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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.
Rinse them first to remove any brine, enhancing their natural flavor. Sautéing in a pan with butter or oil for a few minutes will bring out their best taste and texture, making them ready to add to your favorite 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.
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 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.
You don't have to soak your chestnuts before roasting, but it does help a lot with peeling them and cutting them. Soak them in water for about an hour before you cut them and put in the oven, they will be easier to peel and moist inside.
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.
Large amounts of water chestnuts, especially if you eat them raw or unripe, can cause gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea because of the high fiber content. Enjoy them in moderation. Cooking them can make them easier to digest.
Use fresh water chestnuts for dishes where the water chestnut is the main ingredient. Canned water chestnuts may have a similar texture but are practically void of any flavor. They are best incorporated into a dish mainly for texture, as in stir-fries, stuffings, soups, and dumpling fillings.
If water chestnuts are fresh and unpeeled, they can last from 7 to 10 days in an enclosed paper bag in the refrigerator. Water chestnuts may also be frozen, either peeled or unpeeled. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Adding a little lemon juice will keep peeled water chestnuts from discoloring.
Since they are loved for their crunch, it's important to maintain that texture when cooking with the tuber. Whether giving a new twist to green bean casserole or adding them to chop suey, water chestnuts have a unique ability to stay crunchy if they are exposed to heat thanks to the ferulic acid content they contain.
The short answer to this is 15-20 minutes at 400°F! The beauty of chestnuts is you don't need to prepare them or toss them in anything before baking. Just look for the shells to pop open and expand, that means the chestnuts are soft and ready for eating!
Water chestnuts are the most healthy food item that you can add to your diabetes reversal diet plan. The low glycemic index of water chestnut and high fiber content can help you manage diabetes. They do not produce sudden rises in blood sugar levels.
Dogs can eat water chestnuts in moderation. You should always peel water chestnuts and chop them into small pieces to make them easier for your dog to chew. Learn more about the benefits and factors to consider before you offer this healthy treat to your pet.
Still, even with their decent fiber content, water chestnuts contain over 20 grams net carbs. (Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber.) So, while water chestnuts probably aren't as high on the glycemic index as something like white rice, they're still high in net carbs.
Since water chestnuts grow primarily in mud and soiled environments, I will be sure to thoroughly rinse them in cool water before usage, even before peeling. Peel with a knife or peeler. You can also cut out the darker middle core as it is a harder part of the root.
High moisture chestnuts (firm to squeeze with shiny shells) sometimes develop surface mold on the shells that looks and smells bad but does not hurt the kernels inside. Such surface moldy chestnuts can be washed with dilute bleach or simply wiped off.
They can be easily peeled with a paring knife or a vegetable peeler. Unless they are being used immediately, the water chestnuts do not need to be peeled right away. If water chestnuts are fresh and unpeeled, they can last from 7 to 10 days in an enclosed paper bag in the refrigerator.
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