For The Love Of Bacon

Bacon has developed for itself a cult-like following around the low-carb and Paleo diet circles where it's not rare to see people wearing t-shirts affirming their love for bacon.

It's also an iconic American food and has this weird ability of to be enjoyed equally by the rich and the poor. It's the perfect poor man's breakfast, but fancy restaurants now serve bacon ice cream, bacon mousses, bacon flavored vodka, and foie gras with bacon.

The word "bacon" itself comes from the Old High German word bacho, which means buttock. It's prepared differently depending on where you are in the world, and many parts of the pork can be used to prepare bacon.

In the U.S., bacon is most often prepared from pork belly, which gives very fatty bacon. What is often referred to as Canadian bacon in the U.S. is back bacon taken from the pork loin, which is leaner.

Bacon is always cured but can be smoked or not, and high-quality smoked bacon from artisanal producers will often be a whole different story than the bacon readily available in grocery stores. While pork bacon is the most popular version, other meats like beef, lamb, or chicken can be cured and smoked in a similar manner.

Bacon is versatile with many foods and is good in savory as well as sweet preparations. It's great in sauces, stews, soups, salads, and snacks or wrapped around fruits, fish, seafood, poultry, and red meat. It possesses a unique combination of umami flavors that give an addictive taste to most foods that it's coupled with.

Additionally, you should always keep the rendered bacon fat as it will also impart some of the bacon flavors to food cooked in it.

Nutrition-wise, we know that bacon is not the villain that it's made out to be. Dietary saturated fat and cholesterol are good for us, and not just in moderate amounts.

The stigma against saturated fat and cholesterol has strong ties, and even some people in the Paleo circles still fall into the trap of fearing fat and seeking lean meat as their main source of energy.

It's important to keep in mind that fat is a great source of fuel. It's excess protein consumption that should be feared more than excess fat consumption.

Of course, when it comes to fat, some choices are better than others. Pork's fat (lard) is about 40% saturated, 45% monounsaturated and 12% polyunsaturated.

Saturated and monounsaturated fats are the ones that should be consumed liberally, while polyunsaturated fats should be kept to a minimum. In the case of lard, the levels of polyunsaturated fat are higher than in tallow, butter fat, or coconut oil, which makes it somewhat less desirable to consume in large quantities and for high-heat cooking.

The fatty tissues of pork in confined production tend to be higher in total polyunsaturated fat and lower in omega-3 fatty acids, which are needed in balance with omega-6.

For this reason, it might prove to be a good idea to consume fatty fish regularly or a very high-quality fish oil supplement if lard is a main constituent of your diet.

One true concern with bacon is the high amount of sodium found in it, but this could be a good thing to some people who eat a Paleo diet without adding much salt to food and who start experiencing low blood pressure problems.

For most people, though, it's wise to watch the amount of total sodium consumed. A good way to tackle it is to use much less salt or none at all in meals that include bacon, making the bacon your source of sodium for that meal.

Following is a roundup of 8 delicious bacon-centered recipes. Most of the recipes call for the basic salt and pepper seasoning but keep in mind that much less salt will be needed than usual because of the saltiness of the bacon.

Bacon recipe roundup

Jump to:

• Bacon wrapped asparagus with cilantro flavored mayonnaise;
• Bacon & sweet potato salad;
• Bacon & broccoli curried soup;
• Bacon & tomato guacamole;
• Caprese chicken with bacon;
• Bacon, liver & onion medley;
• Cod with bacon & creamy fennel;
• Bacon & beet salad;

Bacon wrapped asparagus with cilantro flavored mayonnaise recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 30 asparagus stalks, hard base removed;
• 10 slices bacon;
• ½ cup Paleo mayonnaise;
• 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lime juice;
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped;
• ¼ cup lard or other cooking fat, melted;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 450 F.
2. Wrap each bacon slice around a bundle made with 3 asparagus stalks and secure it with toothpicks if needed.
3. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Place in the oven to cook for about 20 minutes.
5. In the meantime, prepare the mayonnaise by combining the cilantro and lime juice with the mayonnaise and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Remove the bacon-wrapped asparagus from the oven and serve with the flavored mayonnaise.

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Bacon & sweet potato salad recipe

Serves : 6

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into cubes;
• 4 slices bacon;
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped;
• 2 cloves garlic, minced;
• 1 ½ tablespoon homemade or Dijon mustard;
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice;
• 4 loosely packed cups of baby spinach;
• 2 tablespoon lard or other cooking fat;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Place the sweet potato cubes in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes until tender.
2. In the meantime, cook the bacon slices over medium heat in a large pan until crisp, about.4 minutes per side. Set aside
3. Add the onion and garlic to the pan as well as the additional cooking fat and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Season liberally with black pepper.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and mustard.
5. Drain the cooked sweet potato cubes and place them in a bowl.
6. Add the baby spinach with the sweet potatoes and combine well and pour the cooked onions with all the drippings on top.
7. Crumble the cooked bacon over, combine and serve.

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Bacon & broccoli curried soup with almonds recipe

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces;
• 1 cup leeks, green part discarded and white finely chopped;
• ½ cup carrots, finely chopped;
• 4 cups broccoli, finely chopped;
• 1 teaspoon curry powder;
• ½ teaspoon dried basil;
• 3 cups chicken stock;
• 1 cup coconut milk;
• 4 tablespoon almonds, chopped;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Heat a pot over medium heat and cook the bacon for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove the bacon from the pot, set aside, and add the leeks and carrots to the pot in the rendered bacon fat.
3. Stir often and cook until soft.
4. Add the broccoli, curry powder, and basil, and cook for a few more minutes.
5. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the broccoli is soft.
6. Add the bacon back into the pot and stir in the coconut milk.
7. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, reheat the liquid and serve sprinkled with chopped almonds on top.

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Bacon & tomato guacamole recipe

Yields 3 cups

Ingredients

• 5 slices thick bacon;
• 3 medium avocados;
• 1 onion, diced;
• 2 chipotle chilies, seeded and finely chopped;
• 1 large tomato, chopped into ¼-inch pieces;
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped and stems removed;
• 2 tablespoon lime juice;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
2. Pat the bacon dry and crumble it.
3. Place the avocado flesh in a bowl and mash it with a fork.
4. Add the onion, chilies, tomato, cilantro, and crumbled bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the lime juice and stir well to combine all the ingredients.
5. Serve immediately or reserve in the refrigerator with a plastic wrap touching the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation.

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Bacon & tomato guacamole recipe

A roudup of 8 easy bacon-centered recipes to celebrate this cult-like but nutritionally shunned upon meat choice.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 459 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 5 slices thick bacon
• 3 medium avocados
• 1 onion diced
• 2 chipotle chilies seeded and finely chopped
• 1 large tomato chopped into ¼-inch pieces
• ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped and stems removed
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Heat a large pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
  5 slices thick bacon
• Pat the bacon dry and crumble it.
• Place the avocado flesh in a bowl and mash it with a fork.
  3 medium avocados
• Add the onion, chilies, tomato, cilantro, and crumbled bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the lime juice and stir well to combine all the ingredients.
  1 onion, 2 chipotle chilies, 1 large tomato, ½ cup fresh cilantro, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, 2 tablespoon lime juice
• Serve immediately or reserve in the refrigerator with a plastic wrap touching the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation.

Nutrition

Calories: 459kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 10gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 315mgPotassium: 952mgFiber: 12gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 632IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

Keyword bacon, guacamole, tomato

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Caprese chicken with bacon recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon;
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves;
• 2 plum tomatoes, sliced;
• 6 basil leaves, sliced thinly;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. Place the bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet and place them in the oven to cook for about 10 minutes so they are still soft.
3. Remove from the oven and pat the slices dry with paper towels.
4. Rub the chicken breast halves in the rendered bacon fat, season them with salt and pepper to taste, and place them in a baking dish.
5. Place the basil leaves and tomato slices on top of the breast halves and place the partially cooked bacon slices over the top.
6. Place in the oven to cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is well cooked.

📖 Recipe

Caprese chicken with bacon recipe

A roudup of 8 easy bacon-centered recipes to celebrate this cult-like but nutritionally shunned upon meat choice.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 318 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 slices bacon
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 plum tomatoes sliced
• 6 basil leaves sliced thinly
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400 F.
• Place the bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet and place them in the oven to cook for about 10 minutes, so they are still soft.
  8 slices bacon
• Remove from the oven and pat the slices dry with paper towels.
• Rub the chicken breast halves in the rendered bacon fat, season them with salt and pepper to taste, and place them in a baking dish.
  4 boneless chicken breast halves, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Place the basil leaves and tomato slices on top of the breast halves and place the partially cooked bacon slices over the top.
  6 basil leaves, 2 plum tomatoes
• Place in the oven to cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is well cooked.

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 30gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 424mgPotassium: 580mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 340IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Keyword bacon, caprese, chicken

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Bacon, liver & onion medley recipe

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef liver, cut into ¼-inch slices;
• Juice of 1 lemon;
• 2 onions, thinly sliced;
• ¼ lb bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces;
• 8 cloves garlic, minced;
• Lard or other cooking fat;

Preparation

1. Place the liver slices in a bowl with lemon juice and enough water to cover them.
2. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 4 hours.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon pieces for about 5 minutes, until it barely starts to crisp up.
4. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside.
5. Add the onions to the hot skillet and cook for about 6 minutes, until soft. Set aside.
6. Add enough cooking fat to the skillet with the rendered bacon fat to obtain a total of about ⅓ cup fat.
7. Drain and pat dry the liver slices.
8. Add the liver to the hot skillet and cook on one side for about 2 minutes.
9. Turn the slices over, add back the onions and bacon as well as the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

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Cod with bacon & creamy fennel recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces;
• 2 fennel bulbs, cut into 1-inch wedges;
• 1 ¾ cups chicken stock;
• ⅔ cup coconut milk;
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes;
• 2 garlic cloves, minced;
• ½ lb cod, cut into chunks;
• 1 tablespoon homemade or Dijon mustard;
• Chopped fennel top for garnishing;
• 3 tablespoon lard or other cooking fat;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon pieces for about 6 minutes, until it starts to crisp up.
2. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside.
3. Add the fennel wedges to the hot skillet with the rendered bacon fat, adding 1 tablespoon lard or other cooking fat.
4. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and cook for about 7 minutes until slightly browned while stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the chicken stock, coconut milk, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. In the meantime, season the fish to taste with salt and pepper, heat a pan over medium-high heat, and cook the fish in the remaining cooking fat until just cooked through.
7. Add back the bacon pieces to the cooked fennel as well as the mustard and serve on top of the cooked cod.

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Bacon & beet salad recipe

Serves: 6

Here the bright red beets will bleed their color in the mayonnaise, which will become nice and pink.

Ingredients

1. 3 large beets;
2. 1 cup celery, chopped;
3. 4 eggs, hard-boiled;
4. 2 onions, diced;
5. 1 bell pepper, diced;
6. 8 slices bacon;
7. 1 cup homemade mayonnaise;
8. Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Place the beets in a pot and fill them with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 45 minutes until the beets are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
3. Pat the bacon dry and crumble it.
4. Boil the eggs. When the eggs are cool enough to the handle, peel them and chop them coarsely. For perfect hard-boiled eggs, place the eggs in a pot with cold water and gently bring them to a boil. When the water boils, cover the pot, turn off the heat and let stand for exactly 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, drain the hot water and rinse with icy cold water for a minute to stop the cooking and prevent a grey ring from forming around the yolk.
5. When the eggs are cool enough to the handle, peel them and chop them coarsely.
6. Drain and rinse the beets with cold water.
7. When cold enough to handle, remove the skin from the beets and cut them into cubes.
8. Place the beet cubes in a bowl, add the other ingredients and combine well.
9. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and place in the refrigerator to chill before serving.

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