The food truck trend is just as hot as the bacon trend. New food trucks are popping up everywhere, and food truck events, where many trucks gather in one location, are becoming popular in urban centers. Unlike the bacon trend, there is a downside to the food truck trend: some trucks are disappearing almost as quickly as they appear. But several well-known trucks (and some not-so-well-known) are proof that bacon and food trucks haven’t nearly jumped the shark yet. Here’s a list of the best bacon food trucks and trailers still in operation. Check back later for a “Top 10 BBQ & Pork Food Trucks” post. Are you lucky enough to have one of these baconcentric trucks in your neighborhood?

Bacon Bacon – San Francisco

Bacon Bacon has had its share of difficulties lately. In 2012 their truck caught on fire, and complaints from suspected vegetarian neighbors are threatening to temporarily shut down their cafe location. Fan support has been strong, and this popular truck serves up a bounty of bacon items like the grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and bacon jam and the Triple B Taco with pork butt, pork belly and bacon. Even the fries have pork belly trimmings!

Bacon MANia – NorCal and SoCal

Another California favorite, Bacon Mania has two trucks, one serving the Sacramento area, and another that visits Orange County. BaconMANia describes its food as “unabashedly American, unapologetic man-food.” Dishes include Mac’N Bac’N French Fries, All-American Sliders made with 50% ground bacon, and the “PB & J,” which is wrapped in Applewood Smoked Bacon and deep-fried.

The Bacon Trolley – St. Paul, MN

Serving up Modern American Street Food with a pork-based menu, the Bacon Trolley can be found on the streets of St. Paul, Minnesota. Their signature sandwich is called “The Spanker,” a BBQ pork sandwich topped with strips of bacon. For the more adventurous, there’s “The Elvis,” a peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich.

Pig on the Street – Vancouver BC

Our neighbors to the north can enjoy the offerings of “Pig on the Street.” Catch them on an upcoming episode of the Cooking Channel’s “Eat St.” on June 3rd. Their bacon-topped soups come with a bacon-cheese stir stick, and their signature sandwich, “The Porker,” has double-smoked bacon, sausage and bacon stuffing, gouda, greens, apple and cider chutney.

The Bacon Lover’s Truck – Addison, TX

This Kickstarter success story is also known as the “B.L.T.” This relatively new truck serves a variety of sandwiches where “bacon is the star.” The Morning After breakfast sandwich is served on a homemade honey butter biscuit and has maple bacon, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes. The Caprese has grilled beefsteak tomatoes, locally-made mozzarella, basil pesto and applewood smoked bacon.

The Caveman Truck – Indianapolis, IN

Emblazoned with their “Bacon > Gluten” logo and a picture that is reminiscent of Captain Caveman (if you’re under 30, Google it), this truck is the first to adhere to the Paleo diet. Its menu is bacon-heavy and includes menu items such as bacon hash and bacon chili.

Trailer Park Truck – Los Angeles

Bacon is featured in almost every menu item at this food truck. Try Big Dave’s Mac and Bacon Melt, mac and cheese and bacon grilled between white bread, the Blue Ribbon Frito Pie which is topped with bacon crumbles, or their bacon-topped Shotgun Shells and Cheese.

Lard Have Mercy – Austin, TX

Almost everything is deep-fried on this bacon-centric menu. Offerings include Miss Piggy’s Nachos—bacon-flavored tortilla chips , jalapeno cheese and crumbled bacon, and Porky’s Revenge, chicken-fried bacon.

Pig Vicious – Austin, TX

This food trailer’s motto is “Bacon in the morning, bacon in the evening, and bacon late at night.” Dishes include a bacon and fried egg breakfast sandwich with bacon aioli, deep-fried bacon-wrapped pickles, and a bacon shake with almonds and maple syrup.

Honorable Mention:

Maximus/Minimus – Seattle, WA

The Seattle favorite “Maximus/Minimus” serves pulled pork sandwiches in a truck that is in the shape of a pig. Note the custom license plate: “SOMEPIG.” Oink oink!

Got a hankerin’ for the food truck love, but none of these trucks are in your area? Check Roaming Hunger to find a food truck in your ‘hood.

These trucks are on hiatus or in the process of opening, but check their websites for updates on their availability.

Unforsaconbacon – Dallas, TX
The Bacon Truck – Hoboken, NJ
Bacon Wagon – Fort Worth, TX
Makin’ Bacon – Indianopolis, IN

Comfort Food. It can mean different things to different people, but when most people think of comfort food, they think of something rich and hearty. The empanada easily falls into the category of “Comfort Food,” which is probably why so many different countries and cultures have their own versions of this dish. Empanadas (and their variations) were created to be a portable, easy-to-eat, high-calorie comfort food for working class people who spent the entire day engaged in physical labor. The calzone, the pasty, the pierogi, the gyoza, and even the Hot Pocket are proof that people all around the world love pastries filled with meat.

National Empanada Day (May 8th) got me thinking about how much I love hearty meat pies. It also reminded me that my deep fryer hasn’t had much use lately and this would be a perfect day for busting it out and dusting it off. I followed this recipe from AllRecipes.com for the empanada pastry, but decided to create a “breakfast” version by changing the filling to one made with bacon and eggs. These would be delicious at lunch or dinner, topped with sour cream and served with a side salad or some roasted veggies. If you don’t have a deep fryer, you could deep-fry these in a Dutch oven filled with your preferred frying oil.

Ingredients for the pastry:

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup cold bacon grease
1 1/4 cups water, or as needed

For the filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 -1/2 pounds bacon, ground or finely chopped
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
1 quart oil for frying, or as needed

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in shortening & bacon grease using a pastry blender, or pinching into small pieces using your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use a fork to stir in water a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture forms a ball. Pat into a ball, and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender. Chop the bacon strips and add to the pan. Cook until brown and crispy. Season with salt, paprika, cumin and black pepper. Drain excess grease. Refrigerate until chilled, then stir in the hard-cooked eggs.

3. Form the dough into 2 inch balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball out into a thin circle. Spoon some of the meat mixture onto the center, then fold into half-moon shapes. Seal edges by pressing with a fork. If the empanadas come apart, seal the edges with a brushing of egg wash.

4. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). Place one or two pies into the fryer at a time. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning once to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot.

Apple pie has always been an age-old favorite, dating back to 1390. The first-ever recorded apple pie recipe was created by the Master Cooks of King Richard II. Back then, sugar was scarce and pie crusts were not intended for eating, but just for storage. In the last 600 years, Apple Pie has had a major makeover with sweet sugars, delightful spices, and flaky crusts. Since 1390, we’ve seen traditional apple pies, French apple pies, and apple pie “a la mode” (popularized in the 1890′s by Charles Watson Townsend after a trip to New York). Apple pie may not have originated in America, but it will always be an American favorite.

Today we’re bringing apple pie to the next level and giving this dessert a meaty upgrade! We took an American classic and added sweet flavored bacon inside the pie, added it to the crust, and made a deliciously beautiful bacon-weaved top. Thus, the ultimate American Beauty: The Bacon Weave Apple Pie!

1 lb. Vanilla Bourbon or Cinnamon Sugar Bacon
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp shortening
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp cold water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3-4 large thinly sliced peeled apples
sharp cheddar cheese slices (optional)

Preparation: Pull aside 8-12 strips of uncooked bacon and set aside. Cook remaining strips in a 400 oven for 17 minutes. Chop into small pieces and set aside.

Crust: Mix together 1 cup flour and salt. Cut in shortening using a pasty blender or by crossing 2 knives until particles are the size of course crumbs. Toss in a small handful of chopped bacon, then sprinkle cold water a little at a time, tossing with fork until all the flour is moistened. Roll pastry out into a even circle large enough to cover your pie plate. Press rolled crust into your pie plate.

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Peel, core, and slice apples. You’ll want to pour a little lemon or lime juice over them to keep them from browning.

2. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in large bowl. Add remaining chopped bacon and apples; toss. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate.

3. Using your uncooked strips of bacon, create a bacon weave and carefully place it over the top of the pie. Tuck in the overhanging pieces into the pie so that your bacon strips don’t drip grease all over your oven.

4. Loosely lay a piece of foil or parchment paper over the top of the pie. Bake 40-50 minutes taking the foil or paper off the pie during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Pie is done when crust is golden brown and bacon is starting to crisp. Depending upon how thick your bacon is, you may want to cook it a little longer.

5. Let the pie cool for a few minutes before cutting into it to allow the juices of the bacon to settle. Slice the pie and serve as is or with a piece of sharp cheddar cheese.

ENJOY!

Sources: http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PieHistory/ApplePie.htm

Every home baker has a recipe (or several) that they are scared of. Some people are terrified of pie crusts. Some freak out at the thought of messing with yeast packets and trying to get bread to rise. The word “soufflé” is actually French for “terror-inducing” (okay, not really), but it should be, as the thought of a soufflé strikes fear in the hearts and minds of many a home baker. It actually means to “blow up” or “puff up,” which is what the home cook does after the soufflé falls or, worse yet, never even rises…

Home-made caramels *used* to scare me, but I decided it was time to conquer that fear. I’m happy to report that this fear (unlike the fear of soufflé) was utterly unfounded, and that caramels are incredibly easy to make. All you’ll need to make these amazing maple bacon caramels from “Not Without Salt” is 7 ingredients and a cooking thermometer. One batch of maple bacon caramels will feed a lot of people. These caramels are so rich, that 1 or 2 (okay, maybe 3) will satisfy a person. And other than watching the temperature carefully, a lot of the prep time is hands-off as you wait for the caramels to cool. This recipe will be a standout at your next dinner party or potluck.

I contemplated subbing bacon grease for some of the butter, but didn’t know how it would affect how the caramels cook, or their color. My second attempt will involve more experimentation. The size of the pan that you use will determine how thick your caramels will be. I used a 9 x 13 pan and the size of each caramel was perfect, not too thick, not too thin.

These would also be great as a gift. Cut the caramels into strips, wrap in parchment paper, stack several up and tie together with a string.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 lb. of cooked, chopped bacon

1. Reserve 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Combine all the other ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Stir to combine.

2. Set on medium high heat. Stir occasionally and cook until 240 F. The candy is now at firm-ball stage.

3. Remove from the stove and carefully stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of cream. Place back on the heat and continue to cook to 245 F.

4. Immediately remove from heat and stir in a portion of the crispy bacon. Pour the caramel into a buttered dish or pan.

5. Scatter the remaining bacon on top. Let set for at least 3 hours before cutting. Enjoy!

#10. The 28 Pound Sandwich.
This sandwich debuted on the British version of Man V. Food. This monster sandwich has 35 different types of bacon, ham, salami, sausage, prosciutto and other meats. Yowsers!

#9. Sonic Bacon and Peanut Butter Milkshake.
For those who want to celebrate No Diet Day with a sweet treat, this new menu item from Sonic fits the bill. A large has 1,720 calories, and a mini has 700.

#8. Chili’s Jalapeno Smokehouse Burger.
It’s no surprise that most of the high calorie dishes on this list are burgers… When most people think of the best way to over-indulge, they often think of a juicy, bacon covered cheeseburger. At 1,910 calories, Chili’s Jalapeno Smokehouse Burger has the distinction of being the highest-calorie chain restaurant burger in the US.

#7. Bacon Turtle Burgers
Our Bacon Turtle Burgers are not only adorable, but they’re perfect for those who can’t decide between a burger or a hot dog. This way, you can satisfy your craving for both. Check out our recipe on how to make ‘em.

#6. Bacon-wrapped Hot Dog
For those who want “just” a hot dog and bacon, consider this: The bacon-wrapped chili dog. We have just one question: where’s the bun?

#5. Alabama Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf.
This meatloaf from Greer’s Market in Mobile, Alabama is a traditional beef meatloaf that is wrapped in bacon. ‘Nuff said.

#4. Quadruple Bypass Burger
The aptly named Heart Attack Grill with locations in Las Vegas, Texas and Arizona serves up this 9,000 calorie burger that has 20 bacon strips, 8 slices of cheese and 2 lbs of beef.

#3. Luther Burger
The Luther Burger is a bit of an urban legend, and its origin is disputed. Basically, it’s a bacon burger that substitutes donuts for the usual bun. We’ve seen lots of versions of this lately, including the “Brunch Burger” available to Pittsburgh Pirates fans. It’s a bacon cheeseburger, topped with a fried egg and sandwiched between two sprinkled-glazed donuts.

#2. Turbaconducken
Although it’s usually served at Thanksgiving, we think “No Diet Day” is the perfect day to serve a chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey that is covered in bacon. Right? Right!

#1. Boss Bacon Burger from Epic Meal Time
Epic Meal Time, a YouTube Channel Favorite, has loads of calorie-crazy dishes, but this one has to be up there on the list of all-time calorie highs: The Boss Bacon Burger. This bacon-stuffed burger has a jaw-dropping 109,000 calories. It’s covered in a bacon cheese sauce, and topped with hundreds of strips of bacon. Watch the video on how this bad boy is created.

Just what exactly makes a cupcake a Margarita cupcake? Tequila! And lime. Tequila is added to the batter and the frosting, and is also brushed onto the cooked cupcakes to infuse them with even more tequila flavor (or to increase the alcohol content). Depending on how boozy you want these cupcakes to be, you could certainly choose to omit any of these steps.

Lime juice and lime zest are added to the frosting which give these their Margarita flavor. The star ingredient is the bacon (of course). You could add cooked, chopped bacon bits to the batter, or top the cupcakes with bacon sprinkles. Or, do both (as we did)! Bacon is the perfect addition for those who don’t like a super-sweet cupcake. Adding bacon makes ‘em sweet and savory. We also added cayenne pepper to the batter to give the cupcakes a hint of spice. Use a jalapeno or chipotle bacon if you like a lot of heat!

For the tequila, we used a Silver Tequila, but you can substitute your favorite brand. So bake these up for your next Mexican-themed party and watch them get devoured! But trust us, they are so moist and delicious, you’ll want to make them year-round.

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

4 pieces cooked, crumbled bacon
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
Zest and juice of 1½ limes
2 tablespoons tequila
¼ teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract
1 pinch cayenne pepper (to taste)

For the Tequila-Lime Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons tequila
Cooked and crumbled bacon
Pinch of coarse salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
4. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, bourbon vanilla extract, cayenne pepper and tequila. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don’t worry).
6. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated, using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand. Stir in the cooked bacon pieces.
7. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just slightly golden and a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached.
8. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with tequila. Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting them.
9. To make the frosting, whip the butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the lime juice, tequila and salt and mix on medium-high speed until incorporated and fluffy. If the frosting appears too soft, add one additional teaspoon of sugar at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cupcakes and garnish with bacon bits and lime zest. Enjoy!

On your next anniversary or any other special occasion, don’t get your sweetheart the traditional bouquet of red roses. Get them some bacon roses.

Things you will need. (Because there’s more to this than just bacon… Duh.)
- BACON – regular pack and thick cut if you want different sizes of roses. Otherwise, just use the same kinds of bacon- 2 packs
- Rose Stems (Find a bouquet of fake roses at Walmart, Joann’s, or any other craft store.)
- Mini Muffin Pan
- Broiler Pan
- Drill with bit (1/8″ bit, but any similar size will work)
- Glass Vase (If you want it to look nice.)
- Gravel or marbles (Or any other item of similar weight and size to put inside the vase… Again, this is only if you want it to look like a classy bouquet of bacon roses. Presentation is everything, buddy.)

Drill holes in the bottom of the muffin pan. This will allow the grease to drain when cooking the bacon.
Place the muffin pan on top of the broiler pan.

Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit

Open the bacon and begin tightly rolling the roses, one piece at a time. Start with the widest end of the bacon, with the fat edge down. The different cuts of bacon will create different sizes of roses. Some will look more “bloomed” than others.

Place all of the bacon in the muffin pans pushing down slightly to “seat” them. The bottoms will flair out a bit.

Place in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes. Check in on them occasionally. Sometimes you will have to lift the rose so the grease will drain out the pan.
While waiting for the buds to cook, you can start working on the stems.
Pull all of the roses off from the stems.
Pull the green backing off from the rose and then separate it into individual parts.
Discard the petals and center red piece. Reassemble the remaining green parts as shown.
Put the green piece back on the stem, but force it down so that roughly 1″ of the stem protrudes.
You can tape the stems together at this point, but this is optional.
Put the stems in your vase and fill with gravel or marbles to hold them in place.
When the bacon buds are done, remove from the oven and place on paper towel to cool.

You’ll now have a variety of rose buds to choose from. Pick your favorites and slide them onto the protruding stems. Arrange the roses to your liking and then present the aromatic bouquet to your favorite bacon fanatic!

Enjoy.

Step-by-step photos and instructions from:Instructables

Bacon Festivals are gaining popularity not only in the US but around the world as well. In case you haven’t heard of this phenomenon, a Baconfest is a place where bacon fans can gather and try out a seemingly endless variety of bacon dishes and bacon cocktails, and participate in events that celebrate their love for the almighty bacon. The recent rise in bacon’s popularity can be seen by looking at past ticket sales to the Des Moines Blue Ribbon Baconfest, one of the most popular bacon festivals in the US. 200 tickets were sold in 2008, 1500 tickets were sold in 2011, and a whopping 8,000 tickets were sold in 2013. Tickets to the 2013 festival sold out in 3 minutes and 22 seconds!

What other kinds of activities go on at a bacon festival, besides lots of eating and drinking? “The Blue Ribbon Festival offers participants extensive bacon sampling, bacon lectures, bacon-inspired dishes, bacon competitions, an annual bacon queen, bacon awards, live entertainment and bacon camaraderie.” The types of dishes and cocktails served are highly imaginative and quite extensive. This list of dishes served at the Blue Ribbon Festival contains almost 60 unique items.

A small army of chefs prepared the 6,000 lbs. of bacon that these dishes required, which means that each attendee consumed almost a pound of bacon. This mouth-watering video shows how the bacon was prepared.

Last weekend, Chicago’s Baconfest took place in the windy city, and for this event, 5,700 pounds of bacon were prepared for 3,000 festival attendees. That translates to almost 2 lbs. of bacon consumed for each attendee! The list of dishes ranged from simple to complex, with items such as bacon musubi, bacon tartlets, bacon donuts, bacon churros, bacon pierogis, bacon waffles, bacon macn ‘n’ cheese, and many, many more. Here are pictures and descriptions of some of these amazing dishes. The only “complaint” from this attendee was that everything he owned smelled like bacon afterward!

So if you’re wondering when and if a Bacon Festival is coming to a city near you, check out this list with links to each festival’s website. If you’re lucky enough to live near one of these cities, plan on purchasing tickets as soon as they go on sale, as the popularity of these festivals means that tickets sell out almost immediately. If you don’t live near one of these cities, don’t despair. A Bacon Festival is the perfect excuse to take a mini-vacation, and sampling endless bacon dishes, beers and cocktails is the ideal way to spend a weekend.

The BLT with braised cherry smoked pork belly, a Bacon Bloody Mary and Bacon Cake from the Chicago 2013 Baconfest.

 Announced Festivals:

April 27th, 2013 – Fat Cat’s Beer and Bacon Fest 2013 – Chicago
April 27 – Rogue Ale Bacon Fest – Eugene, OR
May 4 – Boston Bacon and Beer Festival – Boston, MA
May 12-18 – Bacon Week at the Tropicana Casino – Atlantic City, NJ
May 18 – Arizona Bacon Fest – Tucson, Arizona
May 30-June 2 – Zingerman’s Camp Bacon – Ann Arbor, Michigan
June 1 – Baconfest Michigan – Royal Oak, Michigan
June 16 – Big Bite Bacon Fest – San Diego
June 22-23 – Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour: River Run – Keystone, Colorado
July19-21 – Bacon and Barrels – Los Olivos, California
August 24 – Kansas City BaconFest
August 31 – San Diego Bacon Fest
August 31 – Tri-Cities BaconFest – Bristol, TN
October 11, 2013 – Baconfest San Francisco

To Be Announced:

Washington, DC Baconfest
Portland, OR Baconfest.
Rockford, IL Baconfest.
New York Baconfest.

Cinco de Mayo is coming up, so today’s blog post is about how to incorporate bacon into this holiday. Last week we blogged about the “baco,” which puts a spin on the traditional taco by replacing the usual corn tortilla with one made entirely from bacon. It’s available to lucky baseball fans in Michigan, but wouldn’t be difficult to recreate at home for Cinco de Mayo.

West Michigan Whitecaps “Baco”

Another Cinco de Mayo favorite is chips and guacamole. Bacon is the perfect ingredient to add to a traditional guacamole recipe. The crispness and saltiness of bacon is an excellent contrast to the rich, smooth texture and taste of guacamole. Crumble up strips of cooked bacon and mix them into the guacamole, or use them as a topping to sexy-up this favorite Cinco de Mayo appetizer.

Closet Cooking Guacamole

Bacon cocktails have been popular in the blogosphere lately, and Bacon Margaritas are no exception to this trend. This Bacon Pineapple Margarita has no bacon in the actual drink. It’s added by blending bacon strips with salt, and then the rims of the glasses are dipped into this mixture. Perfect for those who don’t want to mess with their traditional Margarita recipes!

The Food in my Beard Margarita

This Spicy Bacon and Avocado Margarita recipe is for the “more adventurous” type. It adds bacon AND avocado to the drink. Once blended, it looks more like a smoothie than a Margarita. Bacon salt is added to the rim and a strip of bacon is added to the drink.

ShowFood Chef Margarita

Lastly, check out this recipe for traditional refried beans that utilize bacon grease. Making homemade refried beans is a lot easier than it sounds. These beans use the bacon grease to give them a rich flavor. Whether you want to add chopped bacon to the beans is entirely up to you!

Smells Like Home Refried Beans

These are just a few ideas on how to add bacon to your favorite recipes this Cinco de Mayo. Bacon quesadillas, bacon pina coladas, bacon burritos. The possibilities are endless!

Wendy served up her “Whisky and Maple Glazed Slab Bacon with Whiskey Sauce” over polenta, which is perfect for soaking up all those delicious pork juices and flavors. It would also be great served over mashed potatoes. You can tell by the picture that this slab was cooked up with a lot of love and tenderness. The glaze has pineapple, maple syrup, Irish whiskey, red wine vinegar and cayenne paper. The result is sweet, savory deliciousness. We can only imagine how good this would be!

The slab is slow-roasted in the oven for two hours to allow all those amazing flavors to sink in to the meat. Slow roasting makes the meat juicy AND tender. According to Wendy, her guests devoured it and we can certainly see why. Uncut bacon slabs are available from your supermarket or local butcher. Or you can order one from Baconfreak.com. Check out “Just A Pinch” for the recipe on how to roast the slab and the recipe for the glaze.