Appropriate use of Bacon


Yes it has been far too long since I've posted something about the goodness of bacon. This time I've created a kielbasa tubular baconny vessel. This incredibly simple addition to a smoked sausage was just out of this world. The process is quite simple:

1 package of Hillshire Farms kielbasa
1 package of thick cut peppered bacon
A few toothpicks
A charcoal grill
A handful of hickory chips

First step it to cut the Kielbasa in half-on the loop end, to make the sausage pieces as straight as possible. Prick several places with a fork, so the juices have a place to vent. With each sausage piece you'll need 3 strips of peppered bacon to wrap around and cover the sausage. Start the bacon wrapping process by placing a toothpick on the end piece of the bacon as it is posed on the end of the sausage. In an homage to my Canadian friends, wrap the bacon around the sausage like you would a hockey stick. When the bacon is done, overlap the next piece about a three quarters of an inch behind the first piece of bacon, stab with toothpick and keep on wrapping. Repeat process for the third strip of bacon until the sausage has a bacon spiral cover. Insert final toothpick to anchor all your efforts. Now do the same thing for the other sausage piece.

Start the grill. I used a small Weber, partly for sport and partly because it is an appropriate size for this meal. Place coals o one side so you'll have a cool or smoking zone. If you place bacon on top of burning embers, you'll have a visit from the fire department because the flames from the bacon fat will be visible from outer space. Place the hickory chips in just prior to placing the sausage on the cool zone to render maximum smoky goodness.

Two caveats. One=>place the coal side towards any wind you have with the lid over the sausages to channel the smoke. Second=>I'd suggest using any wood that is similar to the wood used to smoke the bacon, to amp up a bit that smoky flavor profile consistent to the flavors already introduced.

The grilling process takes about a half hour to 45 minutes. About halfway, you might want to flip ove the sausages to insure evenly cooking. It's easy to determine doneness solely based on how you like your bacon cooked. When it's crispy enough for you, just pull off the grill, pull out the toothpicks and dig in. I highly recommend as a side dish (Sandra Lee homage) Just a simple boxed macaroni and cheese but spiked up a bit with chipotle pepper and a pinch of mexican oregano. Bun is optional. Dress anyway you wish. Oh, the bun too...

Thanks once again for viewing my blog, even though it is not hawking any of our items we produce this time-stay tuned. Ms. Sue Davis just sent me a recipe with one of our finishing sauces involved and I'll translate and share this week.