes. Put the nuts in a mixing bowl and toss with the smoked salt.

Cut the bacon into half-inch strips. Using a hot grill, griddle, or cast iron pan, cook the bacon for 2 minutes on each side. Place some of the pineapple jus in the center of a plate. Lay a few pieces of bacon on the pineapple. Coarsely chop the peanuts and sprinkle over the bacon.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef David Katz, Meme Restaurant, 2201 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-5517

1941. VIRGINIA MAPLE PEPPER BACON STRIPS with BOSTON LAGER GLAZE

16 slices thick-cut bacon
1 cup honey
1 cup maple syrup
2 cups Samuel Adams Boston Lager
2 tablespoons grainy dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons pepper

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place parchment paper on a sheet pan and lay bacon strips on it. Cover them with a second layer of paper; bake for 15 minutes. Combine honey and maple syrup and boil the mixture until caramelized. Add beer and cook until its volume is reduced by about half. Add both mustards. Take the bacon from the oven and baste it in the honey syrup, sprinkle it with pepper, and return it to a 275°F oven to bake until crispy, about 10 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Men's Health

1508. FIVE SPICE CRUSTED SALMON with SAUERKRAUT, IRISH BACON and CARAWAY SEEDS

makes 4 to 6 servings


Sauerkraut:
1/2 pound Irish bacon
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 large onion, peeled and sliced very thinly
1 plum tomato, chopped, with seeds and skin
2 pounds sauerkraut, drained if necessary
12 ounces lager beer

In a large sauce pan sweat the bacon, caraway seeds and onions for five to seven minutes or until soft, but not colored. Add the tomato, sauerkraut and beer and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook, covered for one hour. Let cool and reserve until needed. It will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week without spoiling.


Salmon:
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1/4 cup cumin seeds
1/4 cup fennel seeds
1/4 cup black onion seeds
1/4 cup black mustard seeds
4 to 6 pieces of salmon fillet, about 6 ounces each, skin on, cut from the center portion
1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil

Blend each spice briefly in a blender to break up, but not pulverize to a powder. Mix all of them well together in a bowl.

Wet each piece of salmon with water on the skin side. Dredge each piece, skin side down, in the spice mix. Set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat a heavy saute pan or skillet. Add the oil and then add the salmon pieces, skin side down and cover with a tight fitting lid. Let them cook for four minutes on one side only, for rare fish. Cook longer if desired. Uncover the pan and remove the fish to paper towels to drain.

Serve with the hot sauerkraut.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sara Moulton | Gourmet