Sometimes you simply have to have that phenomenal sizzle and flavor of some gourmet, country cut, artisan bacon and other times you feel like you want to enjoy something substantially larger and thicker, like a big, delicious, prime cut steak.

Well thanks to the wonderful people looking out for us over at Burgers’ Smokehouse, we no longer have to make such a complicated and complex choice. Introducing Burgers’ Smokehouse Original and Peppered Bacon Steak Cuts.

What’s so special about Bacon Steak Cuts you ask? Great question, allow me to explain. These artisan bacon steaks are “quite literally,” a full quarter-inch thick, so we are talking about a truly thick and savory piece of delicious, hearty gourmet meat.

This means you have a lot more options of where you want to be “makin’ bacon,” as now you can actually even grill these babies on the BBQ, as well as the more traditional “stove top” frying in a pain, griddle or on a solid grill, broiled … or my personal favorite, cooked in the oven, for a delightful no splatter, no messy clean-up quick cook.

What can I say about these Bacon Steaks, other than they are precisely what you would expect from a good cut of robust bacon, that is literally 5 times thicker and 3 times wider than your average store-bought bacon and a good, 3 times thicker and twice as wide as your normal cut, gourmet bacon.

What does this mean to the person eating bacon steaks? Simply this, if you’re used to eating 4 pieces of bacon with a meal, be prepared to get equally full on 2 pieces. I usually have no problem eating 6 to 8 pieces of bacon with my morning eggs, and truthfully, I was “seriously” full after 4.

Part of the difference is the fact that “Burgers,” like most true gourmet preparers and providers of premium quality bacon, use a superior dry cure process and don’t add any water to the bacon, in order to plump it up and make it look a lot bigger than it really is.

This means a lot less shrinkage of the bacon, as well as a lot less splatter. Also, because the bacon is cut in much thicker slabs than traditionally cut bacon, the natural fat that is found in all bacon melts / liquefies to a much lesser degree, so you end up with a lot less bacon grease to deal with when you are cleaning up.

Now keep in mind, by not melting / liquefying during the cooking process, that fat will still be part of the bacon slab, so with the meat being so amazingly thick, those of you who aren’t huge fans of bacon fat, will simply have to cut or chew your way around the occasional fat deposit in the meat, but believe me, it’s well worth the effort as the flavor of the meat itself is truly, exceptionally delicious.

Also, well worth noting …unlike so many other bacon makers who tend to go somewhere between “a bit over-board” and “fanatically ballistic” with their special flavorings, the good people at Burgers have actually carefully crafted a very, precision peppered bacon, with just enough flavor to bring out the intended flavor blend in a way that avoids all extremism and is quite subtle and impressively taste tempered. Very well done!

Photo Credit: Burger’s Smokehouse

The most awesome thing about this recipe is that it is so amazingly healthy for you, compared to many of the popular and prevalent bacon and steak combination available on the menu meal market these days.

Besides, if I walk into a restaurant and plop down my hard earned money, you can bet your top dollar that I’m going to end up eating a nice green salad, a great quality, prime cut of steak, some gourmet, country cut bacon and of course a cup or 4 of some delicious, top shelf coffee.

So what do you get when you eat this particular meal? OMG, the exact same thing that I eat when I go out and pay through the snout, my dream meal, served in the comfort of my own home and for about ¼ of the cost.

Bacon Salad With Coffee Rubbed Steak

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

For The Steaks:

4 prime grade steaks 

For The Steak Rub:

¼ cup ground gourmet coffee

1 tbsp coarse cracked black pepper

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp cracked cumin seed

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp chili powder

For the Salad:

1 Small Squash

2 Bran Muffins

1 thinly sliced fresh Apple

10 oz Baby Spinach

6 oz Crumbled Blue Cheese

3 tsp Dried Cranberries

For The Salad Dressing:

8 slices Hickory Smoked Maple Bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

16 oz Apple Cider

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp Gourmet Olive Oil

1 tsp Whole Grain Mustard

Instructions:

Create the coffee rub for the steaks by combining the above mentioned Steak Rub ingredients in a large mixing bowl

Perforate the meat with a cooking fork, so that the rub will seep deep into the meat, to give it a great flavor and keep the meat moist.

Be sure to massage the rub deeply into the meat

Now marinate the steaks for a good 12 hours before cooking them, in the refrigerator.

Use your gourmet olive oil to lightly oil the steaks before grilling them.

Be sure to heat the grill to a medium high flame.

Grill the steaks 4-5 minutes per side till they are cooked medium.

Set the steaks aside but keep them warm.

Now cut each muffin into 8 pieces.

Place these pieces on a cookie sheet and toast them at 350° until golden brown and crisp.

Set them aside and keep them warm.

Now cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and pulp with a spoon.

Using the flat side down on the cutting board, slice the squash into ¼ inch half moons.

Over a low flame, in a large skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil and ½ cup of fresh drinking water.

Add the sliced squash and cook it covered for approx 13 minutes, allowing the water to evaporate, till the squash is tender and browned on the bottom.

Remove from the pan and set aside, keeping it warm.

Now place your bacon in the pan and cook until crisp and browned.

Remove bacon from the pan and drain off the rendered oil and set the bacon aside, keeping it warm.

Place the pan back on the stove and add the cider and cook until it is effectively reduced approximately 75%, to a syrup consistency.

Add the vinegar, mustard and olive oil to the pan and stir until well combined.

Now put the spinach in a large mixing bowl and add the cranberries, apple slices and bacon.

Pour the warm vinaigrette over the salad and mix well.

Garnish the salad with the Blue cheese crumbles and serve with croutons. Enjoy!

Boss Hog likes to serve this up deliciously delectable dish up, whenever the Bacon Freak gang gets together to have some “fashionably freaky” food and family fun! It truly is the perfect balance between elegantly sophisticated culinary “gourmet-manship” and a good ole fashioned, western fireside feast.

This is an absolutely amazing recipe, as the sautéed mushrooms and onions are simmered in the wonderful Bordeaux marinade that naturally gives this rich sauce a subtle hint of slightly sweet caramel. Be sure to take the time to marinate the steak the very first thing in the morning before you go do anything else, and you will be thankful once you put the first bite of this delicacy in your mouth.

Boss Hog’s “Baby Bubba” Bacon-wrapped, Bordeaux Basted Beef Banquet

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 pound Bacon Freak Baby Bubba’s Butcher Block Hickory Smoked & Peppered Bacon

2 cups premium Bordeaux wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

2 teaspoons dried oregano 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 teaspoon minced garlic 

1 tablespoon premium, gourmet olive oil

2 cups sliced mushrooms 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

Directions:

Place your strips of steak into bowl or glass dish.

To create your marinade, mix together the Bordeaux wine, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic.

Pour the marinade over the steak and allow it to soak in the sauce solution for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, first cook your bacon just enough to ensure that it is brown on both sides, but still flexible and able to be wrapped.

Now pour enough gourmet olive oil into a large skillet to slowly sauté the mushrooms and onions without them burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Sauté until they are browned and soft.

Remove vegetables from skillet and set aside.

Remove the steak strips from the marinade and set the reserve marinade aside for later.

Brown the steak strips in the same skillet. Brown them to the point that the steak is cooked, but still rare to medium rare.

Now wrap the still flexible bacon slices around the steak strips and use a toothpick to hold the bacon intact.

Add the reserve marinade, as well as the mushrooms and onions to the skillet and allow the contents to slowly continue cooking on a low heat for about 30 minutes. Be sure to continue to turn the steak ever 5 minutes to ensure that both sides are cooked consistently and throughout as well as ensure that the wrapped bacon is completely cooked.

When the steak and bacon are cooked to your preference, serve it all up on a plate with your favorite side dishes and have yourself a “Hog Heaven” hootenanny!

Enjoy!

His results were less than perfect, but his grilled heart was in the right place.

We’re so proud.

– Mike

Photo Credit: http://static.flickr.com/3301/3192959628_f9490be843.jpg