Maple Roasted Bacon Recipes

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S MAPLE- ROASTED BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown.
• Remove the pan carefully from the oven; there will be hot grease in the pan!
• Brush the bacon slices with maple syrup and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the bacon is a warm golden brown.
• Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm.

MAPLE PEAMEAL BACON ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F/180°C.
• Cut six 1-inch slits across roast.
• Place a cooling rack on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Place bacon on rack.
• Combine maple syrup, Dijon mustard, rosemary, salt and pepper. Brush with basting mixture.
• Bake in centre of oven for 25 - 30 minutes and baste with remaining mixture.
• Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, or until a thermometer registers 130F/55°C.
• Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

MAPLE ROASTED STUFFED BACON ROLLS

Steps:

• For the bread crumbs: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Tear the bread into pieces (leave the crusts on) and place in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until of fine crumb consistency (see note). Measure your bread crumbs (3 generous cups) and place on a shallow baking sheet. Place in the oven and set your timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, check the crumbs. They should feel dry with a light golden color. If still soft, swish them around to redistribute and place back into the oven for a few minutes and check again but don't allow them to scorch. Remove from the oven and pour the crumbs into a bowl. Note: Generally, between 5 and 6 slices of bread will yield 1 cup of crumbs.
• To prepare the stuffing: Melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8inch skillet over medium heat. When the butter is hot and bubbling, stir in the minced onions, celery and garlic. Saute the vegetables until softened and fragrant 3minutes. Stir in the minced water chestnuts and thyme. Cook gently for one more minute just to release the flavor of the thyme. Stir in the parsley and remove from the stove. Pour the contents of the skillet into the bowl with the crumbs and fold together to combine. Replace the skillet to the stove over medium heat and melt 2 more tablespoons of butter. When hot, add the chicken livers in a single layer and sear on both sides until golden. Reduce the flame, cover and simmer for 2 minutes just to cook through. (Avoid overcooking the liver. They should retain pinkness in the center.) Uncover the skillet, raise the heat and cook just a bit to caramelize the bits of onion and liver that cling to the bottom of the skillet. Remove the livers to a cutting surface and allow them to cool slightly. Meanwhile, pour the butter out of the skillet but do not wipe out the interior. Place the skillet back over medium heat and pour in the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil and reduce by 1/2 as you occasionally scrape any bits of caramelized liver and vegetables up off the bottom of the pan. While the stock reduces, chop the chicken livers into small but still textural pieces making sure they don't become "pastelike". Fold into the bowl of crumbs. When not more than 1/2 cup of stock remains in the skillet, remove from the stove and *swirl in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Pour the reduced and concentrated stock/butter mixture into the bowl of crumbs and when just warm, stir in the beaten egg. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To work with bacon: Lift small walnut sized portions of the stuffing mixture and gently squeeze to help the crumbs bind together. Roll each portion into a ball and place on a tray. Cut your packages of bacon in half widthwise using sharp kitchen shears. Take two pieces of bacon (equal to 1 whole piece) and lay them in a "crisscross" on your work surface. Continue assembling as many pairs of bacon strips as can comfortably fit on your work surface. To assemble bacon rolls: Brush the exposed (facing up) side of the bacon lightly with some maple syrup. Take one ball of stuffing and place in the center where the two pieces of bacon cross and overlap. Wrap the exposed bacon around the stuffing alternating with the bottom, side, top and side strips. Secure the roll with one or two tooth picks. If not baking right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. To roast: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the stuffed bacon rolls on a roasting rack that sits over a shallow baking sheet. Roast them in a preheated oven until crisp and piping hot throughout, about 30 to 35 minutes (see TimeManagement Tip). Serve hot or at least warm.

MAPLE-ROASTED TURKEY WITH SAGE, SMOKED BACON, AND CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack.
• Combine the butter and sage in a mixing bowl, mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated and the butter has flecks of green in it; season with salt and pepper.
• In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the sage butter, add the onions, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine, season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the breast and legs, and slip pieces of the sage butter underneath; massaging it in as you go. Fill the bird with the cornbread stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan, and put into the oven.
• Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes. The turkey should take about 3 hours to cook (i.e. 15 to 20 minutes per pound.) If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil. About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste for another hour or so. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat.
• Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles. Serve the gravy with the maple-roasted turkey and cornbread stuffing.

MAPLE ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place Brussels sprouts in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup; toss to coat. Sprinkle with bacon; season with salt and black pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven until bacon is crispy and Brussels sprouts are caramelized, 45 minutes, stirring halfway through.

MAPLE-ROASTED TOFU WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND BACON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice tofu into 1-inch-thick slabs. Pat them dry with paper towels and arrange in single layer on a plate. Cover tofu slabs with more paper towels and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, ginger and red-pepper flakes. Simmer until syrup thickens slightly, about 1 minute, then stir in 1/4 cup olive oil.
• Place squash, brussels sprouts and onion in a bowl. Toss with salt, pepper, coriander, sage and half of the maple syrup mixture. Spread vegetables in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle bacon on top.
• Add soy sauce and 2 teaspoons lime juice to remaining maple mixture.
• Remove paper towels from over tofu, and sprinkle salt on tofu slabs. Tuck tofu onto the baking sheet with squash and brush half of the soy-maple mixture over the slabs. Roast for 40 minutes, tossing the vegetables occasionally. Halfway through roasting, flip the tofu slabs, and brush with remaining soy-maple mixture. Turn oven off and heat broiler.
• Broil tofu and vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes to crisp up the bacon and the edges of the tofu. When vegetables are still hot, toss with remaining 1 teaspoon lime juice and the fish sauce. Garnish with sliced scallions and drizzle with more olive oil and a little more lime juice if you like.

ROASTED SQUASH WITH BACON AND MAPLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squashes with maple syrup, oil, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer; roast 10 minutes. Add bacon, then flip squashes to coat. Roast, flipping once more halfway through, until tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes more; serve.