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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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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.
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.
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.
Water chestnuts are aquatic vegetables that are nutritious and delicious. They are a great source of antioxidants and other compounds that may help prevent diseases linked with age, such as heart disease and cancer. Water chestnuts are also highly versatile and can be added to a variety of dishes.
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.
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.
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 chestnut is an aquatic weed known for creating large mats that can overtake a pond. Applications of Glyphosate 5.4 Aquatic Herbicide has proven to work best against Water Chestnut and will kill growths quickly.
"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.
Despite their fiber content, water chestnuts can cause digestive discomfort for individuals with sensitive stomachs or gastrointestinal issues. Caution is advised for those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or similar conditions.
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.
You can eat water chestnuts raw, boiled, grilled, pickled, or from a can. The corms are unique because they remain crisp even after being cooked or canned, due to their ferulic acid content. Water chestnuts are popular in Chinese cooking.
Begin by rinsing the chestnuts thoroughly with cool water. Afterward, it's essential to score the chestnuts to prevent them from bursting during the cooking process. For effective scoring and better control, we recommend using a specialized chestnut knife.
To remove the soft outer shell/skin of the water chestnut start by cutting off the top and bottom with a sharp knife.Then cut around the sides until all the skin is removed. You can then leave it whole, slice it, or chop it depending on what your recipe calls for.
Unpeeled, fresh water chestnuts will keep for seven to 10 days in a plastic bag in the produce drawer of the refrigerator. Store canned water chestnuts in a cool, dry place and use within a year. Once opened, store the canned water chestnuts in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within three days.
Cooked and peeled whole chestnuts and chestnut pieces are available vacuum packed - they can be used in recipes or simply eaten hot or cold as they are.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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