Bacon Bowls

VERY IMPORTANT -- PLEASE READ

The Weekend Grillers is Moving -- VERY SOON!

Our new address is theWeekendGrillers.com

Yes, we just added a "The" to the front so it is easy to remember.

As of August 1st, 2008, this site will no longer be available.

Please check out the new site. All your favorite Grillers and Recipes are there plus many more new and exciting features and recipes.

The Weekend Grillers are sorry for the inconvenience and we're very sorry for such short notice -- but the old bugaboo "circumstances-beyond-our-control" have struck and we had to move.

However -- this actually ends up being a very good thing.

We have been happy with the hosting of Site Sell over the past year and are very thankful that it is so easy to use that we we able to get this site up and running and looking as good as it does back when we knew next to nothing about the internet. However, recently we have been itching to expand and do more with the Weekend Grillers.

Our new Web 2.0 site will allow us to do just that.

Already up and running or coming very soon are:

The Weekend Grillers Blog (Click HERE now to check it out now)
The Weekend Grillers Barbeque Forum (in the works)
The Weekend Grillers Mobile Site (Up and running -- well sorta -- Click HERE to read about this exciting new feature.)
Social Bookmarking and Friend Sharing Opportunities
RSS Feeds
...As well as a prettier, more user friendly site and many little tweaks and updates.

I have set up a page to introduce all the veteran Grillers to the new and exciting features the NEW Weekend Grillers has to offer. Click Here to visit the HOW TO USE THE NEW WEEKEND GRILLERS PAGE

Thank you for enjoying the Weekend Grillers for the past year and we hope to see you at The NEW Weekend Grillers,

Mark

Yes, Bacon Bowls

I was searching the internet a couple days ago and came across this recipe on the wonderful Not Martha Website, and I knew immediately that I had to have it for the Grillers.

How can you not love Bowls made out of Bacon?

You can make them and fill them full of what ever you like. Megan suggested a No-Bread BLT. I suggest you add croutons and make a BLT Salad in the Bacon Bowl (details below). But it's up to you. Add Scambled Eggs and Veggies for a Omelet Bowl. Add cheese and jalapenos for an Atomic Buffalo Turd Bowl. Heck, add more BACON if you want for a Bacon Bacon Bowl.

Not your typical Weekend Grillers Recipe

Okay, I admit, this is not your typical Weekend Grillers recipe. For one thing it doesn't involve a grill. It's also more craft than recipe. I will probably move it to the Everyday Party site as soon as it gets up and running.

But it's BACON!!!

How can you refuse?

Bacon Bowls

This recipe and the photos are by Megan from the website Not Martha Website. A more detailed version of this recipe along with several links is given at Bacon Cups. Thank you, Megan. You have made me and a bunch of Bacon lovers very happy.

Bacon Bowls Ready to Serve

I had an occasion calling for bacon themed food and my mind immediately turned towards the famed bacon mat. I needed something a little more single-serving though, so I decided to attempt bacon cups. In the bacon mat instructions there is mention of draping the mat over an overturned metal bowl and cooking it so that it would turn out in as a bowl shape. I decided to try using the backs of various muffin and mini cake pans, I ran out of bacon before I got to try as many as I would have liked so I'll have to try more at a later date. Any excuse for more bacon. (With a Comment like that, you know Megan is a "one of us" - a TRUE Weekend Griller! -- Mark)

I set the oven at 400 degrees and carefully formed foil over the back of the muffin pan. I did not coat with cooking spray, it would have been easier to remove but I suspect that the bacon would not have held the form as well if the foil was oiled and would have popped apart half way through cooking. On the other hand some bacon did break when I was peeling away the foil. I cooked the bacon, moving the pans around, until it was crisp looking and waited for it to cool before removing the foil and shaped bacon.

This all took three hours and my house filled with smoke, but it was worth it. Be sure to put a cookie sheet with a rim below the cooking bacon in the oven, there was a lot of dripping fat and I saw a few flames. Watch your oven carefully!

For cup shapes I used the back of this Wilton King-Size Muffin Pan. These are the width of jumbo muffins but are almost twice as tall.

For the first try I used two layers of bacon on the sides and wove it like a basket, or at least like I imagine a basket would be woven:

Bacon Bowls --- Ready to start Frying

I turned out to not be enough after the bacon cooked and shrank.

It held its structure very well though.

Not Enough Bacon on this Bacon Bowl

The next time I used three layers of bacon on the sides, this worked out better.

When In Doubt -- Add More Bacon to your Bacon Bowl

For as floppy as the bacon is when trying to weave it, it keeps its shape really well once cooked to the point that it is crisp.

Going for a breadless BLT I filled the cups with lettuce (the arugula was the best) and sliced cherry tomato. After some serious investigation it was determined that the shallow bowls were the easiest to eat as finger food, while the cups were dramatic.

I would add Croutons and a home-made Blue Cheese (Here is a delicious clone of the Outback Steakhouse's Blue Cheese you can make at home from Best Copycat Restaurant Recipes -- CLICK HERE) and you'd have a true BLT Bacon Bowl. In fact, I think I will for my next party. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thank you Megan. -- Mark

Not Martha

Bacon Cups

Bacon Bowl BLT's Ready to be Served

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