A bacon bowl is a bowl made out of bacon that can be used to serve food. It provides a creative way to present and eat food in an edible bowl.
What is a Bacon Bowl Made Of?
A bacon bowl begins with a bowl-shaped mold that the bacon is wrapped around. The mold can be made of various materials like aluminum, stainless steel, or silicone. The most common size is about 6-8 inches wide.
To create the bowl, strips of bacon are tightly woven around the mold so there are no gaps. Usually 8-12 strips of bacon are needed depending on the size of the mold. The strips may need to be stretched and pulled a bit to completely cover the mold.
Once wrapped, the bacon bowl is baked in the oven which cooks the bacon and firms it up into a bowl shape. Baking times and temperatures may vary based on the specifics of the recipe, but usually it’s baked between 375°F – 425°F for 25-35 minutes.
The bacon shrinks and tightens as it cooks. This allows the bacon to hold its shape once the mold is removed after baking. The end result is a bowl completely made out of crispy bacon.
What is a Bacon Bowl Used For?
A bacon bowl is most often used to serve food in an edible bowl. The bacon bowl becomes a part of the dish itself rather than just a serving vessel.
Some popular foods served in bacon bowls include:
- Eggs – Crack an egg or make scrambled eggs inside the bowl
- Potato dishes – Loaded baked potatoes or hash browns
- Chili
- Mac and cheese
- Cole slaw or potato salad
- Baked beans
- Ice cream – For a sweet and salty combo
Anything that can be served in a regular bowl can be served in a bacon bowl! The crispy bacon enhances the texture and flavor of the foods inside.
Benefits of Using a Bacon Bowl
Here are some of the benefits of serving foods in a bacon bowl:
- Edible serving dish – No need for extra plates or bowls since you can eat the container too.
- Fun presentation – Using a bacon bowl instantly makes any dish more fun and unique.
- Flavor enhancement – The bacon adds a smoky, salty flavor to complement foods inside the bowl.
- Textural contrast – Crispy bacon texture contrasts nicely with softer foods.
- Convenient – Bacon bowls are easy to pick up and eat out of hand.
- Customizable – Ingredients can be added into the bacon weave for more flavor.
Bacon bowls add an interactive element to any meal. Diners can enjoy the bacon bowl itself along with the contents inside.
History of the Bacon Bowl
The creator and origin of the bacon bowl is widely disputed. However, the earliest known recipes for bacon bowls began emerging online around 2010.
Some of the first bacon bowl how-tos were posted on food blogs and YouTube cooking channels. DIY bacon bowls gained popularity on social media sites like Pinterest as people sought creative ways to incorporate bacon into recipes.
Over time, more refined recipes were developed as cooks experimented with methods to get the bacon bowls sturdy enough to hold ingredients. This included trying different bacon weaving techniques, numbers of bacon strips, and baking times and temps.
By 2012, many major media outlets like Epicurious, The Huffington Post, and Buzzfeed had featured posts about the viral bacon bowl recipe trend. The bacon bowl gained widespread recognition through these outlets.
Bacon bowls hit peak popularity between 2012-2014. During this time, pre-made bacon bowl molds also started being manufactured and sold to assist home cooks.
While bacon bowls aren’t as hyped as they once were, they are still touted by many food bloggers today. The bacon bowl remains an internet-famous recipe concept and novelty serving dish.
How to Make a Bacon Bowl
Making a bacon bowl at home is relatively easy. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon
- 6-8 inch bowl-shaped mold
- Cooking spray or oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Lightly grease the mold with cooking spray or oil. This helps the bacon release easier.
- Take 8-10 strips of bacon based on the mold size. Starting in the middle, weave the bacon around the mold in a spiral pattern, overlapping the strips by about 1/3.
- Keep weaving until the mold is completely covered in bacon. Tuck the ends into the weave to seal any gaps.
- Place the bacon-wrapped mold on the prepared baking sheet seam side down.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the bacon is crispy.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Gently remove the mold from the bacon bowl.
- Return the bacon bowl to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes to further crisp and set the shape.
- Allow the bacon bowl to cool slightly. Fill with desired ingredients and serve immediately.
The hot bacon bowl will start to soften quickly, so fill and eat it right away for the best texture.
Tips for Making Bacon Bowls
Follow these tips for success when making bacon bowls at home:
- Use thick-cut bacon for the best results. Thinner bacon is more likely to burn or not hold its shape.
- Make sure there are no gaps in the weave. Fill in gaps with extra bacon strips.
- Allow the bacon bowl to cool slightly before filling so it firms up a bit.
- Don’t overfill the bacon bowl. It can only hold so much before the bacon starts to break down.
- Set the filled bowl on a plate. The bacon bowl may leak a bit of grease or filling.
- Eat the bacon bowl immediately for the perfect crispy texture.
- Refrigerate unused bacon bowl molds wrapped in plastic wrap for future use.
Bacon Bowl FAQs
Can you cook food directly in a bacon bowl?
It’s not recommended to cook foods directly inside a bacon bowl. The high heat will cause the bacon to burn, melt, and lose its shape. Bacon bowls are best used as an edible serving dish.
How long does a bacon bowl last?
A bacon bowl is best when eaten freshly made and still warm. The crisp bacon will start to soften quickly after baking. For best results, fill and serve the bacon bowl within 5-10 minutes.
Can you eat the whole bacon bowl?
Yes, the entire bacon bowl is edible! Just be aware that it’s very filling since you’re eating 8-12 strips of bacon. Most people eat part of the bowl and leave behind some of the excess bacon.
Can you bake two bacon bowls at once?
You can bake multiple bacon bowls together, just make sure to leave space between them on the baking sheet so air can circulate. Rotate the pans halfway through for even cooking.
What can you use instead of a mold?
If you don’t have a mold, you can shape aluminum foil into a bowl shape to wrap the bacon around. Glass or stainless steel bowls also work but the bacon may stick.
Creative Flavor Variations
Half the fun of bacon bowls is experimenting with different flavors. Try these ideas to add more oomph to your bacon bowl:
- Coat the mold with brown sugar or maple syrup before adding bacon.
- Weave pieces of basil, rosemary, or sage into the bacon.
- Use different wood smoked or flavored bacon varieties.
- Top with parmesan cheese before baking.
- Brush interior of cooked bowl with barbecue sauce.
- Swap out 2 strips of bacon for prosciutto or sausage.
Let your creativity run wild! The possibilities are nearly endless for customizing bacon bowls.
Bacon Bowl Recipe Ideas
Here are some amazing recipe ideas to fill your homemade bacon bowl:
BLT Bacon Bowl
Fill crisp lettuce, juicy tomato slices, mayo, and crispy cooked bacon in the bacon bowl for a tasty BLT twist.
Cheesy Hash Brown Bacon Bowl
Top cooked hash browns and cheddar cheese in the bacon bowl for a savory breakfast treat.
Ice Cream Bacon Bowl
For dessert, load up vanilla or chocolate ice cream into the bacon bowl and drizzle with chocolate sauce.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Bacon Bowl
Dice up grilled chicken and mix with shredded cheese, ranch dressing, and bacon bits.
Chili Bacon Bowl
Warm up with spicy beef, turkey or vegetarian chili served in the crispy bacon bowl.
Where to Buy Pre-Made Bacon Bowls
For those who want to skip the work of homemade bacon bowls, there are places to buy pre-made bowls:
- Williams-Sonoma – Carries stainless steel Bacon Bowl molds with Weave Loops to shape the bacon.
- Walmart – Sells bacon bowl kits under the Traeger brand that come with a mold and seasoning.
- Amazon – Carries a wide selection of pre-made silicone bacon bowl molds in various shapes and sizes. Prices range from $5 – $15.
- Etsy – Many crafters sell handmade ceramic and silicone bacon bowl molds on Etsy.
There are even some companies online that ship ready-made frozen bacon bowls nationwide. Or look for kits that come with pre-cut and seasoned bacon slices for easy assembly.
Conclusion
A bacon bowl is a fun, innovative way to serve up your favorite foods. Making one is surprisingly easy and you can customize it to match the dish inside. While homemade takes more effort, pre-made molds are widely available for purchase online.
Filled with eggs, pasta, salad, or even ice cream, everything tastes better served in a crispy, edible bacon bowl!