Grilled bacon skewers: Your unexpected holiday hit
We are all slowly planning for the May holiday. While I'm not travelling anywhere this year, I'm already looking forward to meeting with friends. They're already asking if there will be bacon on skewers, just like the ones I grilled last year.
Bacon for the grill may not seem like an obvious choice. Usually, we go for sausage, blood sausage, pork shoulder, or chicken fillets. I don't care for bacon every day, yet I've taken to its grilled version. It has a fatty consistency, but it's pleasantly crispy on the outside, creating an interesting contrast.
Which bacon to choose for the grill
You can use both raw and smoked bacon for grilling. However, raw bacon has a milder flavour and is easy to season properly using a marinade. That's why I opt for raw, but I choose a relatively lean piece of meat. When there's too much fat, it renders out excessively. The next step is to slice it. They shouldn't be too thin, as they'd burn quickly; too thick, and they take longer to prepare.
Prepare a simple marinade
Once the bacon slices are prepared, I marinate them. This enhances their flavour and also tenderizes them. The meat will certainly be more delicate after grilling. The bacon marinade can be tailored to your taste, whether mild or spicy. It's a good idea to use oil, garlic, paprika, or mustard. It's important not to overdo the salt, as bacon is already quite salty. It's best to place the bacon slices in the marinade a day before grilling. I then put the whole thing in the fridge and take it out about an hour before grilling it. If I have less time for marinating, I don't refrigerate the bacon.
The bacon will be crispy
I drain the marinated bacon slices from any excess marinade and skewer them. I place them on a well-heated grill. It's important to remember to turn the slices regularly to cook them evenly. Grilling usually takes about 15 to 25 minutes, which depends on the thickness of the slices. But the meat should be visibly roasted when it's crispy. Bacon skewers from the grill make a great snack. My friends are already looking forward to it. After all, we don't eat grilled bacon every day.
Bacon on skewers from the grill
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of bacon slices,
- a skewer for each slice.
For the marinade:
- 125 ml of oil,
- 3 cloves of garlic,
- hot and sweet paprika to taste,
- salt and pepper to taste,
- 1 teaspoon of mustard (optional).
Preparation method:
- Mix all the marinade ingredients, pressing the garlic through a garlic press.
- Place the bacon slices in a dish or put them in a ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over them.
- Marinate the bacon overnight in the refrigerator, or for a few hours, depending on how much time you have.
- Skewer the prepared bacon slices and arrange them on trays.
- Grill the bacon on a hot grill for about 15-25 minutes, turning the slices occasionally.
