3973. BACON and CURRANT PORK BURGERS with SPICY ORANGE DRESSING

1 lb ground pork

¼ cup dried currants

8 strips bacon, diced

1 orange, peeled and diced

1 8oz can green chiles

½ 7oz can coconut milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon ground mustard

¼ teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper to taste

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon fat of choice

First, heat up your grill. If you are not using a grill, forget this step.

Now dice up your bacon. Maybe to 1 inch long strips/rectangles and throw them in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat.

While the bacon cooks, add your ground pork, currants, and spices to a bowl and mix together. Once the bacon is done cooking, add the cooled bacon to the mixture and mix all together.

Form into patties, however big you would like, and throw those little suckers on your hot grill. If you are not using a grill and just want to use your frying pan, pour the excess bacon fat into a jar/can to use later and add your pork burgers directly to that hot pan. They will need to cook for about 5-6 minutes/side depending how thick you made them and where you decide to cook them.

While the burgers cook on grill or pan, pull out a smaller saute pan, and add your fat of choice along with your minced garlic clove and heat up under medium-high heat.

Once the garlic smell fills the air, add your coconut milk, oranges, and green chiles to the mixture.

Add a bit of salt and pepper to the mix and stir. Turn the heat down low and let simmer for about 3-4 minutes.

Once the burgers are cooked through, top them off with the spicy orange dressing.

bacon recipe source: Juli Bauer, paleomg.com (@paleOMG), June 20, 2011

3820. BACON & BROWN SUGAR OLD FASHIONED

Serves: 1 drink


1 tsp brown sugar simple syrup*
1 orange wedge
2 dashes bitters
2 oz bacon infused bourbon (see recipe here)
1 cocktail cherry

In an old fashioned glass gently muddle the brown sugar simple syrup, bitters and orange wedge, taking care not to muddle the orange peel.

Fill glass with ice, pour in bacon infused bourbon and garnish with a cherry.

*To make brown sugar simple syrup, combine equal parts brown sugar and water. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Allow to chill thoroughly before using.


bacon recipe source: Nicole, The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie (@marvelousfoodie), June 2013

3581. STIR-FRIED PASTA with ORANGE, BACON and CURRY

serves four


3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh root ginger
1 small onion, peeled, chopped
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
6 bacon rashers, chopped
2 red peppers, seeds removed, cut into ½in pieces
2 yellow peppers, seeds removed, cut into ½in pieces
2 teaspoons sugar
10½fl oz chicken stock
1 x 14oz can chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons Madras curry paste
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. dried Italian pasta, such as farfalle, cooked according to packet instructions, drained

To serve
1 handful chopped fresh basil leaves
1 handful chopped fresh chives

Heat the oil in a lidded wok (or saucepan) over a high heat until smoking. Add the garlic, ginger, onion and orange zest and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add the chopped bacon and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the bacon is golden-brown.

Add the red and yellow peppers, sugar, stock, chopped tomatoes, curry paste and tomato purée, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well.

Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then cover the wok with a lid and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and the peppers are tender.

Add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix well until coated and warmed through.

To serve, divide the stir-fried pasta equally among four serving plates and sprinkle over the chopped basil and chives.


bacon recipe source: Ken Hom, Saturday Kitchen Best Bites, BBC Food

3362. COARSE COUNTRY TERRINE (with PORK SHOULDER, PORK BELLY, BACON and PIG'S LIVER)

serves ten

10 oz rindless pork shoulder, chopped into small pieces

10 oz rindless pork belly, chopped into small pieces

5 oz rindless unsmoked streaky bacon rashers, chopped into small pieces

8 oz pig’s liver, rinsed and patted dry with kitchen paper

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 orange, juice and zest

6 tablespoons brandy 

3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns 

1 tablespoon juniper berries 

14 oz rindless smoked streaky bacon rashers

7 oz cornichons, drained

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put half the prok shoulder, half the pork belly, half the bacon, the liver and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the remaining pork shoulder, pork belly, bacon and pulse until roughly chopped and well combined.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the orange juice and zest, brandy and herbs until well combined. Grind the peppercorns and juniper berries together with a pestle and mortar and add to the mixture. Stir until well combined. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 1-3 hours.

Place the smoked bacon rashers on a board and stretch one at a time with the back of a knife. Place the first rasher diagonally in the terrine mould making sure some overlaps the edge. Place the second rasher diagonally in the opposite corner. Repeat with the remaining rashers, changing the angle slightly with each rasher so that the whole terrine mould is covered with bacon. (This will make the terrine easier to cut.)

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Spoon a third of the pâté mixture into the lined terrine and place half the cornichons neatly on top. (They need to run lengthways down the terrine, so that when the terrine is cut, they form a row of green circles in the centre.)

Spoon another third of the pâté mixture on top of the cornichons and press the surface smoothly and firmly. Cover with a second layer of cornichons and finish with the remaining pâté. Bring the overlapping bacon up and over the pâté to cover the surface.

Cover with the lid (or aluminium foil if using an ovenproof dish) and place the terrine into a small roasting tin. Add enough just-boiled water to the roasting tin to come 2cm/¾in up the outside of the terrine. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1½ hours.

To test the terrine is ready, remove from the oven and insert a skewer into the centre. Hold for 10 seconds, then remove and lightly touch the end. The skewer should feel hot. The pâté should also have shrunk away from the sides of the terrine. Remove from the roasting tin.

Remove the terrine lid, cover with a double layer of aluminium foil and place a couple of cans of beans or some other heavy weights on top. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge overnight. The next day, turn the pate out onto a board and cut into thick slices. Serve with hot, crusty bread and lots of butter.

bacon recipe source: The Hairy Bikers, Hairy Bikers' Best of British, BBC Food

3168. SWEET POTATO BACON BITES

makes two dozen


8 slices hickory-smoked bacon
2 long, thin sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs. total), peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2"-thick rounds
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
olive spray oil
1/2 cup sour cream
zest of 1 Satsuma tangerine, clementine or small orange
2 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet until almost crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to let drain, and then finely chop. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Spray a clean, large baking sheet with oil and then arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer. Spray tops with oil and bake on the bottom third of the oven, flipping once, until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes; set aside to let cool until warm. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and zest. To serve, top each round of sweet potato with sour cream, bacon and green onions.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Whole Deal, Whole Foods Market, November/December 2013

2986. BEEF STEW with BACON and BUTTERNUT SQUASH

yields six servings


3 pounds beef chuck
Kosher salt and black pepper
olive or vegetable oil
6 slices good quality, lean, smoky bacon, chopped 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, chopped
2 to 3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped, divided
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 12-ounce bottle hard cider or 1 cup sweet vermouth
2 fat strips orange rind
1 quart beef stock
1 medium-large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
a little freshly grated nutmeg
about 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
about 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
warm crusty bread and butter, to pass at table

Bring meat to room temperature and pat dry. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Just before cooking, season with Kosher salt and black pepper. Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and stir until crisp; remove to a plate. Cook meat in batches, caramelizing on all sides. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining meat, adding additional oil if necessary. To meat drippings, add chopped carrot, celery, onion, sliced garlic, marjoram, half the thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Partially cover pot and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste, cook for 1 minute, then stir in hard cider or vermouth and a few fat strips of orange rind; deglaze and reduce liquid by half. Add stock then slide meat and bacon back into the pot, bring to bubble, cover and transfer to oven. Roast 2 1/2 hours. Remove the stew and let it stand, covered, while you roast squash. Raise heat to 425°F. Coat squash with oil and toss with remaining thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Roast 30-35 minutes, turning once, until brown at edges. Once the squash is done, remove bay leaf and orange rind from the stew. Skim fat with a spoon or paper towels. Place meat in a large shallow bowl or serving dish and stir honey and mustard into sauce. Stir in squash and serve in bowls. Pass crusty bread at table for mopping.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Rachael Ray Show, March 19, 2013 

2255. BACON-WRAPPED SHARK and SCALLOP KEBABS with JACK DANIELS GLAZE

serves four


1 lb. shark, cut into 2 oz. chunks
1 lb. jumbo scallops
¼ cup BBQ seasoning
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
1 orange, segmented and juiced
¼ cup butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
4 oz. Jack Daniels
16 slices bacon, cooked

Cut shark meat into 2 inch chunks approximately 2 oz each.

In a bowl combine, shark chunks, scallops, bbq seasoning, cilantro, sage and orange juice. Mix gently to coat and let stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small saucepot melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until tender. Add the brown sugar, honey and Jack Daniel’s and bring to a boil. Reduce heat too low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Wrap each scallop and each chunk of shark meat with a slice of partially cooked bacon and skewer alternating scallop and shark onto metal or bamboo skewers. Two of each per skewer.

Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side until just cooked through basting with reserved Jack Daniel’s sauce.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Fishing the Flats with Henry Waszczuk, 1299 Gillespie Avenue, North Port, Florida 34286

1869. ROAST COLLAR of BACON with BLACKENED CRACKLING and CUMBERLAND SAUCE

serves eight



2.25kg/4lb 15¼oz collar of bacon
1 tablespoon molasses or black treacle
salt flakes

For the Cumberland sauce
1 medium lemon
1 medium orange
4 heaped tablespoons good-quality redcurrant jelly
4 tablespoons port
1 heaped teaspoon mustard powder
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
braised red cabbage, to serve

Preheat the oven to 240C/460F/Gas 9.

First of all, using a very sharp pointed knife, score the skin of the bacon in a criss-cross pattern, making little 1cm/½in diamonds (insert the tip of the knife only, hold the skin taut with one hand and drag the tip of the knife down in long movements).

To cook the bacon, warm the molasses or black treacle slightly (if it's very cold) then use a pastry brush to lightly coat all the little diamonds. Next, sprinkle the skin with salt flakes, pressing them well in, then place the joint in a roasting tin skin-side up (if it won't stand straight, use a couple of wodges of foil to prop it up).

Place the roasting tin in the oven and after 25 minutes turn the heat down to 180C/350F/Gas 4, and continue to cook for a further 1¾-2 hours. It should feel tender all the way through when tested with a skewer. Leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes after coming out of the oven.

For the Cumberland sauce, first, thinly pare off the zest of both the lemon and the orange using a potato peeler, then cut into very small strips 1cm/½in long and as thin as possible. Boil them in water for 5 minutes to extract any bitterness and drain well.

Now place the redcurrant jelly in a saucepan with the port and melt, whisking them together with a mini whisk over a low heat for 5 or 10 minutes.

In a serving bowl, mix the mustard and ginger with the juice of half the lemon until smooth, then add the juice of the whole orange, the port and redcurrant mixture, and finally the zests. Whisk well and the sauce is ready to use.

Serve with braised red cabbage and Cumberland Sauce, which is always served at room temperature. (Cumberland Sauce keeps well in a screw-top jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.)


bacon recipe courtesy of: Delia Smith, Delia's Classic Christmas, BBC-Food