Have you found that adding bacon to most dishes and appetizers makes it better? We have! So for a great summery idea, instead of just adding bacon let’s wrap some bacon around it.
Appetizers & Finger Foods
Potatoes are a wonderful place to start wrapping bacon. “Meat and potatoes” says it all!
Try tater tots and stick a toothpick in to secure–they’re an easy, portable party appetizer.
Hand-cut potato wedges are great too. No need for a tooth pick here–just wrap the bacon around and tuck the ends under the potato wedge on your baking sheet. If you prefer sweet potatoes, you can definitely wrap them in bacon too. Try a maple dipping sauce if you do!
Amp up your potato skins by going for more than just bacon bits as a topping. Wrap the entire skin in bacon after assembling, then crisp in the oven.
Curious to try bacon wrapped fruits? Figs and bacon are quite complementary. Stem the figs, stuff with pecans, and wrap with bacon. A similar recipe uses dates. Start with pitted dates and stuff them with a nutty cheese such as manchego, then wrap with bacon and bake until crispy. You and your guests won’t be able to stop snacking on these.
Another great fruit to wrap with bacon is pineapple. Just cut your pineapple into 1 inch chunks, wrap with your favorite bacon, and bake for about 20 minutes. At this point, sprinkle each chunk with brown sugar and put your baking sheet under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the bacon—just be careful that the sugar doesn’t burn.
Do you like meat with your bacon? Who doesn’t? One simple appetizer is bacon-wrapped cocktail wieners. These are perfect for dipping in your favorite BBQ sauce (we recommend our favorite, Lobel's BBQ Sauce). Take this appetizer one step further by creating pigs in a pig blanket. Yes, you read that right! Take your bacon-wrapped cocktail wieners and then wrap them in phyllo dough as you would for traditional pigs in blankets.
Another quick appetizer is bacon-wrapped steak bites. Just grab some USDA Prime Tenderloin for Kabobs cubes, season them with salt and pepper, wrap each steak chunk with bacon, secure with a tooth pick, and either grill or bake.
Likewise, use your favorite meatball recipe and wrap them in bacon. Cooking these in a grill basket will impart a wonderful smoky flavor to the meatballs. Serve with some home-made marinara to wow your guests.
Sides
A classic pairing is bacon and asparagus. Take a handful of asparagus–about 5 or 6 spears–and wrap 1 or 2 slices of bacon around the spears and tuck the ends under. Or for a higher bacon-to-asparagus flavor ratio, you can wrap a piece of bacon around each spear. Use the same idea with green beans too.
Stuffed mushrooms would be wonderful wrapped in bacon and grilled in a grill basket.
If you love onion rings–wrap them in bacon before baking or frying.
Ever had ramps? If not, you’re in for a treat. They’re an onion with prominent garlic flavor similar in appearance to a green onion. Wrap these trendy veggies in bacon and bake until crispy.
Water chestnuts are typically found in Asian-inspired cuisines. These crunchy little morsels can be wrapped in bacon, secured with a toothpick, and served as a side to any dish—just remove the toothpicks before serving.
Brussels sprouts are also a great vegetable to wrap in bacon. Use fresh sprouts and make sure you cut enough of the stem off so you don’t bite down into any hard parts, then wrap with bacon, and secure with a toothpick before roasting.
Main Course
Bacon-Wrapped USDA Prime Tenderloin Steak
What’s better than steak or bacon? Steak AND bacon! You can try our pre-made bacon-wrapped USDA Prime, Natural Prime, or Wagyu tenderloin steaks and roasts or make your own.
These are great any way you make them, grilled, pan seared, or pan roasted. For a fool-proof guide, check out our video How To: Grill the Perfect Steak.
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Scallops (and shrimp) and bacon go together like land and sea. Try wrapping half a strip of bacon around a scallop and it’s ready to grill.
How about a jazzed up meatloaf wrapped in bacon? Use your favorite meatloaf recipe and create a bacon weave to put on top. Not only will this be a great presentation–it imparts the meatloaf with a delicious, smoky, bacon-y flavor.
Photo courtesy of National Pork Board. For more information about pork, visit PorkBeInspired.com. Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin.
Another delicious entree to try is pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon—pork on pork! Tuck the ends of the bacon under the tenderloin before placing on a baking sheet.
Bacon-Wrapped Sausages
Sausages can be wrapped with bacon, as can hot dogs. Serve with or without a bun to your liking and serve with your favorite condiments for dipping or topping.
Bacon-Wrapped Kabobs
And finally, try bacon-wrapped kabobs. The skewer provides a built-in way to secure the ends of the strip of bacon. You can wrap bacon in a spiral around the length of any type of kabob: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, or even sausage, vegetable, shrimp, or scallops.
We truly believe that bacon makes just about everything taste better. Try your hand at bacon wrapping and let us know what concoctions you’ve come up with!
What do you like to wrap with bacon? What are some unusual things you have seen wrapped in bacon? What is your favorite bacon for wrapping?
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