Best Homemade Bacon Recipes

HOMEMADE BACON

Steps:

• Rinse the pork belly and pat dry. Transfer to a resealable 2-gallon plastic bag. To make the spice rub, mix the kosher salt, pink salt, brown sugar, honey, red pepper flakes, paprika and cumin in a bowl. Coat the pork belly all over with the mixture.
• Close the bag and refrigerate 7 to 10 days, flipping once a day, until the pork belly feels firm. It should take 7 days for a thin belly that is about 11/2 inches thick, longer for a belly that's 2 to 3 inches thick.
• Remove the pork belly from the bag, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Refrigerate the belly on a rack, uncovered, 48 hours.
• Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions using applewood chips, and set to 200 degrees F. Smoke the pork belly 3 hours, or until the bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F.
• Remove the rind (optional), then slice and cook as desired. To store, wrap the bacon in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 2 months.
• Pink curing salt is a mix of salt and sodium nitrite. It keeps the meat pink and protects it from bacteria. You can find it at specialty food stores or online.

HOMEMADE FRESH BACON BITS

Steps:

• Partially freeze your package of bacon so that it holds together easier while slicing.
• Use a sharp knife and cut the frozen bacon into long strips about 1/4 inch wide.
• Turn the bacon and cut the strips into pieces also about 1/4 in wide.
• Sprinkle with pepper.
• Fry over a medium high heat until crisp.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• You can freeze this for later use by placing the bacon bits in a single layer on a cooking sheet. Once they are frozen, place them in a zip lock bag for use in recipes, salads or baked potatoes. Freezing this way allows you to be able to take out just what you need without thawing the entire bag of frozen solid bacon bits.

HOMEMADE BACON JAM

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove to a cutting board, reserving 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet. Chop the bacon into small pieces, then put them back in the skillet.
• Put the bacon skillet over medium-high heat, add the brown sugar, molasses, honey, cider vinegar, sherry, garlic powder, mustard powder, shallots and garlic and bring the mixture to a slight boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer until syrupy, 30 to 45 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a canning jar and refrigerate. Enjoy within 2 days.

HOMEMADE BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
• Season pork belly with paprika, salt, and pepper. Tightly wrap pork twice in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven; let pork rest in the oven for 1 hour. Remove meat from oven, leaving it wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove pork from foil and slice across the grain in 1/4-inch thick slices. Working in batches, cook pork in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until golden and crisped, 6 to 8 minutes per slice.

HOMEMADE BUNS FOR BACON CHEESEBURGERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together water, molasses, yeast, and oil until yeast has dissolved. Slowly add flour, mixing until a dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead until smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Return dough to bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic wrap onto the surface of the dough. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees; line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Divide dough evenly into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place balls of dough on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart and cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Fill a spray bottle with cold water and generously moisten each ball of dough. Transfer to oven and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets.

HOMEMADE BACON KETCHUP

Steps:

• 1. Saute onion and garlic until tender and caramelized in a tablespoon or two of oil.
• 2. Add brown sugar to caramelized onions and garlic, and cook a couple of minutes until well integrated. Add tomatoes, roast bell peppers, paprika, bay leaf and fresh thyme.
• 3. Simmer about 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add balsamic vinegar at the end. (This will balance the sugar.)
• 4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bacon strips on a baking sheet in the oven until it is crispy all over. Drain on paper towels, and dice into small pieces; fold into ketchup.
• 5. Keeps well in a refrigerated container for about three weeks.

HOMEMADE VEGAN IMITATION BACON BITS!

Steps:

• Add the liquid smoke, soy sauce, molasses to a measuring cup , then fill with water to get one cup.
• In a microwave safe dish, mix together liquid smoke mixture, TVP and salt.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for five minutes. Carefully remove the wrap.
• Preheat a skillet with the oil.
• If using maple extract, add to the reconstituted TVP now and mix well.
• Add reconstituted TVP to the pan and toss to make sure it all gets coated with oil. Pan fry until desired crispness. Stir often. You don't necessarily want to "brown" them, but dry them out. This should take about ten minutes.
• Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.
• Store in the refrigerator. The bits should last at least a week. Or you can store in the freezer, they will last a long time!

HOMEMADE BACON RANCH PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Mix all ingredients together and lightly tossed until thoroughly combined.
• 2. Chill for 2 hours or more before serving.

HOMEMADE "SUDDENLY SALAD" (BACON RANCH)

Steps:

• 1. In large bowl that you're going to be serving this in, mix mayo, half of the packet of dressing mix, carrots, bacon bits and onion powder. (Don't add the peas yet.) Chill while making the rest.
• 2. Cook pasta according to package direstions using the shortest time. (Or cook al dente.)
• 3. Drain and cool. Fold pasta into mayo mixture well. Fold in peas last, carefully so that you don't smoosh them.
• 4. Chill for several hours. Serve chilled or room temp. Garnish top with a bit more bacon bits if you'd like.
• 5. So easy, so good, enjoy!! :D

HOMEMADE WAFFLES WITH BACON AND CHEDDAR

Steps:

• Spray electric waffle iron with cooking spray. Heat iron to medium heat.
• Meanwhile, combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk remaining ingredients until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended. (Do not overmix.)
• Pour amount of batter directed by manufacturer onto grids of waffle iron. Close lid quickly. (Do not open until waffle is done.) Cook according to manufacturer's directions. When done, lift waffle off grid with fork. Repeat with remaining batter.

HOMEMADE SMOKY VEGGIE BACON SALT

Steps:

• NOTE: If you want the salt to be a little more coarse, mix all of the ingredients EXCEPT the salt in the blender or VitaMix first. When they are powdery, add the salt and whiz until it's the texture you want.
• Mix everything in the DRY VitaMix (or use a good blender) and blended on high, stopping now and then to stir everything up (because it tends to clump together), and then blend again. When you can't feel any tomato bits anymore, stop. IScrape the mixture into a dry bowl and mix it with a spoon to fluff it up. Scoop it into a dry 1-pint canning jar with a tight lid. You can put some in a shaker-jar for table use.

HOMEMADE BACON EGG AND CHEESE BISCUIT

Steps:

• 1. In a bowl combine the flour and sugar. Add the shorting and crumble with your fingers to incorporate into the flour. Make a well in the center and gradually add the milk, combining it into the flour as you pour. Gently form the dough. Do Not Overwork the dough or the biscuits will not be fluffy. Flour a clean surface to roll the dough to about ¾ inch thickness. Cut out biscuits to desired size (a coffee cup works well as the biscuit cutter). Butter a cast iron pan and place biscuits in the pan. Bake for about 18-20 minutes.

SCRAP IRON CHEF'S BACON (HOMEMADE BACON)

Steps:

• In a large non-reactive pot, bring half the water, 1 cup of sugar, salt, and 8 ounces molasses to a boil.
• Stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Pour into a large container with the remaining water, and the apple cider.
• Place in the refrigerator and cool to 40 degrees F.
• Press the black pepper into the pork belly.
• Once the brine has cooled place the peppered pork belly into the mixture until completely submerged.
• Refrigerate for three days.
• After three days have passed, remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
• Lay on a rack over a sheet pan and place in front of a fan for 1 hour to form a pellicle.
• Lay the pork in the protein box of a cold smoker and smoke for 4 to 6 hours.
• Chill the meat in the freezer for 1 hour to stiffen for easy slicing into strips of bacon.
• Slice what you need and keep the remainder in a freezer safe bag in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Place the strips of bacon onto a sheet pan fitted with a rack and place into a cold oven.
• Turn the oven to 400 degrees F and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your bacon.
• Remove from rack and drain on paper towels.
• Enjoy.

HOMEMADE INSTANT POT BAKED BEANS WITH BACON | SELF PROCLAIMED FOODIE

Steps:

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HOMEMADE BEAN & BACON SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Soak the bag of navy beans in water for 3 hours (or overnight). Drain & rinse beans and add 9 cups of low salt chicken broth in a large pot.
• 2. In a fry pan, melt the stick butter & saute the chopped onion, 4 chopped carrots and celery. When the onion starts to caramelize, dump it all into the pot of beans & chicken stock.
• 3. Now, I take the pound of bacon and cut it down the middle in half. Use only half the pound, then fry the half pieces until almost crisp, drain on paper towels and throw the whole half pieces in the pot. Add 2 dashes of liquid smoke. Cover and simmer for 4 hours or so until thick and beans are tender. (the reason I do this is because I do not like the texture of bacon when cooked in a soup but I want the flavor soooo when it is done cooking, I take the half pieces out of the soup and discard) I fry up extra bacon to crispy and garnish the soup with it just before serving it so it stays crunchy while I eat it. I do stir it in at this point.
• 4. Now, if you do not mind the texture of the bacon in the soup, just chop the bacon in small pieces and fry, drain on paper towels and add to the soup. Add 2 dashes of liquid smoke. Cover and simmer the 4 hours or so until the beans are tender and the soup is thick. Serve.
• 5. If you double this recipe, double everything except the Chicken broth. Use 10-12 cups of broth for doubling if you like a thick soup. I promise, you won't need more. If you like it a little more soupy, add more broth.

HOMEMADE BACON SALT

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F
• Place bacon in a single layer on a cooling rack placed on a baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the bacon is very crisp and starting to look overcooked.
• Remove from oven and place cooked strips on a paper towel; press all the grease out.
• Break into chunks and place into food processor; whirl until nearly a paste.
• Add remaining ingredients and continue to process until fully incorporated.
• Store in covered jar in refrigerator.

HOMEMADE CHEESY BACON BURGERS

Steps:

• 1. Mix all ingredients in a big bow l till mixed well. I just work it all with my hands its much easier that way I have a burger press I got from my Mom but you can use your hands too and make the patties, I like mine thick so I made them all 1 inch thick. Place them on a foil lined cook sheet (easier clean up, plus you can use the cook sheet when cooking them) I put 6 on then put a piece of parchment paper then put the other 6 on top and use a small piece for the 2 that were left. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 2 hrs to let all the spices come together. When ready Fire up the BBQ to med heat (350) BBQ till done flipping only once. ENJOY
• 2. NOTE: You can freeze these too make sure you put parchment paper or wax paper between the burgers so they come apart easier

MAPLE BACON CORNBREAD MUFFINS - HOMEMADE HOOPLAH

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chopped bacon until very crispy, about 7-10 minutes. Place crumbled bacon on a paper towel covered plate to dry and cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with muffin 15 standard baking cup liners and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together yellow cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Once mixed, create a well in the center of the cornmeal mixture. Set bowl aside.
• In a medium bowl, add eggs and gently whisk to break up yolk and whites. Add maple syrup, milk, yogurt, and vegetable oil to bowl, then whisk until combined.
• Pour wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, mix batter until moistened and most the large clumps are gone (a few small clumps are okay).
• Add about 3/4 of the prepared bacon to the batter and gently fold it in until mixed.
• Pour maple bacon muffin mix into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup up about 2/3 full. Note: This recipe is designed to make exactly 15 muffins. If you have excess muffin mix, resist making more muffins - instead, try to find room for the batter in the existing 15 muffins.
• Bake cornbread muffins for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• When serving, sprinkle remaining crumbled bacon on top of the muffins and drizzle maple syrup on top.

MUM'S HOMEMADE MACARONI CHEESE WITH BACON

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pot over a medium heat and add the onion.Cook until transparent.
• Add the bacon.
• Take off the heat and mix in flour (until it forms a ball) and gradually stir in milk with a whisk.
• Return the pot to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes.
• Add the mustard and pepper and whisk in two cups of cheese (or more to taste).
• When it is blended well, add in the cooked macaroni and transfer to a large casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Top with the remainder of the cheese and sprinkle with breadcrumbs (I spray a little Pam on the breadcrumbs to help it brown better). Top with sliced tomato.
• Place under the broiler until cheese is bubbly.

BACON MILK ROLLS WITH HOMEMADE BROWN SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the brown sauce, add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan with a teaspoon of salt, bring to the boil then simmer on a low heat for 30 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking.
• Generously butter your milk rolls, add 2 rashers of bacon and a dollop of your homemade brown sauce to each butty.