Best Cider Braised Slab Bacon Recipes

SWEET AND TANGY COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Add bacon, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the fat begins to collect in the pot and bacon starts to look shiny, about 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Working in batches, add collard greens to pot, letting greens wilt slightly after each handful before adding more. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until greens wilt and lose about half of their original volume, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pot, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender and liquid is almost completely evaporated, 25-30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and sugar and cook another minute to allow sugar to dissolve; season with salt and pepper.

WHISKEY & MAPLE GLAZED SLAB BACON

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a Jelly Roll pan with foil for easy clean up. Place slab of bacon in center of pan, fatty side up. With a sharp knife cut cross every 1", about 1/2" deep..Then turn and cut across again, so it looks like tic tac toe, only with a lot of lines...
• 2. Drizzle maple syrup over top and rub in, you want it to get in those cuts. Then repeat with 1/2 cup whiskey glaze. Cover tightly with foil and bake for one hour. Remove from oven, reduce heat to 325. Turn slab over...brush or drizzle 1/2 cup or so of whiskey glaze over top, cover again with foil and bake another hour.
• 3. Remove from oven, allow to rest 10 minutes, remove foil, slice as desired (I did approx 3"x1" pieces), place in skillet over medium heat, drizzle with more glaze to coat all sides and warm through, sauce will thicken and caramelize as it heats. Be careful not to burn. Serve as desired. I served over polenta with a little dish of more whiskey sauce for dipping. ENJOY!!!
• 4. POLENTA: 3 c milk, 1 1/4 c cream, 1/2 c butter, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 1/2 c corn meal... Butter or spray a 9x13 pan, set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring milk, cream, salt and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. When it starts to boil, slowly sprinkle in corn meal while briskly whisking the whole time, until all corn meal has been incorporated. Continue to whisk until thickened. Then pour into prepared pan. Set aside to cool. When cool cut into servings. Warm slightly before serving. May be stored in refrigerator for up to a week.

BRAISED GREENS

Steps:

• Heat a 6-quart casserole over medium heat. Add the bacon and duck fat and cook for five minutes to render the fat from the bacon. Add the garlic, shallot, and chiles and cook until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the greens, reduce the heat to low, add the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Cook the greens down until they're tender, about 1 hour. Drizzle with the honey and mix well.
• This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

BACON-BRAISED MUSTARD GREENS

Steps:

• Rinse greens well. Cut out stems and thick veins; tear leaves into 4- or 5-inch pieces.
• Cook bacon in a large sauté pan until fat starts to render and bacon begins to brown. Add onion, garlic and pepper flakes and sauté until onion is soft, about 7 minutes. Add sugar, vinegar and chicken stock. Heat to boiling, add greens and cook slowly, stirring often as the greens begin to release their own liquid.
• Reduce heat and simmer greens until tender, 10 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.