The Bacon Beat

Author: Amanda

  • Turkey Meatloaf

    As a person who does not eat red meat, I use ground turkey instead of ground beef in many recipes. I’ve made this meatloaf with ground turkey and ground beef separately, and I get much more rave reviews when I use turkey, so give it a shot!

    Turkey Meatloaf Recipe (12 servings)

    Ingredients:

    • 2 pounds of 93% lean ground turkey
    • 1/2 pound of bacon, cooked and crumbled
    • 1 envelope of dry onion soup mix
    • 2 eggs, beaten
    • 1 1/2 cups of fresh bread crumbs (about 3 slices of bread)
    • 1/4 cup of ranch salad dressing
    • 1 tablespoon of dried parsley

    Directions:

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Combine all ingredients in a bowl. (I use my hands to make sure everything gets really well-combined, but if you’re squeamish, use a big metal spoon.)
    • Transfer meat mixture to prepared baking pan and form into a loaf.
    • Bake uncovered for 1 hour.
    • Allow to set for 10 minutes before slicing.Then serve and enjoy!

    Note:

    This meatloaf makes incredible meatloaf sandwiches as well!

    Nutrition Facts
    Servings: 12
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 254
    % Daily Value *
    Total Fat 17 g26 %
    Saturated Fat 5 g23 %
    Monounsaturated Fat 6 g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4 g
    Trans Fat 0 g
    Cholesterol 104 mg35 %
    Sodium 687 mg29 %
    Potassium 221 mg6 %
    Total Carbohydrate 6 g2 %
    Dietary Fiber 1 g3 %
    Sugars 1 g
    Protein 18 g37 %
    Vitamin A4 %
    Vitamin C0 %
    Calcium2 %
    Iron6 %
    * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

  • The Best Ways to Cook Bacon

    Undoubtedly, after much experimentation, my favorite way to cook bacon to maintain its flavor and offer the best possible texture is to bake it in the oven. It’s a little more time-consuming this way, but it’s worth it. You can fry your bacon on the stovetop or microwave it if you prefer a quicker method, but keep in mind you will need to cook the bacon in smaller batches using one of these methods.

    How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

    Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

    Step 2: Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If you have a grate or metal cooling rack that will sit inside the baking sheet, you can use this instead of the parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. The grate is especially helpful if you prefer crispy bacon.

    Step 3: Lay the bacon slices out one next to the other on top of the grate or directly onto the parchment paper or baking mat. Try not to overlap the slices.

    Step 4: Cook the bacon in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

    Step 5: Remove the pan from the oven, flip the bacon slices, and cook the bacon for 10 additional minutes.

    *Note: If your bacon isn’t crispy enough for your liking, add another 2-3 minutes to your baking time, but keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t get crispier than you want it to be.

    Step 6: Remove the bacon with a fork and transfer it to a dish lined with paper towels. The bacon will cool and the paper towels will absorb the excess fat.

    Step 7: Serve and enjoy!

    * Bonus: To save the bacon fat for future use, simply tip the baking sheet into a heat-proof jar or container and refrigerate. Bacon grease will keep in the refrigerator for up to six months and can be used for a myriad of things to enhance the flavor of your cooking.

    *Warning: Never dump bacon grease into your sink or garbage disposal. If you do not want to save it, wait for it to cool and scrape the grease into the garbage.

    How to Fry Bacon

    Step 1: Lay your bacon slices into a skillet. Be sure not to overlap the slices. I recommend a cast iron skillet, but any good-quality frying pan will do.

    Step 2: Cook the bacon over medium heat until it appears partially cooked (about 3-4 minutes).

    Step 3: Flip the bacon slices and let them continue to cook until they reach your desired crispness.

    Step 4: Remove the skillet from heat and use a fork to gently remove the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined dish.

    Step 5: Let the bacon cool for a bit and then serve and enjoy!

    How to Cook Bacon in the Microwave

    Step 1: Line a microwave-safe dish with two layers of paper towel.

    Step 2: Lay your bacon slices on top of the paper towels being sure not to overlap the slices. You should be able to fit 4-5 slices on a dinner-sized plate.

    Step 3: Cover the bacon slices with another two layers of paper towel.

    Step 4: Microwave on high for one minute per slice (i.e. 5 slices of bacon = 5 minutes of cooking time).

    Step 5: Carefully remove the plate from the microwave using an oven mitt. The plate will be very hot.

    *If the bacon isn’t crispy enough, microwave it for one minute more at a time until you achieve the desired crispiness.

    Step 6: Allow the bacon to cool a bit. Then serve and enjoy!