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Start with BLACK LABEL® Original bacon:
When you’re grilling bacon, quality matters. Make sure to start with HORMEL® Black Label® Original cut bacon, versus thick cut bacon. Original typically cooks quicker than a thick sliced bacon. This can help reduce the risk of flare-ups on the grill.
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Partially cook the bacon before grilling:
This is one of the best kept secrets for perfectly grilled bacon. Pre-cooking the bacon for a few minutes in a pan on low heat can help reduce the risk of flare-ups once on the grill. You’re going to want the bacon to still be pliable and NOT fully cooked, so don’t get carried away with precooking. This is especially helpful if you’re wrapping bacon around something.
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Use indirect heat and a drip pan:
When grilling bacon-wrapped items, such as hot dogs or veggies, it’s best to use indirect heat. Place these items on a cooler part of the grill, or on top of a piece of foil. This will allow the bacon to cook slowly and evenly and will help achieve that perfect crispy texture everyone is craving. A drip pan under your bacon-wrapped items will also catch any excess fat as it renders, saving you from those pesky flare ups!
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Arrange the bacon properly:
If you are not using a drop pan, this one may seem simple, but we’re going to make sure to say it anyway because it’s that important. To avoid a mess, and some big flames, lay the bacon strips parallel to the grill grates. This prevents them from slipping through, as well as from curling up between the grates.
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Avoid overcrowding the grill:
This one is an important step in preventing flare ups- or an all-out fire on your grill. Make sure to leave enough space between the bacon slices, or bacon wrapped items on the grill to allow air to circulate. We know it’s tempting to get all the bacon-wrapped goodness on there that you can, but trust us, less is more when you’re grilling with bacon. Overcrowding the grill can result in excessive smoke or flames.
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Add some crispiness:
If you’ve been grilling on foil or indirect heat or precooked your bacon and are wanting that perfect crispy texture, you’ll want to move your bacon closer to the heat for the final couple minutes to get crisped up. But be ready to remove the items, they will crisp quickly!
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Add some crispiness:
If you’ve been grilling on foil or indirect heat or precooked your bacon and are wanting that perfect crispy texture, you’ll want to move your bacon closer to the heat for the final couple minutes to get crisped up. But be ready to remove the items, they will crisp quickly!
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Drain excess fat:
Once you’re satisfied with the crispness of your bacon or bacon-wrapped items, it’s time to remove them from the grill. Use a tongs and place items on a plate of paper towels to absorb excess grease. Allow the bacon to rest for a minute or two on the paper towels and bask in the glory of your perfectly grilled, crispy, delicious bacon masterpiece.
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
EntertainingIngredients
| 10 | jalapeno peppers |
| 1 | (8-ounce) package cream cheese |
| 10 | slices HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Bacon |
Directions
Prepare grill for medium heat.
Halve each pepper lengthwise. Remove seeds and veins from peppers.
Stuff pepper with cream cheese and wrap with 1 slice of bacon. Secure with toothpick.
Place jalapenos cut side down on grill. Grill 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and grill an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until bacon is crisped.
Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog
Easy MealsIngredients
| 7 | slices HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Bacon- Original |
| 1 | (14-ounce) package hot dogs |
| 7 | hot dog buns, split |
| Ketchup, if desired | |
| Prepared mustard, if desired |
Directions
Prepare grill for medium heat. Wrap 1 bacon slice loosely around each hot dog; secure with wooden picks.
Cook on greased grill 10 minutes or until bacon is browned crisp around edges, turning occasionally.
Remove wooden picks and place inside buns. Top with ketchup and mustard if desired.
Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon
EntertainingIngredients
| 4 | (6- to 8-ounce) filets mignons, cut 1½ to 2 inches thick |
| 8 | slices HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Bacon- Original |
| Salt and coarsely ground black pepper | |
| 2 tablespoons oil |
Directions
Prepare grill for medium-high heat.
Put filets on a plate and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.
Wrap two strips of bacon around each filet, keeping the bacon even with the top and bottom of each filet. Secure the bacon with wooden picks.
Sprinkle both sides of filets with salt and pepper. Lightly rub oil on both sides of filets.
Place filets on grill. Grill 3 minutes. Turn filets. Grill 2 to 3 minutes longer or to desired doneness. To determine doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the filet. The meat thermometer will read 120ºF for rare, 130ºF for medium rare, 140°F for medium, 150°F for medium well and 165°F for well done.
Remove filets from grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Cherrywood Bacon Steak Kebobs
EntertainingIngredients
| 20 | ounces Angus beef steak |
| 1 | medium onion |
| 1 | (12-ounce) package HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Premium Cherrywood Bacon |
| Olive oil | |
| 1 | teaspoon kosher salt |
| ½ | freshly ground pepper |
Directions
Heat grill to medium to high-heat.
Cut steak into 1-2 inch cubes. Slice onion lengthwise into wedges, keeping root intact.
Start each skewer 1-inch from end of bacon slice, add steak, wrap bacon around steak on one side. Add onion and wrap bacon around onion, repeat with remaining bacon slices.
Drizzle skewers with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grill skewers 7 to 9 minutes or until steak and bacon are fully cooked.