Bacon Explosion with Cheese
Guest Chef Rusty Stander
from TipsforBBQ
SLC, Utah
http://tipsforBBQ.com
http://makingvanilla.com
One of my favorite barbecue recipes has got to be my Bacon Explosion with Cheese (originally posted on
“http://tipsforbbq.com/Recipes/Pork/BaconExplosionRevisited.
It’s a recipe that is simple to do and looks amazing any way you slice it.
Cooking doesn’t have to be hard. Make it fun, make something good and learn while doing it. Part of the fun I have with my recipes is showing some of the in’s and out’s of the dish.
So whether you’re a seasoned chef or a budding backyarder you’re bound to have fun.
Bacon Explosion with CheeseIt went viral a month or so later when the BBQ addicts across America
found a tail-gater’s dream: bacon wrapped with pork and then wrapped
with more bacon. Yeah, you read that right – BACON2. What are you serving for YOUR Super Bowl party?
If you haven’t already tried it I’d highly recommend it. It’s worth
the look on your guests face’s when they see the smoldering madness of
bacon, bacon and barbeque sauce. After trying it I knew it just needed a
little more to step it up a notch and make it something that would live
in neighborhood infamy. Thus starts my first in my series of revisiting classic barbecue recipes – the Bacon Explosion with Cheese.
Be sure to check out our other great recipes:
Game Day Ribs,
The Best Prime Rib,
MOINKs,
Smoked Thanksgiving Turkey and
the rest of the BBQ Recipes.
Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thick-cut bacon
- 2 pounds of Italian sausage
- 1 tri-pack of Prosciutto/Capicola Ham, Salami, Pepperoni
- (normally found right next to the deli counter)
- 8 oz package of Velveeta cheese
- 1 bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce
- 2-4 tablespoons of your favorite barbeque rub
Step 1:
Lay out a piece of foil or plastic wrap. Create the outer layer of the
bacon weave by laying 7-8 strips of bacon side by side horizontally.
Then to start the vertical layer weave 1 piece in front and then in back
of each piece you have layed out. Then alternate the next piece in back
where the previous piece went in front. Continue this until you’ve made
a large, mostly square, weave of bacon for the outermost part. (hint:
try to keep the strips as close/tight as possible)
Now is a good
time to start the other bacon. Cut up the bacon from the other package
into 1-1½ inch pieces and start cooking the bacon in a frying pan while
you you do the next steps – cook it how you normally like to eat it.
Step 2:
Generously
sprinkle your favorite rub over the bacon. For this recipe I would
recommend a memphis-style rub with some savory seasonings like rosemary,
bay leaves and a good garlic flavor.
Next get another piece of
foil or plastic wrap. This will help getting the right thickness without
messing up your fine work so far.
Reminder: How’s that bacon doing in the frying pan? Is it done yet?
Now may also be a good time to start your smoker if yours takes long to warm up. If you want to use your gas grill read about
smoker boxes.
Step 3:
Spread
out your Italian sausage onto your new piece of foil and try to make it
1 inch smaller width-wise so you can seal it all up when you’re done.
Press it out evenly an then place it on top of your bacon weave.
Sprinkle a little more rub on top of the sausage for a little more
flavoring on the inside. Then take your barbecue sauce and brush it
across the sausage like you would a rack of ribs – just enough to evenly
coat it. I usually use Memphis Jacks for the BBQ sauce. Its just tangy enough and everyone likes the flavor.
Step 4:
Next place a row of each one of your tri-pack of meats across your masterpiece. Then take your cooked bacon and spread it over the other layers. If you’re going to snack do it BEFORE the cooked bacon touches the rest – at this point you may not be thinking rationally – your tastebuds will be working in overdrive!
My favorite addition here is the cheese. Don’t skip it! It will melt throughout the layers and create an explosion of flavor in the Bacon Explosion! Make 1 length-wise spread with the cheese and then randomly use up as much of the package as you’d like.
Step 5:
Have
you ever watched a sushi chef? Well, lift up the edge of the tinfoil
near the jackpot of cheese and start rolling the meat into one GIANT
sushi pork roll. Just before the tinfoil starts to get rolled in direct it
the other way so you can keep rolling it up into a log shape.
When
you finish, tuck the edges of the bacon in on the ends. Prepare your
grill for smoking at 225°F and smoke the bacon creation approximately 1
hour for each inch of bacon-ny thickness until your meat thermometer
registers an temperature of 165°F at the center-most part. A mix of oak
and hickory work best, but Pecan is another favorite BBQ wood for barbecuing Bacon Explosions.
Just before pulling the roll off the smoker I like to glaze the sauce on
for 3-5 minutes just as you would ribs. Use a basting brush and cover
the entire surface with a thin layer of sauce. Now you’re ready to dig
in!! If you take some wooden skewers and run them through ever inch or
so you can easily slice individual servings without it falling apart. I
love my Bacon Explosion topped with baked beans. Be sure to tell me how
you like yours!
Our Thanks to Rusty,
Be sure to check out all of our BBQ Recipes and BBQ Tips
Rusty from TipsforBBQ
http://tipsforBBQ.com
http://makingvanilla.com
All rights reserved.
