Beef, bacon, hot peppers and cheese. Nutritional statistics aside, what's not to love?
This recipe is from the book Bacon Freak: 50 Savory Recipes for the Ultimate Enthusiast by Rocco Loosbrock, Sara Lewis and Dawn Hubbard. Published in November, it offers something for everyone. Every bacon lover, that is. Vegans, pork-abstainers and low-fat dieters will have to sit this one out.
When it comes to breakfast meats, bacon reigns supreme in my book. (My husband, on the other hand, argues that sausage is the superior pork product.)
But these bacon-wrapped, cheese, bacon and jalapeno stuffed beef spheres were a dish we agreed on.
They are too big to serve as finger foods but if you don't mind using a knife and a fork, they make a great appetizer or snack to serve while watching a certain football game or one of the furry alternatives.
Juicy Lucy Bacon Fireballs
1 1/2 pounds bacon, divided use (see note)
1 pound ground beef
4 ounces shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese
2 jalapeno or Fresno peppers, seeded and minced
Ground black pepper
1 to 2 large onions, peeled
Wooden skewers, soaked in water
Barbecue sauce or other sauce for basting (I used Lawry's Signature Steakhouse Marinade)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Alternately, prepare grill for medium-high heat.
Reserve 12 strips of the bacon.
Finely chop the remaining bacon. Cook chopped bacon over medium heat until cooked through, but not crisped. Drain on paper towels.
In a mixing bowl, combine cooked bacon, ground beef, cheese, hot peppers and ground black pepper and mix thoroughly, but gently.
Divide mixture into 2-ounce balls.
Trim the ends off 1 onion and cut it in half. Separate layers of each half. Trimming the onion pieces as necessary, cup each beef ball in 2 or 3 pieces of onion. Wrap with a strip of bacon and secure with wooden skewer. If necessary, use second onion.
Brush each ball with barbecue sauce or other sauce as desired. If cooking in oven, place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and arrange balls on rack. Bake 20 minutes or until beef is cooked through. If grilling, grill directly on grate (watch for flare-ups), turning occasionally, until beef is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
Makes 12 fireballs.
Note: The original recipe called for 2 pounds of bacon; I used 11/2 pounds and didn't feel the dish to be lacking.
Recipe adapted from Bacon Freak: 50 Savory Recipes for the Ultimate Enthusiast by Rocco Loosbrock, Sara Lewis and Dawn Hubbard
Food on 02/01/2017