Baked Maple Bacon

BACON … you mention the word to most people and they swoon.  Sorry to my vegan friends, this one is not for you. 

I don’t make bacon often, but only because pork tends to be a harder meat to digest and Little Love has a harder time with it sometimes. 

But back to BACON, Little Love and I prefer very crispy, crunchy bacon; you know the kind that is so crispy it even melts in your mouth?  None of that flimsy stuff for us, no way (as Little Love would say)!  If you want that delicious, crispy, crunchy bacon, try baking it!  Baking is my preferred method of choice - I don’t care for stovetop bacon, sometimes it comes out crispy, but not completely crispy, and I NEVER use a microwave (I don’t own one, haven’t had one in many, many years, and I will never own one again.  They destroy your food and take all of the nutrients out of them, not to mention other stuff, but that’s another post).    

I only recommend consuming pasture-raised pork and if you don’t have access to pastured pork, at least buy organic pork (no antibiotics, no GMO feed, NO nitrates/nitrites).

Baked Maple Bacon

Crispy, crunchy, sweet and scrumptious! 

Equipment: Large Bar Pan or Large Baking Pan with at least 1-inch sides (I use Stoneware, it bakes everything perfectly), Non-Bleached Parchment Paper, Tongs, Basting Brush, Small Bowl, Large Plate, Paper Towels (optional)

·      10-12 slices gluten-free uncured organic or pastured bacon (See Resources)

·      2 tablespoons organic grade B maple syrup (optional)

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Prep large bar pan/baking pan, line with parchment paper (this is optional if you are using stoneware).  Pour maple syrup into a small bowl, set aside.

2.   Line the pieces of bacon up in one layer, it’s okay if they touch, they will shrink as they cook. 

3.   Place baking pan in oven, set timer for 10 minutes.  At 10 minutes, use the tongs to flip every piece of bacon.  PLEASE USE CAUTION, the bacon grease is very hot, use an oven mitt to protect your hand/arm.  Set timer for 10 minutes.  At this point open the oven again and brush maple syrup on each piece of bacon, again using extreme caution.  Close oven and set timer for another 5 minutes.  Bacon is done when it “looks” crispy and is dark red-brown.  Watch the bacon closely, all ovens cook differently, you don’t want the bacon to burn.  You should be able to tell at the 10-minute mark about how much longer you will need to cook the bacon.  If you’re not sure, just keep an eye on it.      

4.   Remove bacon from the oven, using tongs, place pieces of bacon on a plate or a plate lined with paper towels. 

5.    Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for later. 

Yield: 10-12 pieces.

Storage: If you actually have some leftover, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.  It’s still great the next day.  To reheat, place pieces on a baking dish (or parchment paper, ONLY if oven is on a low setting) in the oven on a low/warming setting, they will be warmed up in minutes.  


This post is part of Hearth and Soul Hop @ Premeditated Leftovers, Allergy-Free Wednesdays Blog Hop @ Gluten Free Pantry, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, These Chicks Cooked Recipe Swap @ This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Make Your Own! Monday link-up @ Nourishing Treasures. Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, and Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods.

Buffalo Burgers w/ Garlic & Herbs

Buffalo Burgers topped with Lacto-fermented Kimchi and carrots.

Grass-fed ground buffalo is awesome.  It’s a nice change from grass-fed beef.  Buffalo has more iron and vitamin B-12 than grass-fed beef.  It is also higher in protein and lower in fat.  It’s a great source of vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acids and is rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). 

Buffalo Burgers w/ Garlic & Herbs

The fresh herbs really shine through in these flavorful burgers. They are simply delicious!

·      1 pound ground grass-fed buffalo

·      1 clove fresh garlic, grated or minced

·      ½ sprig fresh rosemary, remove stem, finely chop leaves

·      2 teaspoons dried thyme (or fresh if you have it)

·      1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped (optional)

·      1 teaspoon fresh lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped (optional)

·      2 teaspoons chili powder

·      ¼ teaspoon unrefined Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

·      ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

·      1-2 tablespoons pasture butter, ghee or fat of choice (See Resources)

1.     Remove meat from refrigerator, let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. 

2.    Place meat in a medium-size mixing bowl.  Add garlic, herbs, chili powder, sea salt and pepper.  Use one hand to combine just until ingredients are mixed.

3.    Melt pasture butter in pan on stovetop over medium heat.

4.    Grab small portion, roll into ball in hands, and flatten into patty shape.

5.     Place 4-6 burgers (depending on size) in preheated pan.  Cook 2-4 minutes per side (depending on how rare you like your burgers).  Do not overcook the burgers; they will continue to cook after you remove them from the pan. 

6.    Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Ideas for Garnishes:

·               Raw cheddar

·               Lacto-fermented Kimchi

·               Sliced avocado

·               Homemade ketchup

·               Spicy mustard or Dijon mustard

·               Homemade guacamole

·               Dark leaf lettuce

·               Sliced tomatoes

·               Caramelized onions

Yield: Varies, about 6-8 burgers.  We make a bunch of mini burgers because my little love prefers them.  

Note: You can really use any herbs you like.  I just happen to have these herbs growing in my garden.