The other day the guys from BaconToday.com contacted me in search for some barbecue bacon recipes. Of course I have plenty of great uses for bacon in a barbecue pit, but the longer I thought about it, the more I wanted to step it up a notch and clog a few arteries for those guys. Behold, BACON EXPLOSION!!! Here’s what you’ll need…
Bacon Explosion Ingredients
- 2 pounds thick cut bacon
- 2 pounds Italian sausage
- 1 bottle of Burnt Finger BBQ sauce
- 1 shaker of Burnt Finger BBQ rub
To kick off the construction of this pork medley you’ll need to create a 5×5 bacon weave. If the strips you’re using aren’t as wide as the ones pictured, then you may need to use a few extra slices to fill out the pattern. Just make sure your bacon weave is tight and that you end up with a nice square shape to work with.
The next step is to add some seasoning on top of your bacon weave. I used our Burnt Finger BBQ Smokey Kansas City seasoning (the label artwork has changed since this photo was taken), but many rubs will work. Here are some of my favorites that are available on Amazon.
The key here is to use a seasoning that is more sweet than salty. The bacon is already bringing a good amount of salt to party, so you want to avoid getting your Bacon Explosion over salted.
Now that you’re pork is well seasoned, it’s time to add more pork. Take two pounds of Italian sausage and layer it directly on top of your bacon weave. Be sure to press the sausage to the outer edges of the bacon creating a patty that is the same thickness all the way across. Most grocery stores carry loose sausage, so just pick out one you like. I chose to go with a mild sausage, but spicy would work just the same. If you really want to get crazy, take a stab at making your own homemade sausage.
Next up is bacon layer number two. Take the remaining bacon slices and fry them up the same way you would for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner, or a midnight snack). If you like soft bacon, make it soft. If you like crunchy bacon, make it crunchy. If you like your bacon burnt to hell so the smoke detectors go off, then burn it to hell so the smoke detectors go off. These pieces are going to be a major part of the inner flavor of our sausage fatty, so cook them your favorite way. Personally, I like my bacon right at the point when it starts to get crispy, but hasn’t quite lost all of the softness yet. Regardless of how well done you like yours, you’ll need to crumble or chop the cooked strips into bite size pieces and place on top of the sausage layer. (Note-It’s okay, and encouraged, to snack on these pieces while your chopping/crumbling. But keep in mind that once those bacon morsels touch the raw sausage, you’ll need to resist all temptations to nibble. This can and will be difficult, but hospital trips are no fun, so stay strong.)
Since this is a BBQ recipe, we need to add another layer of BBQ flavor. Take your favorite sauce and drizzle it all over the top of the bacon pieces. I use our Burnt Finger BBQ Smokey Kansas City sauce, but any BBQ sauce that you like will work. Here are some of my favorites that are available on Amazon.
Once you’ve sauced the bacon, sprinkle on some more of the Smokey Kansas City Barbecue Seasoning you used on the bacon weave.
Now comes the fun part. Very carefully separate the front edge of the sausage layer from the bacon weave and begin rolling backwards. You want to include all layers EXCEPT the bacon weave in your roll. Try and keep the sausage as tight as possible and be sure to release any air pockets that may have formed. Once the sausage is fully rolled up, pinch together the seams and ends to seal all of the bacon goodness inside.
At this point we can start to see the final shape of our Bacon Explosion, but we’re missing one key item. To complete the construction process, roll the sausage forward completely wrapping it in the bacon weave. Make sure it sits with the seam facing downward to help keep it all sealed up.
Sprinkle some more Smokey Kansas City Barbecue Seasoning on the outside of the bacon weave, and now this bad boy is ready for the smoker. Cook your Bacon Explosion at 225 degrees in a constant cloud of hickory smoke until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Normally this will take about 1 hour for each inch of thickness, but that could vary depending on how well you maintain your fire and also how many times you open the smoker to take a peek. Mine took about 2.5 hours, which was right on target with its 2.5 inch diameter.
Now that our Bacon Explosion is fully cooked, we need to add some finishing flavors. Remember that Burnt Finger BBQ sauce we used for inner flavor? We’ll be using that same sauce to glaze the cooked bacon weave. Using a basting brush, coat the entire surface with a thin layer of sauce.
Slice the Bacon Explosion into quarter to half inch rounds to serve. If your roll was good and tight, you should now see a nice bacon pinwheel pattern throughout the sausage. Obviously pork is best served by itself, but if you feel the need to make this meat monster into a sandwich, try placing a couple Bacon Explosion slices on a warm Pillsbury’s Grands Biscuit. You’ll reach pork Nirvana in no time flat!
My arteries hurt from just reading this…
but damn it looks delicious.
And seriously un-healthy.
But mostly delicious.
That is amazing! I am going to make this (and schedule to have a pace-maker put in).
I came across this site from Google and found this entry quite yummy!
WOW!!! my husband already decided this, with a beer backer, is the breakfast of champions!
A friend of mine made this at our hunting camp, AWSOME!!
We stuffed one with a deer roast too!!
Nothing but artery clogging goodness!!
They should serve this at the Heart Attack Cafe in Phoenix, AZ
I love rediscovering this!
That was a incredible blog post,You discover new things each day.
Hi,
Thanks for taking the time on writing an article
about this information….excellent. I will make my own bacon explode 😛
Just want to say thanks, for your hard work it is
very appreciated ….:-)
Good article! I became amazed I was capable of read this in my google android mobile! Thanks again.
This is next on my list. I love bacon and I’m not sure why I have not tried this out.
Greetings from Denmark.
We have just finished eating this bacon-monster, and it was AMAZING!!
The hole process was a joy.. but the taste was out of this world!
THANK YOU!!!
I very like your blog
I got me some prime cut peppered bacon today and I have tried many versions of this so far.
I have liked every single one but I prefer the Habanero one so far.
On this try I am going a whole new route. I have roasted a whole chicken, while it was still really warm i took all eh bones out – I have green Chilies frozen and vacuum packed from last years Garden harvest – i am going to do the chopped chicken green Chili Habanero bacon explosion this time. The chicken I plan to hammer out on a plastic dough sheet – white meat sheet – then dark meat sheet, layer of green chopped green chilies in between the two sheets with dried Habanero dust on the outside of the white meat sheet after both are rolled into a bacon explosion center and then do the wrap.
I am thinking this will be awesome – My Sunday project.
I hate germany, we dont have all these nice sauces und seasonings 🙁 i’d love to make a real american bbq but its hard to get good ingredients also we dont use a smoker at our bbq’s and that pretty much suck 🙁
I NEED the bacon explosion 🙁
It’s me again, anyone might got a recipe to make ur own bbc sauce and stuff?
We finally made one of these bad boys at our annual cottage weekend.
Here’s the result:
http://tempestcommunique.blogspot.com/2010/05/be-afraid-its-delicious.html
Totally frakking awsome!
The Bacon Explosion is like eating 10 KFC drumsticks, fried, in one sitting.
Plus, it equals a heart attack, stroke, and/or diabetes.
The only food not made better by adding bacon is ice cream.
Lies and more lies. Bacon is the most healthy meat on Earth. Heart attacks and strokes are caused by stress, age, or physical damage. Diabetes is caused by genetics. Get over yourselves you dang anti-pork Nazis, let the bacon flow!
Going to make two of them this weekend for BBQ party. Plan is to use the Italian sausage on one, chicken or beef on the other. Can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Oh Wow! Holy heart attack!
This will pair well with lettuce and tomato swimming in bacon ranch&dressing, throw in a pan full of jalapeno bacon cornbread with a nice super cold ale, hot digity dawg… sum1 please call me a medic. unclogged my arteries so i can start all over again :o) Oink freaking Oink
Man that thing is awesome. Made one last night. Did mine a little different. I dont like Italian sausage so I used good ol ground pork sausage. I also split open some links of pork boudin and mixed with the sausage before I put it in a gallon ziplock and rolled with a pin to make a sausage square. When I rolled it all up I almost cried. The last time I got that emotional was the day my daughter was born hahaha.
Keep the good recipes coming. Y’all are changing the world one stomach at a time.
Welcome to the world of fat
Hmm…i don’t like it 🙁
Anyone add pineapple and Jalapeno’s? Hawaiian Bacon Explosion! Anyone know if the deliver in the Maryland area?
@Steve – Pineapple and Jalapenos go great in the Bacon Explosion! We can deliver anywhere in the US. Please visit our Bacon Explosion order page for more details.
This is beloved among firefighters.
Made it with 3 parts bratwurst, 1 part chorizo. Awesome.
As a breakfast item, I wonder if you could substitute breakfast sausage for Italian, and crack some raw eggs in the middle (maybe with chunks of cheddar and/or sourdough)?
OK, MUST TRY.
Was fortunate to try this after my brother made it last weekend. Yum!!
wow, this thing looks like a heart attack waiting to happen. I can’t wait to try it though.
Hiya
If you are to cook this in an oven, how long and what temperature?
It looks amazing!!!!
x
This is so gross looking/awesome!
I am diabetic, have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I am going to eat this and die happy.
Wow, this is nuts! I bet it’s awesome. Pass the BBQ sauce!
Made it for breakfast the other day. Used lean ground turkey, maple bacon, sweet hickory sauce with a hint of maple syrup, and some smoky mesquite rub. Sandwich between a biscuit. Definitely the best way to start your day.
@ Bacon is Health Food
I know it is, but eating all that?! I had a friend eat one of those before and he felt pain in his heart after 7 bites. I’m all for bacon and all, but not that all at once.
P.S. Screw you.