Bacon – Perfect and Easy Recipe
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Are you curious about cooking bacon on your George Foreman Grill? Traditional pork bacon has quite a bit of fat. Therefore, it makes sense that a Foreman contact grill is a convenient and healthy tool for preparing bacon. The grease splatter is contained when the top is closed and the excess fat ends up in the drip tray. The result is flat, crispy, leaner bacon strips, and less of a mess on your stovetop. What’s not to like about that result?
Bacon is one of those foods that every meat eater seems to enjoy and even crave. I have even known a few vegetarians who occasionally indulge in a slice of bacon at the breakfast table. The salty, crunchy treat is hard to pass up.
When you shop the prepared meat section of your market you may notice that there are endless brands and variations of bacon to choose from. The most common variety is cured and smoked pork bacon. Cured bacon is preserved with what is referred to as pink salt. This is basically salt that contains nitrates and nitrites. The smoking process can be either a cold or hot smoke method. The nitrates prevent bacterial overgrowth and contribute to bacon’s pink color.
Many of us are not fond of nitrates. You can easily find bacon that is labeled “uncured”. Uncured bacon is a misnomer because bacon is still cured with salt, mainly celery salt, sugar, and spices. And, there are naturally occurring nitrates in the curing process. You can also find bacon sourced from organic and sustainably raised pigs. These are good options for those who are being mindful of what they eat and the environment.
If you thought pork was the gold standard for bacon, think again. Of course, there is lean turkey bacon available. There is also beef bacon, duck bacon, lamb bacon, and even salmon bacon. The latter 4 are more commonly found in specialty markets and butcher shops.
For this article we are exploring grilled pork bacon and grilled turkey bacon. We will look at a couple of ways to grill the bacon and what to do with it, other than just eat it right off the grill. Don’t be surprised if it never makes it to the table. Grilled bacon is that good!
If the bacon does not disappear, make a grilled bacon and avocado sandwich. A recipe follows.
Perfect Grilled Pork Bacon
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of pork bacon slices
- Paper towels
Total time:13 min – Prep time:5 min – Cook time:8 min – Serves:4 people
Author: Lesly
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed. Make sure the drip tray is in place. Have paper towels ready for the cooked bacon.
2. Place as many bacon slices as will fit in a single layer on the grill. If they fit, place them horizontally to get some nice grill marks. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Check the bacon and continue to grill if needed. You can also flip the slices halfway through the cooking if your grill does not cook evenly.
3. Remove the cooked bacon to the paper towels. Empty the drip tray. Cook the next batch of bacon until all of it is grilled. You can keep the batches warm in a low oven, if desired.
Grilled Turkey Bacon
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of turkey bacon slices
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for the grill
Total time: 15 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 10 min – Serves: 4 people
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed. Make sure the drip tray is in place. Have paper towels ready for the cooked bacon.
2. Coat the grill plates with EVOO. Place as many bacon slices as will fit in a single layer on the grill. If they fit, place them horizontally to get some nice grill marks. Close the lid and grill for 5 minutes. Flip the slices and continue to grill for up to 10 minutes total.
3. Remove the cooked bacon to the paper towels. Recoat the grill plates with EVOO and cook the next batch of bacon until all of it is grilled. You can keep the batches warm in a low oven, if desired.
Grilled Candied Bacon
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of your favorite bacon slices
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsps freshly ground black pepper
Total time: 13 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 8 min – Serves: 4 people
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed. Make sure the drip tray is in place. Have paper towels ready for the cooked bacon.
2. Place the bacon slices on parchment paper or foil in a single layer. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and pepper. Coat the bacon with 1/2 the sugar mixture. Flip the bacon slices over and coat the other side with the remaining sugar and pepper.
3. Place as many bacon slices as will fit in a single layer on the grill. If they fit, place them horizontally to get some nice grill marks*. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Check the bacon and continue to grill if needed. You can also flip the slices halfway through the cooking if your grill does not cook evenly.
*Keep in mind that sugar will caramelize and char when in contact with high heat. The grill marks will be black. If that does not appeal to you, partially cook the bacon before placing the sugar and pepper on it. Then, return the sugared slices to the grill and finish cooking until the coating is caramelized and the bacon is thoroughly cooked.
4. Remove the fully cooked bacon to the paper towels. Empty the drip tray. Cook the next batch of bacon until all of it is grilled. You can keep the batches warm in a low oven, if desired.
5. Serve the bacon all by itself as a crunchy, sweet snack.
Grilled Bacon and Avocado Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 4 slices whole grain sandwich bread
- 3 TBS softened butter
- 4 tsps mayonnaise
- 4 slices cheese (mozzarella, Monterey jack, or mild cheddar are nice)
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 8 slices grilled bacon
- 2 slices from a large, ripe tomato
Total time: 8 min – Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 3 min – Serves: 2 people
Directions:
1. Preheat your grill to high for 5 minutes with the top closed.
2. Butter one side of all 4 pieces of bread. Turn the bread over so that the unbuttered sides face up. Spread the 4 slices of bread with mayonnaise. Assemble each sandwich with these layers: one slice of cheese, 1/2 the slices of avocadoes, 4 bacon slices (broken in half), 1 slice of tomato, and another slice of cheese. Top with the second slice of bread.
3. Place the sandwiches on the hot grill and close the top. Cook for 3 minutes until the cheese has started to melt and the bread is golden brown with some light grill marks.
4. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve with chips, fries, or slaw.
