For plant-based bacon, we went on the hunt for perfect texture. Bacon is a special combo of crispy lean and chewy fat that are two very distinct mouthfeels that blend harmoniously when cooked. This recipe covers all the steps that you need to know to create that perfect blend of textures and flavors for the best plant-based bacon you’ve ever tasted.
Ingredients
- Hydrated Burger Binder:
- 30g (¼ cup) Plant Based Burger Binder
- 600g (2 ½ cups) Ice Cold Water
- Meat Ingredients:
- 60g (½ cup) Faba Bean Protein
- 60g (½ cup) Glutinous Rice Flour
- 3g (½ tsp) Beet Powder
- 5g (1 tbsp 1 tsp) Nutritional Yeast Flakes
- 2.2g (1 tsp) Lactic Acid
- 15g (1 tbsp) Smoked Salt
- 0.5g (⅛ tsp) White Pepper
- 0.5g (⅛ tsp) Ground Marjoram
- 0.75g (¼ tsp) Mace
- 1g (¼ tsp) MSG
- 5g (1 ¼ tsp) Brown Sugar
- 5g (1 Tbsp) Onion Powder
- 300g (1 ½ cups) Pre-hydrated burger binder from above
- Fat Ingredients:
- 30g (¼ cup) Faba Bean Protein
- 30g (¼ cup) Glutinous Rice Flour
- 100g (½ cup) Melted Coconut Oil, Room Temperature
- 5g (1 tsp) Smoked Salt
- 0.5g (pinch) MSG
- 300g (1 ½ cups) Pre-hydrated burger binder from above
- Toppings:
- 15g (1 tbsp) Water
- 5g (2 tsp) Umami Powder
- Cracked Black Pepper as Needed
- Smoked salt as needed
- 4 Bay leaves
Equipment
- Blender
- Spatula
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
- Off-set Spatula
Timing
Active Time: 1 Hour
Total Time: 2 Hours
Yield
2 lbs
-
Mix Burger Binder
Preheat an oven to 225°F.
In a blender place the ice cold water and begin blending on medium speed. Once the water has created a vortex, sprinkle in the burger binder quickly. The mixture will become white and very thick.
Once fully mixed, you can stop the blender and remove the burger binder. This will fully thicken within a few minutes.
Separate the burger binder into two equal portions about 300g each.
-
Create Meat Mixture
In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, add the Ingredients for the meat portion of the bacon. This includes the faba bean protein, glutinous rice flour, beet powder, nutritional yeast flakes, lactic acid, smoked salt, white pepper, marjoram, mace, MSG, brown sugar, and onion powder.
Dry blend these ingredients for 10 seconds.
Add one of the portions of burger binder to this dry mix. Whip until fully combined, about 1 minute. Once combined this mixture can be set aside until needed later in the recipe.
-
Create Fat Mixture
Clean the bowl and paddle of the stand mixer.
In the bowl of the stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, add the Ingredients for the fat portion of the bacon, except for the coconut oil.
Add the remaining portion of burger binder and mix until fully combined.
The coconut oil should be melted but not hot (~100°F). Add the coconut oil 1 tbsp at a time, and mix until the fat mixture is completely smooth. Repeat this step until all of the coconut oil is emulsified into the mixture. If this mixture refuses to become smooth after adding some of the coconut oil, a quick fix is to add 1-2 ice cubes and slowly mix until completely emulsified.
Once the fat mixture has been mixed, remove it from the bowl and set aside.
-
Layer and Bake
In a sheet pan lined with baking paper use an offset spatula to spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the center of the pan. The meat mixture should be about 5″ x 6″ in size.
On top of that add about ½ of the fat mixture and completely cover the meat.
Add the rest of the meat mixture over the top of the first fat layer.
Add the remaining fat and completely cover the stack. Wet your hands and smooth out the fat.
Mix together the umami powder and water. Brush it over the top of the bacon and garnish with smoked salt, cracked black pepper, and bay leaves. Bake the bacon in the oven for 30 minutes at 225°F.
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Cut, Slice, and Serve
Remove the bacon from the oven and discard the bay leaves. Allow the bacon to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. The bacon should be sliced while still warm.
The bacon can be sliced, or cut into lardons before cooking. To cook the bacon Simply place it in a well oiled pan over medium heat and cook until crispy.
If you prefer a wavy bacon you can make them wavy by weaving a skewer through the bacon before cooking. Remove the skewer after the first flip of the bacon.
The bacon can be sliced and stored for up to 7 days. Alternatively the sliced bacon can be laid on sheets of wax paper and frozen until needed. This can be frozen and stored for up to one month.
Summary
Recipe Name
Plant-Based Bacon
Author Name
Modernist Pantry
Published On
Preparation Time
Total Time
Comments (3)
January 18, 2022 5:24 pm
I made this today and it is GOOD!
February 2, 2022 12:42 pm
Is it possible to do this with a hand mixer?
February 4, 2022 4:12 pm
If that is all you have available but I think that should be fine to try. The Burger binder will hydrate when using a hand blender.