Instantly Upgrade Bacon With A Sweet Juice Already In Your Fridge

Chopping cooked bacon into soups, covering it with chocolate for a decadent dessert, or wrapping it around your favorite meats and vegetables for an unforgettable appetizer goes to show the versatility of this popular pork product. There are plenty of tips you need to cook the absolute best bacon, but the most important points of focus should be on taste and texture. If you want to add the right amount of tangy sweetness to your next batch of bacon, prepare an orange juice glaze to bring the best breakfast flavors together in a winning combination.

Tart and bold, orange juice is an ideal marinade as well as the key to a perfect honey-brown sugar glaze. Considering how well its natural acidity works to tenderize meat, it's a great choice to enhance a slab of bacon. Whether you keep your glaze simple or dress it up with some added ingredients, starting with a base of orange juice is incredibly effective.

To prepare an orange juice glaze to accommodate about a pound of bacon, combine fresh orange juice with pepper, ginger, Dijon mustard, and honey, and drizzle this mixture over each side of your bacon in the baking process. You can also try a more pared-down version using just orange juice and either brown sugar or honey. There's no limit to the uses for your delicious glazed bacon.

Consider the process for preparing a maple-cinnamon candied bacon recipe and use this same technique with your orange juice glaze to prepare your bacon for different culinary applications. Breakfast or brunch is a must with such a dish, given the familiar flavors of both orange juice and bacon present. Fry up a couple of eggs and prepare your preferred potatoes and toast for a well-balanced breakfast. You don't have to stop at morning meals, however.

Give your next BLT sandwich a punch of fruity flavor by swapping out your typical cooked bacon for an orange juice-glazed variety. This will pair particularly well with some rich heirloom tomatoes and a few delicate leaves of little gem lettuce. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise or garlic aioli on a brioche bun and you'll have the ultimate lunch treat.

For dinner and dessert, get extra creative by adding your sweet and tart bacon in place of a standard slab. Use this glazed bacon in a chopped green salad alongside some mandarin oranges and toss everything with a tangy vinaigrette. You can also make a rich brownie or chocolate cake containing pieces of this chopped-up bacon for a luxurious dessert. Any way you choose to use it, orange juice-glazed bacon makes the most of this flavorful food.