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I guarantee you if you make these Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts, they will not last long. I almost ate this entire batch myself. It’s the type of recipe where you cannot just have one. I eat one and I’m in for it. I have to eat them ALL!
Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
My mom calls this recipe, Rumaki, but I simply refer to it as Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts. Either name works. She used to make this recipe anytime she was hosting a party at our house. I used to bug her to make them “just because” and sometimes she would.
I’m not even a fan of water chestnuts. I dislike them in stir-fries. In bacon, though? Pure magic. I will eat just about anything if its wrapped in bacon.
Ingredients
Bacon
Water chestnuts
Brown sugar
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Ketchup
Garlic powder
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Step One: Preheat oven to 375F. Cut bacon in half. Wrap each slice of bacon around water chestnut and secure with a toothpick. Place in a 9×13 inch baking pan.
Step Two: Bake for 10 minutes. Drain grease from pan.
Step Three: While bacon is baking, stir together brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ketchup and garlic powder.
Step Four: Pour sauce over partially cooked bacon. Put back in the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Serve hot.
My cousin, Allison, remembers this delicious appetizer, too. I called her over and told her I was making a few batches. She drove straight over and took a plate home. I don’t think she shared with her husband and two boys. I don’t blame her!
I remember making this recipe before and I only needed one package of bacon. They made the bacon packages so much smaller now so it takes about two packages to make this recipe. I wish they would stop shrinking all the packages, but that is a whole other blog post.
I also used two 227g cans of whole water chestnuts to make this recipe. I found water chestnuts with the soy sauce in the grocery store.
The first thing you need to do is cut the bacon strips in half so it’s two shorter pieces. Wrap each bacon slice around one water chestnut and secure with a toothpick. I recommend using plain wooden toothpicks versus the coloured variety. The coloured toothpicks may leave stains from the dye.
Bake the bacon wraps in the oven for 10 minutes in a 9×13 pan. While the bacon is baking, stir together the sauce. It’s made with brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ketchup and garlic powder. Sweet and savoury!
After the bacon has baked for 10 minutes, drain off the grease that has accumulated in the pan. I poured the grease into an empty water chestnuts can and let it harden before I threw it out.
Pour the sauce over top of the bacon and put back in the oven for another 30 minutes.
My cousin asked if my oven started to smoke when I made this recipe. It didn’t, but maybe that is because I poured off the grease? I think had I left it, the wraps would be swimming in greasy sauce.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Course Appetizers
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon wrapped water chestnuts
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Opened canned water chestnuts should be stored in water and used within 3-4 days. To cook: Stir fry fresh sliced water chestnuts for 5 minutes and sliced canned water chestnuts for 2 minutes. If the chestnuts are cooked for any longer they will not retain their crunchy texture.
You can buy canned water chestnuts at most grocery stores. When sold this way, the corms are peeled and may be left whole or sliced. Canned water chestnuts pose little food safety risk; however, it is safer to rinse and drain them before use.
Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts are freezer-friendly. Bake them to completion, let them cool to room temperature, then freeze them on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer the frozen bites to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until they turn golden brown and crispy. Grilling: If you're firing up the grill, toss the water chestnuts in a bit of oil and place them in a grilling basket. Grill over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, flipping them once halfway through cooking.
Canned water chestnuts should be rinsed under cool, running water. To remove the "tinny" taste, soak the rinsed water chestnuts in fresh water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda for 10 minutes before slicing or chopping for various recipes.
The short answer to this is 15-20 minutes at 400°F! The beauty of chestnuts is you don't need to prepare them or toss them in anything before baking. Just look for the shells to pop open and expand, that means the chestnuts are soft and ready for eating!
Water chestnuts are high in dietary fiber that offers several health benefits. Fiber makes you feel fuller and satisfied, reducing excess food intake, improving digestion, reducing blood cholesterol levels, and regulating blood sugar levels.
"Unpeeled, with the remnants of mud still on their skins, they will keep in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator for seven to 10 days," she writes. When rinsed and peeled, they'll keep for an additional two to three days in a covered container, she adds.
If water chestnuts are fresh and unpeeled, they can last from 7 to 10 days in an enclosed paper bag in the refrigerator. Water chestnuts may also be frozen, either peeled or unpeeled. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.
Additionally, water chestnuts can reduce native bay grasses from areas in which dense beds grow, create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and provide poor habitat for native fish and birds.
Water chestnuts must be hand-harvested and processed; therefore, they are somewhat expensive. However, since a little goes a long way, water chestnuts are not too dear to be used often.
Because of its high fibre content, overeating water chestnuts might give you stomach problems. A sudden increase in dietary fibre may cause stomach pain and gas. Therefore, stick to moderate amounts and avoid overeating.
Canned water chestnuts are ready to eat. I recommend draining them and soaking them in water for about 15 minutes before using them though. Doing so helps to draw out the flavor of the brine they add to the can. You don't need to cook chestnuts, but like many foods they taste better heated to most people.
A properly "done" nut should be mealy, not crunchy (undercooked), and lightly colored, not very dark (overcooked), though very sweet nuts may turn somewhat dark when cooked anyway. The shells and skins peel easily off a warm cooked nut, especially when using our new plier-peeling method on parboiled halves.
Unlike other vegetables that soften as you cook them, water chestnuts maintain their crisp texture. They give any dish a pop of juicy, fresh flavor! They pair exceptionally well with soy sauce, ginger and garlic, making them perfect for Asian-style dishes like our Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken.
The boiling method is best if you want to turn them into a purée or sweet paste. The roasting method produces a drier nut and is better for soups, stews, stuffing mixtures, cakes and biscuits. Take a look at our recipe to make candied chestnuts, also called marrons glacés, here.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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