3823. BACON-CHANTERELLE LAMB ROAST

Servings will vary depending on size of lamb


1 3-4 lb. lamb shoulder roast (with or without bone)
4 slices bacon, roughly chopped
Couple handfuls chanterelle mushrooms, roughly chopped (about 2-3 cups)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

If using a clay pot, fill the sink with warm water and submerge it. Preheat oven to 300°F. Take lamb roast out of the oven to take the chill off of it. Sprinkle liberally with S&P on all sides.

Meanwhile, throw bacon, chanterelles, garlic, shallot, and rosemary into a food processor. Pulse everything together into a paste. Scrape the contents of the bowl into a sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until fat renders from bacon and the mushroomy bits are softened, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.

Place lamb in clay pot or roasting pan. Coat with a thick layer of the mushroom-bacon mixture on all sides. Put it in the oven.

I like to check the roast every hour, so I set the timer accordingly, resetting it for another hour as necessary. Check the internal temp with a thermometer, and when it reaches 150°F, take it out and let it rest for 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat. My bone-in roast was pretty small, and so it only took about 2 1/2 hours.

Slice meat thinly, ladle some of the cooking juices over the slices, and serve it up.


bacon recipe source: The Paleo Periodical, November 15, 2012

3758. RUSTIC POT ROAST with BACON, GARLIC and ROSEMARY

2 slices bacon, diced

3- to 4-pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup beef broth, low-sodium or homemade
2 onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 russet or baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with its juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 sprigs rosemary, plus more for garnish

Spray the inside if the slow cooker with cooking spray.

Heat a large Dutch oven or cast-iron pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the bacon drippings.

Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper on all sides (go easy on the salt if using canned stock, which is already salty). Add the olive oil to the pan with the dripping and then, over medium-high heat, deglaze the pan with the beef broth, scraping up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the juices from the pan into the slow cooker.

Add the onions, celery, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, and rosemary to the slow cooker. Finally add the bacon. Stir everything well, nestling the vegetables and rosemary into the broth. Cover and cook on low for at least 7 hours and up to 8 hours, until the meat is very tender.

Transfer the meat to a platter and turn the slow cooker to high. Leave the slow cooker uncovered and continue cooking the sauce for 45 minutes, or until it has thickened some. Return the meat to the slow cooker and continue to cook on high for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened a bit more.

Remove the rosemary sprigs and discard.

Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Plate the beef on a large platter and spoon the potatoes and sauce around and over the beef. Garnish with additional rosemary sprigs. Save any sauce for bread dipping.

bacon recipe source: Susan Puckett, Atlanta Magazine, November 6, 2013; The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics, by Kendra Bailey Morris (Ten Speed Press, 2013)

3520. GARLIC-BACON POT ROAST with PURPLE CARROTS

serves six


3-4 lb chuck pot roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
8 slices applewood-smoked bacon, diced
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
8 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (32oz) container of beef stock
2 tablespoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
4 carrots
8 small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1 celery stalk

Pre-Heat the oven to 325º. Trim the fat from the meat, pat dry with a piece of paper towel (this helps the roast caramelize faster). Season the meat generously with salt and fresh cracked pepper. In a large oven safe plan or dutch oven heat oil until hot then carefully transfer the seasoned pot roast to the hot pan. Brown the roast on all sides to seal in the moister and flavor. Once you have all the sides browned transfer to a plate.

Add the chopped bacon into the hot pan with the caramelized bits from the pot roast. Cook the bacon until crisp then remove the bacon and set aside with the pot roast.

Into the same pan you have been using add the onions and smashed garlic. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all of the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan as you cook the onions and garlic. Cook the onions and garlic until they are tender and you see caramelization on them about 5 min.

Return the pot roast and bacon to the pan with the onions and garlic. Add the broth, Thyme, and rosemary to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover; transfer to the oven. Bake for 1¾ to 2 hours.

Add the carrots, potatoes and celery stalk. Cover; bake 45 minutes more until the carrots and potatoes are tender. At this point your pot roast should be fork tender and your mouth should be watering.

Remove the pot roast, carrots, and potatoes from the au jus, set aside on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. This also allows the juices to go back into the roast so that it is juicy and tender. Next skim the fat from the liquid and strain it to remove any bits. Return the liquid to the stove, bring to a boil uncovered for 15 min to reduce. We are looking to have a slightly thickened gravy. If you didn't want to wait for the Au Jus to thicken you could always cheat and add a bit of corn starch and water to thicken it quickly.

Slice the roast and then serve with the vegetables, reserved bacon bits and luscious gravy. Top with a bit of the fresh thyme and rosemary.


bacon recipe source: {Sassy} Southern Yankee (@SasySouthrnYank), February 23, 2014 

3377. BACON-WRAPPED BLACKBERRY PORK ROAST

1/4 cup blackberry preserves
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 4-to-5-pound boneless center-cut pork loin, trimmed
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 red onions, quartered
8 slices bacon
2 tablespoons instant flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Combine the preserves, 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Poke the pork in a few spots with a paring knife, then rub with the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Rub the pork all over with the preserves mixture, then transfer to a large resealable bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

About 20 minutes before roasting, remove the pork from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the red onions in a metal roasting pan and set a rack on top. Wrap the pork with the bacon (see below), then set on the rack. Roast until the bacon is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pork to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the gravy: Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pan. Place the roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-low heat and whisk in the flour until incorporated. Add the chicken broth and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the twine and slice the pork. Serve with the onions and gravy.

How to wrap pork: Lay the bacon slices over the pork, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under. Tie a piece of kitchen twine around each slice to secure it.

bacon recipe source: Food Network Kitchen/Food Network Magazine

2863. VEAL ROLLS with BACON and GROUND BEEF

serves six


6 slices of veal breast or rump roast
9 oz. ground beef
1 thick slice of bacon
6 sprigs fresh parsley
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
salt

Season the veal slices with a little salt on both sides, then divide the ground beef among the slices, placing it on top and pressing it down gently. Cut the bacon into 6 strips. Put a strip of bacon and a parsley sprig in the middle of each slice. Roll up each slice of veal and tie it with fine kitchen string. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the veal rolls and cook, turning frequently, until browned all over. Remove from the pan, drain, and set aside. Add onion to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until beginning to brown. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the wine, a little at a time, then stir in 3/4 cup water. Add the bay leaf, return the veal rolls to the pan, and add 3/4 cup water to cover them. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Lift the veal rolls out of the pan, remove and discard the string, and place the rolls on a warm serving dish. Remove the bay leaf. Pass sauce through a food mill or process in a food processor, then pour over the meat.


bacon recipe courtesy of: 1080 Recipes by Simone and Inés Ortega; New York: Phaidon Press Limited, 2007; page 606.

2013. HONEY-MUSTARD PORK ROAST with BACON over ARUGULA SALAD

yields six servings


Pork:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard (recommended: Maille)
2 tablespoons honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 (3 1/2-pound) center-cut, boneless, pork loin roast
12 slices bacon (about 1 pound)

Salad:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups (5 ounces) baby arugula

Special equipment: kitchen twine

For the pork: Put an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, add the Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey, garlic, and rosemary and mix together until smooth. Arrange the pork in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan and spread the mustard mixture evenly over the pork. Starting on 1 side, lay a piece of bacon, lengthwise, on the pork. Lay another slice of bacon on the pork making sure to slightly overlap the first piece. Continue with the remaining bacon, until the pork is fully covered in bacon. Using 3 pieces of kitchen twine, secure the bacon in place. Roast for 1 hour. Cover the pan, loosely, with foil and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 160 degrees F. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the roast to a cutting board. Cover the pan with foil and allow the pork to rest for 20 minutes. Remove the kitchen twine and slice the pork into 1/2-inch thick slices.

For the salad: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Put the arugula on a large platter and drizzle with the dressing. Arrange the pork slices on top and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Giada De Laurentiis, "Thanksgiving," Giada at Home, Food Network

1353. PARTRIDGE ROAST with CABBAGE, BACON and MARSALA

serves four


4 crowns of partridge, (breasts still attached to the bone, but wings and legs removed)
salt and pepper
4 sprigs thyme
12 slices bacon
25 grams butter, plus extra for deglazing
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
100 grams pancetta lardons
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 savoy cabbage, sliced
100ml chicken stock
200ml marsala

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Season the partridge crowns and lay a sprig of thyme on each, then wrap them in 3 slices of bacon each, securing with cotton string. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy ovenproof pan, and sear the breasts until they are a good golden color. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, fry the onions until beginning to soften, then add the pancetta lardons and cook until beginning to brown. Add the crushed garlic and sliced cabbage to the pan and sauté for a few minutes. Pour in the stock and lay the partridge on top of the cabbage. Cover with foil and cook in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and make sure the birds are just cooked (the juices should run clear); if they are not give them 5 minutes more.

Remove the birds and cabbage from the pan and set aside to rest. Bring the pan to the heat and deglaze with a glass of Marsala. Add a knob of butter to the pan and incorporate into the wine.

To serve, pile some cabbage on a plate and lay a partridge crown on top. Pour a tablespoon or so of the intense Marsala sauce over each one and enjoy!


courtesy of: Wild Flavours: Real Produce, Real Food, Real Cooking by Mike Robinson. Cassell Illustrated, 2006

1264. MOLASSES-CURED PORK SHOULDER BACON

makes about 4 1/2 lbs


1 (4- to 6-lb) boneless pork shoulder Boston roast (Boston butt)
6 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Instacure No. 1 (available at The Sausage Maker, 888-490-8525)
1/2 cup mild molasses
3 cups ice cubes
4 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

Special equipment: a 1- to 2-gallon plastic storage tub or stainless-steel bowl; a 221/2-inch covered kettle grill with a hinged top rack; a 12- by 8- by 2-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan; 3 lb hardwood sawdust*; charcoal briquettes; a chimney starter; long metal tongs; an instant-read thermometer

Put pork butt, fat side up, on a work surface, then halve horizontally with a sharp large knife.

Stir together water, salt, brown sugar, and Instacure in storage tub until solids are dissolved, about 3 minutes, then add molasses and stir until dissolved. Add ice and stir until cure is cold (ice may not be completely melted; keeping liquid cold slows salt absorption).

Add pork to cure, then weight with a large plate to keep submerged. Chill, tub covered with a lid or plastic wrap, 36 hours.

Rinse pork and pat dry, then discard brine. Sprinkle pork evenly with pepper (if using).

Prepare grill and smoke bacon: See preceding recipe.

Cut bacon crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife, then fry in a heavy skillet over moderately low heat, turning, until browned. Transfer to paper towels to drain.


courtesy of: Gourmet, June 2002

763. HUNGARIAN GOULASH with BEER and BACON

makes 8 servings


3 slices bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups chopped onions, about 2 large
3 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon caraway seeds, toasted and ground
3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
½ to 1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
4 cups beer
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 cup water
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream, at room temperature

Cook bacon in large, heavy soup pot until crispy. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to small bowl and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to bacon drippings in pot. Add onions and sauté over medium heat until tender and brown, about 15 to20 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.

Put 2 more tablespoons butter into pot. Increase heat to medium-high. Sauté meat in two batches, stirring occasionally until meat is brown on all sides. Add garlic to last batch and cook for 2 minutes. Put all meat back into pot. Stir sweet and hot paprika, ground caraway seeds and black pepper into meat mixture. Add beer, broth and water, stirring up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add reserved onions and bacon to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours.

Add the tomatoes and green pepper and simmer, uncovered, until the green peppers are tender and the sauce is a little thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and more pepper.

To serve, ladle the goulash into bowls with a potato dumpling and garnish with a dollop of sour cream.


NOTE: Toast caraway seeds in a small skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when seeds become fragrant.

NOTE: Make this goulash a day or two ahead of time if you can so that the flavors have time to meld.


courtesy of: Sue Doeden's All About Food, Sue Doeden, Bemidji, Minnesota

476. ROLLED STUFFED ROAST OF VENISON with BACON

6 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1⁄2 cup chopped celery
1⁄2 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3-4 lb. roast of any big game or regular meat up to an inch thick
3 slices of bacon, cut in half

Heat oven to 325°. Fry first part of bacon and reserve 3 Tbsp. of fat, drain bacon on paper towel. Crumble bacon and set aside. Cook and stir onion, celery, and carrot in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbled bacon, bread crumbs, parsley flakes, salt and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture firmly into meat. Roll up jelly-roll style, rolling with grain of the meat. Tie roast with kitchen string or whatever works for you. Place in roasting pan. Top roast with 3 halved slices of bacon. Roast to desired doneness, 22 to 33 minutes per pound.


courtesy of: Woods Smoked Meats, 1501 Business Hwy. 54 West, Bowling Green, Missouri 63334

294. ROLLED STUFFED ROAST of VENISON with BACON

6 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
¼ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3-4 lb. roast of any big game or regular meat up to an inch thick
3 slices of bacon, cut in half

Heat oven to 325°. Fry first part of bacon and reserve 3 tablespoons of fat, drain bacon on paper towel. Crumble bacon and set aside. Cook and stir onion, celery, and carrot in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbled bacon, bread crumbs, parsley flakes, salt and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture firmly into meat. Roll up jelly-roll style, rolling with grain of the meat. Tie roast with kitchen string or whatever works for you. Place in roasting pan. Top roast with 3 halved slices of bacon. Roast to desired doneness, 22 to 33 minutes per pound.


courtesy of: Ed and Regina Woods / Woods Smoked Meats, 1501 Business Hwy. 54 West, Bowling Green, Missouri 63334, 573-324-2247

239. STANDING RIB ROAST with PORCINI and BACON SAUCE

makes 12 servings


6 large garlic cloves
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 8 1/2- to 9-pound beef rib roast
Porcini and Bacon Sauce (see below)


With processor running, drop garlic through feed tube and chop finely. Scrape down bowl. Add thyme, oil, salt, and pepper; blend to paste. Pat roast dry with paper towels. Place roast, bone side down, in roasting pan. Cut several shallow slits in fat. Press some garlic paste into slits. Rub remaining garlic paste all over roast. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Uncover and let stand at room temperature 2 hours before roasting.)

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Roast beef 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Roast until thermometer inserted into beef from center of top registers 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare, about 1 hour 50 minutes. Transfer to platter; reserve roasting pan with juices for Porcini and Bacon Sauce.

Let roast stand at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour. Serve roast with sauce, horseradish cream, and popovers.

Meat tip: Buy the best beef you can afford — at least USDA Choice, preferably USDA Prime — and let it marinate up to 36 hours in the garlic-herb paste. Premium-grade roasts can be ordered for you by any supermarket meat department.

**

Porcini & Bacon Sauce:

makes about 2¼ cups


2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
1/4 pound sliced bacon, chopped
9 garlic cloves, sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
3 cups dry red wine
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
1 large fresh rosemary sprig
Reserved roasting pan with juices
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter, diced


Place porcini mushrooms in small bowl; add 2 cups boiling water. Let soak until mushrooms soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Strain, reserving mushrooms and liquid separately.

Sauté bacon in large saucepan over medium heat until golden. Add garlic and shallots; sauté 3 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms; sauté 8 minutes. Transfer half of mushrooms to bowl; reserve.

Add drained porcini and wine to pan. Boil 15 minutes. Mix in all broth. Add porcini liquid, leaving sediment behind. Return mixture to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until mixture is reduced to 5 cups, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Skim fat from top; add rosemary. Simmer 3 minutes; discard rosemary. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover mushroom-wine mixture and reserved mushrooms separately; chill.)

Place reserved roasting pan over 2 burners. Add mushroom-wine mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Strain back into same saucepan, pressing out all liquid. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Mix in reserved mushrooms from bowl. Whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper.


courtesy of: Bruce Aidells and Nancy Oakes / Bon Appétit, December 2005