My mom was visiting, needed bacon for a recipe she was trying out, and bought a large bag of costco crumbled bacon. She didn’t even use that much, meaning we have several cups of crumbled bacon we need to use up.
I feel like I see really yummy recipes with bacon all the time that I never make because I never actually have crumbled bacon on hand, but I can’t think of any of them right now. Any delicious (ideally, easy-to-make) recipes Dopers know of? Tonight I think it’s going to be crumbled-bacon BLT’s, and I might prevail upon mr. hunter to make bacon cornbread (my favorite!) – but that’ll use less than half of the bacon. Any other ideas?
There’s that fabulous broccoli salad that uses bacon. There are many variations, but this is close to the one I used to make all the time and like the best (not where I can get my recipes …). One main difference is that mine includes sunflower seeds. Also, just uses cider vinegar rather than balsamic. The idea is that it’s sweet and sour and salty and savory all at the same time.
P.S. I sometimes blanch the broccoli – VERY VERY briefly – and immediately plunge into an ice-and-water bath. Be sure to drain/dry well, even use a salad spinner, 'cause you don’t want any water in the mix.
When I have extra bacon (that I can resist eating by the handful), I freeze it and use it on salads and in green beans. Stuff like that. Cooked bacon freezes and thaws really nicely.
Okay, this is going to sound like a really weird suggestion but…congee. I have recently discovered congee (aka rice porridge) and have been eating it for two weeks straight because I love it so much. You can put just about anything in congee, and I have indeed seen several recipes that call for crumbled bacon.
This recipe is almost exactly the same as the one I use for the basic porridge. Then you add just about anything you want for garnish. Eggs, scallions, bacon, soy sauce, chili sauce, pickled plums, kimchi, barbecued pork…the list is neverending.
Edited to add: you don’t need to cook the rice for as long as that recipe says. I simmer, covered, for an hour and a half and it comes out perfect.
I vote for the broccoli salad recipe. It’s a real winner.
Sprinkle the bacon in pancakes as you cook them.
Put the bacon in cornbread batter and add some finely chopped chilies.
Make potato or cheese soup and add bacon
Pasta carbonara
Add bacon to guacamole
Bacon and cheese quesadilla
Add bacon and parmasan cheese to mashed potatoes
I’m getting hungry. It’s a good thing I have some of that Costco-purchased bacon left over from the huge batch of broccoli salad I made last weekend.
Brussels Sprouts, bacon, Garlic, and onion broasted, then served over Pommes Frites. Sweet caramel from the fruettes of the earth, Cheese Whiz or cheddar sauce and more Bacon Crumbles to top/ Instead of the usual Broccoli and Cauliflower and cheese sauce to top… Be a decent Vegetarian Fries without the bacon.
