Tennessee Mountaintop Bacon Recipes

TENNESSEE MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Combine ketchup, brown sugar, and cider vinegar in a bowl; mix well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 9x5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray or line with aluminum foil for easier cleanup (see Cook's Note).
• Place onion and green pepper in covered microwave container and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In large mixing bowl, combine garlic, eggs, thyme, seasoned salt, black pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, milk, and oats. Mix well. Stir in cooked onion and green pepper. Add ground beef, pork, and veal. With gloved hands, work all ingredients together until completely mixed and uniform.
• Divide meatloaf mixture in half and pat half of mixture into each prepared loaf pan. Brush loaves with half of the glaze; set remainder of glaze aside.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Remove pans from oven; carefully drain fat. Brush loaves with remaining glaze. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more. Remove pans from oven and allow meatloaf to stand for 15 minutes before slicing.

TENNESSEE MOUNTAINTOP BACON

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar, and black pepper together. Coat bacon slices well with the mixture.
• Place bacon on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until brown and crisp.

BONELESS TENNESSEE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge with flour. Brown in a small amount of fat in skillet.
• Place in a greased baking dish (1 1/2 to 2-quart) or a 13 x 9-inch pan works nicely.
• Cook the onion in margarine in a saucepan until brown. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Pour over chicken. Bake in 400° oven for 40 minutes.
• This can be made early in the day and refrigerated until time to bake, or it can be cooked in a slow cooker all day.

TENNESSEE PORK LOIN WITH WHISKEY, BROWN SUGAR, AND MUSTARD

Steps:

• Make Nashville Sweet: combine all the ingredients in a saucepan; whisk to mix.
• Let the sauce gradually come to a simmer over medium heat; simmer until thick and flavorful, 8-10 minutes; if not serving sauce immediately, let cool to room temperature; transfer to clean glass jars and refrigerate until ready to serve; bring to room temperature before using.
• Make the rub: add rub ingredients to a bowl; stir to mix (or use your fingers); stor rub in an airtight jar away from heat or light (keeps for 6 months); makes 2 cups; total amount used in this recipe is 2 tablespoons.
• Make the pork: butterfly the pork loin-using a very sharp knife, cut the roast almost in half lengthwise through one side (stop about 1-inch from the opposite side).
• Open the roast up as you would a book.
• Sprinkle the inside of the roast with 1 tablespoon of the whiskey; let is marinate for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle a third of the rub (remember total amount of rub used it 2 tablespoons, so 1/3 of that amount) over the inside of the roast.
• Spread the mustard on top with a spatula; sprinkle the brown sugar on top of mustard.
• Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons whiskey on top of the brown sugar.
• Fold the roast back together (like closing a book); sprinkle the remaining rub over the outside.
• Cut four 12-inch pieces of butcher's string; position the pieces of string on your work surface so they are parallel and about 2 inches apart.
• Place a slice of bacon across the strings so that it is perpendicular to and in the center of them.
• Set the roast on top of the bacon, positioning its long side parallel to the bacon.
• Place a slice of bacon on top of the roast; press the remaining 2 slices against the long sides of the roast.
• Tie each piece of string together around the roast so that they hold the slices of bacon against it; set roast aside.
• To make the glaze: combine the glaze ingredients together in a saucepan; boil until syrupy, 4-6 minutes; set the glaze aside.
• Set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium (if using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then decrease the heat to medium; if using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center, preheat the grill to medium, then toss all of the wood chips on the coals).
• When ready to cook, place the pork roast on the grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat; cover the grill.
• Cook roast until cooked through, 1 to 1 ½ hours; test for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the side of the roast; internal temperature should be about 160°.
• Start basting the roast with some of the glaze after 30 minutes and continue basting every 15 minutes.
• Transfer cooked roast to a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes; remove and discard strings; slice roast crosswise and drizzle any remaining glaze over it.
• Serve with Nashville Sweet.