meat lovers

When it comes to a good creative appetizer for a party that doesn’t take all day to prepare our “go to” is the Bacon Explosion. It's always a hit!

Bacon Explosion

Meat used: 1 lb of bacon, 1 lb of Italian sausage

Other Ingredients: Any other toppings you want (cheese, jalapeños, hot sauce, more bacon, etc.)

Wood Used: Apple and Cherry

Grill Temperature: ~225-250 F

Meat Temperature:165 F

Smoke time: ~3 hours

The first thing you will need to do is construct your bacon weave. Typically you want to make it 5x5 which I find will leave a couple extra pieces in the bacon package so in case one tears you can perform a repair to your weave with the extra slices.

Once the weave is completed, sprinkle some of that good ol' rub on there.

The next step is to put your sausage on the 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.

Once the sausage has been laid down sprinkle some more rub liberally to the sausage.

Now this is the part where you can get creative. For our spicy one, we threw on some jalapeños, hot sauce, and cheese. On our mild one, we simply took the leftover slices of bacon, fried them up and threw them on top of the sausage. (Pictured below)

Now comes the critical moment where we have to roll all of this pork goodness up. It helps to have another person with you to help you roll it up and then use toothpicks to hold down the loose ends of bacon to keep it together.

Sprinkle some more of the rub on the outside of the bacon weave, and now this bad boy is ready for the smoker. Put the bacon explosion over indirect heat at 225 – 250 degrees in a constant cloud of smoke until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. I used apple and cherry wood for my smoke as I found the sweetness works well with the bacon.

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 3 hours.

Now when your explosion is almost done (temp of about 145-150) baste the roll with your favorite sauce and let it finish off for the last 30 mins, allowing the sauce to get sticky.

Now remove the roll from the smoker and remove the toothpicks as the heat should have seared the bacon together.

Very tasty. Next time I’m just going to do a single layer of bacon on the outside.  The bacon inside the wrap doesn’t get crispy. 
I also added some mozzarella cheese and banana pepper rings to it.  Thanks for the recipe!!

Made this last night for a family picnic. Made it “kid friendly” without the hot peppers and covered the inside with grated cheddar, sautéed bell peppers and crispy bacon. My son made a homemade rub for this and we finished it with a bourbon bbq sauce. Smoked for about 2.5 hours on a Weber Smokey Mountain with an empty water pan - ran it at 300 and added plenty of hickory smoke the whole way through. Definitely would make again.

made this yesterday for friday night patio beers and meat weekly event.
your suggestion to use two people to roll up the bacon explosion.
what i did (because i was by myself at the time)was to lay cling wrap on the counter first build the lattice of bacon then the sausage and just used the wrap to help hod it together as i rolled it up(obviously pulling back the plastic as i went) and tada it work wonderfully 
put in tooth picks and refrigerated in the plastic wrap overnight.
i use an oklahoma jeo off set smoker and i know it will be yummy.
thank you

Every venison lover needs a go-to burger recipe — this is it. Made with Silver Fern Farms Pasture-Raised Premium Ground Venison, this burger recipe always turns out completely and utterly satisfying.
We season it with the likes of Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper to highlight the venison’s savory, naturally peppery flavors. And then we gently mix everything together until it’s just combined, which keeps the meat nice and tender so it grills up extra juicy every time.
But the most important tip of all with this venison burger? Don’t be afraid to pile on the fixings!

How to Make the Best Venison Burger

venison

unsalted butter

worcestershire sauce

garlic powder

onion powder

cayenne pepper

kosher salt

black pepper

cheddar cheese

hamburger buns

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, gently fold together the ground venison, grated butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper with your hands. Be careful not to overmix the ground venison: overworking and compacting the meat will make it tough and dry.

Divide the ground venison into 4 balls and gently form them into ½”-thick patties. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to create an indentation. This will help the burgers cook evenly. Divide the salt and black pepper between the patties, seasoning both sides.

Lightly brush your grill grates with the oil. Place the patties on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the patties 90 degrees to create a crosshatch pattern with the grill marks, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Flip the patties over. If you’d like to add cheese, place it on the patties now. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, repeat the 90-degree turn, and cook for another 2 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155° F on an instant-read thermometer for a well-done burger.

Transfer the patties to a plate, tent with aluminum foil, and allow them to rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Allowing the burgers to rest relaxes the venison and evenly distributes the juices throughout the meat.

Serve the venison patties warm with your favorite toppings.

A savory deep-dish pie that combines the best of pizza and pie - layers of ground beef, Italian sausage, pepperoni and two kinds of cheese all encased in a buttery, flaky crust and baked until golden and bubbly.

Deep Hamburger, Sausage & Pepperoni Pie

ready-made pie crust (2 crusts)

butter, melted

garlic powder (for brushing crust)

beef

sausage,

pepperoni slices, divided

mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

cheddar

pizza sauce

Italian seasoning

red pepper flakes (optional)

Prepare the meat

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Continue cooking until no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and set the meat mixture aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Allow adequate time for the oven to reach temperature while you assemble the pie.

Prepare the pie crust

Unroll one of the pie crusts and carefully press it into a deep-dish pie pan (at least 2 inches deep), allowing the excess to hang over the edges. If using a standard pie dish, make sure the crust goes all the way up the sides and slightly over the edge.

Begin layering the filling

Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the bottom crust. This first layer of cheese helps create a barrier between the crust and the wet ingredients, which helps prevent a soggy bottom.

Add the meat and first layer of pepperoni

Spread the browned meat mixture evenly over the cheese layer. Arrange about ¾ cup of the pepperoni slices over the meat layer, reserving some for the top layer.

Add sauce and seasonings

Pour the pizza sauce or marinara evenly over the meat and pepperoni. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes (if using) to evenly distribute the spices.

Add final cheese and pepperoni layer

Top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and all of the cheddar or provolone cheese. Arrange the remaining pepperoni slices on top of the cheese for an extra flavor boost.

Add the top crust

Unroll the second pie crust and place it over the filling. Trim any excess dough, leaving about ½ inch overhang. Fold the overhang under the bottom crust edge and press together to seal. Crimp or flute the edge decoratively. Cut several small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.

Prepare the garlic butter topping

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the remaining ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Using a pastry brush, generously brush this mixture over the entire top crust and edges.

Bake

Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any potential drips) and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly. If the crust edges begin to brown too quickly, cover them with foil or a pie shield.

Rest and serve

Remove from the oven and let the pie rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. This resting time allows the filling to set slightly, making it easier to serve neat slices. Cut into wedges and serve hot.

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Bacon Explosion

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Top 3 meat lovers recipes from across the web

The most viewed meat lovers recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Bacon Explosion

How to Make the Best Venison Burger

Deep Hamburger, Sausage & Pepperoni...

The most viewed meat lovers recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine