bacon explosion
to kick off the construction of this pork medley youll need to create a 5x5 bacon weave
if the strips youre using arent wide enough to span 5x5 inches , then you may need to use a few extra slices to fill out the pattern
just make sure your weave is tight and that you end up with a nice square shape to work with
the next step is to add some barbecue seasoning on top of your bacon weave
now that your pork is well seasoned , its 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
next up is bacon layer number two
take the remaining bacon slices and fry them up the same way you would for breakfast
if you like soft bacon , make it soft
if you like crunchy bacon , make it crunchy
since this is a barbecue recipe , we need to add another layer of barbecue flavor
take your favorite sauce and drizzle it all over the top of the bacon pieces
once youve sauced the bacon , sprinkle on some more of the barbecue seasoning you used on the bacon weave
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 were 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 barbecue seasoning on the outside of the bacon weave , and now it is ready for the smoker
cook your bacon explosion at 225f in a constant cloud of hickory smoke until your meat thermometer gives an internal temperature reading of 165f 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
bbq addict recommends 2
5 hours , for a roll 2
5 inches in diameter
now that the bacon explosion is fully cooked , you need to add some finishing flavors
remember that barbecue sauce you used for inner flavor ? you'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
sweet sauces are loaded with sugars , so theyll give your fatty a nice glossy finish
spicy and vinegar based sauces dont contain as much , so they wont set up as well
if youre dead set on using those sauces , just cut them with a bit of honey and youll get the same effect
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 , bbq addict recommends placing a couple bacon explosion slices on a warm pillsburys grands biscuit