Bacon Buttercrunch Recipes

OVERNIGHT BACON BRUNCH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Grease a 9x13-inch pan. Layer brioche cubes evenly in the prepared pan.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, including any rendered bacon fat, and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Heat a small amount of bacon fat in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix milk, Cheddar cheese, mustard powder, pepper, and salt into the beaten eggs. Mix in bacon and onion-bell pepper mixture when done. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the brioche bread cubes and give it a gentle stir so everything is evenly distributed. Gently press the cubes into the egg mixture as needed, so all the bread cubes are sitting in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours, to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack until set, the top is browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the casserole comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving, 5 to 10 minutes.

THE GREAT BRITISH BACON BUTTY - BACON SANDWICH

Steps:

• Cook the bacon under a preheated oven grill for seven minutes at about 240C/475F - turning half way through the cooking time.
• Cook until crispy, but not burnt or too dry.
• (You can also fry the bacon in a pan if you wish).
• Butter the two slices of bread and place the grilled or fried bacon inside the two slices of bread to make a sandwich.
• Add sauces to taste.
• Enjoy!
• The bread can also be toasted if you wish! And, you can make this sandwich with a crusty bread roll.
• The Scientist's Formula:.
• Four researchers at the Department of Food Science at Leeds University in the UK spent more than 1,000 hours testing 700 variations on the traditional bacon sandwich.
• They tried different types and cuts of bacon, cooking techniques, types of oil and a range of cooking times at different temperatures.
• A shortlist was then tested with computers to measure the texture of each sandwich.
• Fifty volunteers also judged each sandwich according to its taste, texture and flavour.
• The formula is: N = C + {fb (cm) . fb (tc)} + fb (Ts) + fc . ta, where N=force in Newtons required to break the cooked bacon, fb=function of the bacon type, fc=function of the condiment/filling effect, Ts=serving temperature, tc=cooking time, ta=time or duration of application of condiment/filling, cm=cooking method, C=Newtons required to break uncooked bacon.

BACON BUTTERCRUNCH

Steps:

• Carefully pour the bacon fat into a heatproof measuring cup, and add enough melted butter to make 1 1/2 cups. Set aside.
• Generously butter a 13-by-18-inch baking sheet and set it aside on a heatproof surface.
• Combine the bacon fat mixture with the sugar, vanilla, salt and water in a medium-size saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Insert a candy thermometer and continue to cook, stirring constantly with a whisk until it reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage), 18 to 20 minutes.
• Wearing your oven mitts, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the crumbled bacon. Carefully pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and use a heatproof spatula to spread it evenly. Cool the buttercrunch completely, at least 1 hour, then break it into bite-size pieces. Store the bacon buttercrunch, layered with parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.