Sweet and savory secrets to perfect holiday bacon roast
Among the festive dishes, in addition to fish and pâtés, roasted bacon often makes an appearance. Ideally, it should be aromatic and juicy, with delicately crispy skin. Unfortunately, in practice, it is often prepared hastily, resulting in dry slices rather than juicy ones on the platter. To achieve the perfect holiday roast, it's worth paying more attention to this dish. Perhaps this year you could serve bacon in a sweet glaze with fragrant spices?
Bacon can be presented in many ways for the holidays. Rolls with dried plums or bacon baked with cinnamon and cloves fill the house with a wonderful aroma. Do you usually prepare bacon with marjoram? This Christmas, allow yourself some creativity. Add a bay leaf, allspice, and a few cloves to the sweet marinade.
Why does roasted bacon turn out dry?
Roasted bacon can turn out dry if not prepared correctly. A common mistake is too short marinating time. The meat needs several hours to fully absorb the spices and honey, which will help it retain moisture.
The baking temperature is also crucial – too high of a temperature can cause the meat to lose its juiciness. Additionally, the absence of fat on the bacon can significantly affect its moisture – for special occasions, you might opt for fattier cuts.
What kind of honey works best for roasted bacon?
Honey with a distinctive flavour usually works best for roasted bacon. Buckwheat or honeydew honey, for instance, pairs excellently with intense spices like cinnamon and cloves, but also with mustard. The strong flavour of honey adds incredible depth to the roast.
If you prefer milder notes, acacia or wildflower honey would be a good choice, providing subtle sweetness without overpowering the other ingredients in the bacon marinade.
Does honey lose its properties during baking?
Honey loses some of its valuable properties at high temperatures, such as enzymes and probiotic bacteria. Nevertheless, in a culinary context, its primary role is to add sweetness and crispiness to dishes. When baking bacon, honey forms a glaze that enhances the colour and taste of the meat, giving it the desired appearance and aroma despite the reduction in its health benefits.
Recipe for honey-glazed bacon from the oven
When choosing bacon for roasting, you might opt for fattier cuts. During baking, some of the fat will melt, adding more juiciness to the meat.
Ingredients:
- 900 grams of raw bacon,
- 3 tablespoons of dark honey,
- 2 tablespoons of mustard – Dijon or honey mustard works best,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- half a teaspoon of salt,
- a pinch of black pepper,
- 2 allspice berries,
- 2 bay leaves,
- 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika,
- 3 cloves.
Instructions:
- Mix honey, mustard, and spices in a bowl. Place the bacon in a large ziplock bag, add the marinade, and thoroughly rub it into the meat. Leave it in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
- Place the marinated bacon in a baking dish in an oven preheated to 190 degrees Celsius.
- Bake for 60 minutes under aluminum foil and 30 minutes without the foil. During baking, baste with the rendered fat.
