Bacon Hearts for Valentine’s Day

by Dorothy Reinhold on February 13, 2014


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To say that America has a love affair with bacon is to severely understate it.

Some 41% of Americans would prefer bacon over a bouquet of roses, and 60% of Americans love bacon more than Valentine’s Day.* Are you listening, paramours across the land?

May I suggest you cut straight to the chase on Friday, and make bacon hearts for the person who makes your heart flutter?

Smithfield thick cut cherrywood smoked baconThey’re easy. Start with high quality bacon. I chose Smithfield Thick-Cut Cherrywood Smoked Bacon ($3.79; grocery stores nationwide), which is naturally smoked. You can choose your favorite of the 10 varieties, which include low sodium and less fat versions.  You’ll need to let it sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes so it will be pliable enough to shape.

While you’re waiting for the bacon to relax, let’s appreciate our bacon with a poem:

Ode to Bacon

Bacon, oh Bacon
You are my Valenswine
When I make bacon
It tastes divine

But don’t be blue
I will always share my bacon with you.

Happy Valenswine…er…Valentine’s Day!

Bacon Hearts in the Oven | www.ShockinglyDelicious.comNearly 80% of Americans agree bacon makes everything better. Count me among them.

Recipe: Bacon Hearts in the Oven

Summary: A simple shaped bacon heart made in the oven will charm your sweetie for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Smithfield Thick-Cut Cherrywood Smoked Bacon

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.Bacon Hearts in the Oven | www.ShockinglyDelicious.com
  2. Small heart: To make small hearts, cut a piece of bacon in half, and arrange both pieces so they form a heart shape. The ends must touch so it doesn’t fall apart. Be sure to make the hearts on a baking sheet with short sides (so the grease doesn’t drip into the oven), or on a rack in a roasting pan.
  3. Bigger heart: To make bigger hearts, use two pieces of bacon, and do the same arranging trick.Bacon Hearts in the Oven | www.ShockinglyDelicious.com
  4. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a minute or two before you remove from the rack, so they don’t fall apart.
  5. You may make them ahead of time, store in the refrigerator, and reheat quickly in the microwave or oven if you wish.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Diet tags: Reduced carbohydrate, High protein, Gluten free
Number of servings (yield): 12
Culinary tradition: USA (General)Bacon Hearts in the Oven | www.ShockinglyDelicious.com

Disclosure: Smithfield compensated me for this post, and sent bacon for recipe development. *The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research. 

{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

sylvie March 17, 2015 at 10:29 am

That’s so pretty simple but fun! I’ve no Valentine so I don’t celebrate Valentine’s day but I’ll serve these hearts to my beloved son!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 18, 2015 at 4:03 am

Sylvia,
Yep, or how about one for yourself. 🙂

Reply

julie February 14, 2014 at 9:38 am

would chicken bacon work? thanks!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 14, 2014 at 10:53 am

Julie,
I haven’t tried it so can’t say for sure (the fat in bacon helps to “glue” the ends together). If you try it, please come and let me know, and I will add that to the post so others can know it, too.

Reply

Sharon@ Cheesy Pennies February 13, 2014 at 4:09 pm

OK, you’ve won my heart with this post. 🙂

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 14, 2014 at 10:55 am

Sharon,
So glad! I think these bacon hearts and some of your rosemary crackers made into heart shapes would just about be all I needed on Valentine’s Day!

Reply

Oakley @ Friedas February 13, 2014 at 8:40 am

Me: I love you more than I love bacon.
Husband: Wow. That means a LOT. …

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 13, 2014 at 9:33 am

Oakley,
Ha ha! Did you mean it?

Reply

Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living February 13, 2014 at 7:03 am

What a fun idea for Valentine’s Day!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold February 13, 2014 at 9:35 am

Jeannette,
Thanks! It’s pretty hard to screw up bacon, but this fanciful shaping just makes it all that much better!

Reply

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