5 Fall Bacon Dishes We Love by Nolechek’s

The leaves are falling and there is a chill in the air that can only mean one thing…the seasons are changing. With the change of the season, Nolechek’s welcomes a change in our dinner options. The cooler weather screams comfort food and we have five fall bacon dishes for you that feature Nolechek’s locally crafted Hickory Smoked Honey Cured Bacon. Because let’s be honest, anything with Wisconsin’s finest bacon from Nolechek’s is sure to be a hit. These recipes are straight from our family files and we hope you enjoy these five fall bacon dishes as much as we do.

1. German Potato Salad 

Our number one pick for Nolechek’s favorite fall bacon dish is German Potato Salad. This hearty dish is easy to prepare and perfectly complements beef or pork. The secret (besides Nolechek’s bacon) is to use apple cider vinegar instead of white. The apple cider vinegar adds the perfect amount of acidity, balanced by the sugar and savory flavor of Wisconsin’s finest bacon.

• 1# Nolechek’s Hickory Smoked Honey Cured Bacon
• 1 small sweet onion
• 2-4# potatoes (about 5 or 6)
• 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 ½ TBSP corn starch
• Sugar
• Pepper to taste

Peel, slice and boil potatoes approximately 10 minutes. Make sure to not overcook, as they will be mushy. Drain and set to the side to cool. 

Chop and cook the bacon, we prefer ours nice and crispy. Place on a plate lined with paper towel and set aside. SAVE THE GREASE IN THE PAN. This delicious bacon grease is going to add even more flavor and depth to this fall bacon dish.

Add chopped onion to the bacon grease and cook until almost caramelized.

Add water and apple cider vinegar, bring to a boil. Whisk in corn starch and sugar. We start with 2 TBSP of sugar and adjust to taste, we usually end up with about 4 TBSP, as we like our German Potato Salad tart from the apple cider vinegar.

Once it’s thickened, stir in the bacon and add the mixture to the potatoes. Finally, sit back and enjoy!

2. Sweet Bacon Bleu Pizza

This pizza brings together a variety of distinct flavors you may not think complement each other and knocks it out of the park. This pizza is sweet, savory, and delicious addition to your fall bacon dish rotation. If you’re planning on making two, you’d better double the recipe and make four. Yes, this pizza is that delectable.

• ½ - ¾ pound Nolechek’s Hickory Smoked Honey Cured Bacon
• 1 large sweet onion
• ½ Bleu cheese crumbles
• 2 thin crust pizzas (We recommend Target’s Market Pantry Fire Roasted Crusts)
• Honey

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Chop and cook bacon, we prefer ours nice and crispy. Place on a plate lined with paper towel and set aside. Once again, if you want to double the flavor and depth, use the bacon grease to caramelize the onion. If not, proceed. Thinly slice the onion and sauté over medium heat in butter or olive oil. You want to caramelize the onions, which should take 20 minutes with occasional stirring.

To assemble the pizza, drizzle the crust with honey and add your caramelized onion, crumbled bacon and top with the Bleu cheese. We like to add an additional drizzle of honey over the top. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on how you like it done and you are ready to enjoy!

3. Cowboy Beans

If you’re looking for the perfect fall bacon inspired side dish to share at a family get together, look no further. Cowboy beans are packed with flavor, protein, texture and go great with anything. Especially a stack of Wavy Lays potato chips! If you’re looking to feed an army, this is the fall bacon dish that will leave them full and satisfied! And if you want to step up your Cowboy Bean game, try Nolechek’s Peppered Bacon in place of the traditional!

• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 1 small sweet onion
• ½ lb. Nolechek’s Hickory Smoked Honey Cured Bacon
• ¾ c. Sweet Baby Ray’s or your favorite BBQ sauce
• ¾ c. ketchup
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 3 TBSP mustard
• Apple cider vinegar to taste (optional)
• 1 large can baked beans
• 1 can butter beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)

Chop the onion and fry with the hamburger. Place on plate with paper towel. Chop and fry the bacon and if you guessed it, you’re catching on, place on plate with paper towel. Mix all the remaining ingredients in a crock pot and add the meat and onion. Since you’re cooking in a crock pot, this one is easy. Low for two hours or high for one. And it does well on warm for an entire afternoon if you like to graze. Don’t worry, we like to, too. This is a great recipe to play with and season to different tastes.

4. Corn Chowder With Bacon

This receipe from Nagi at RecipeTin Eats is the perfect soup to keep you warm on a chilly fall day. And it has bacon, and she uses the bacon drippings as the soup base. She is a girl after our own heart, that’s for sure. If whole cobs of corn aren’t seasonally available, frozen works great. This soup combines so many hearty ingredients, potato, bacon, dairy, and chicken broth, it’s no surprise this made our top five fall bacon dishes! Our Hickory Smoked Honey Cured Bacon really takes this soup to the next level!

Check out RecipeTin Eats take on Corn Chowder with Bacon here and enjoy! Beware, Nagi’s photos of her food will leave you hungry and ready to eat…you’ve been warned!

5. Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Bacon Brussel Sprouts are hearty, full of flavor, and so versatile. They are the perfect complement to any protein really and you can season this dish to pair perfectly with whatever you choose, pork loin, salmon, steak or chicken. It’s almost too easy, you say? Well, that’s because this fall bacon dish is meant to be simple, but satisfying. 

• 1 lb. brussel sprouts, halved and separated
• ½ to ¾ lb. Nolechek’s Hickory Smoked Honey Cured Bacon
• ½ sweet onion, chopped (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Options for Seasoning (a pinch of each usually works, but season to taste)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• Sugar
• Teriyaki sauce
• Balsamic or apple cider vinegar

Cook the bacon and chopped onion in a skillet until crispy. Place bacon and onion mixture on a plate with paper towel and you guessed it, save those drippings because you’re going to need them. Sauté the Brussel sprouts in the drippings, approximately 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. While the sprouts are pan roasting, add in your salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and other seasonings. Mix in the bacon and onion and you are ready to enjoy this fall bacon dish!