PLANT BACON

EACH OPTION SERVES 4

As a kid, I didn’t eat much meat, but I loved bacon. That smoky-sweet-salty combo is friggin’ delicious. I started making plant-based bacons with tempeh and tofu, then experimented with different vegetables. Made in a dehydrator, they come out extra crispy—I especially recommend that method for the vegetables like eggplant, carrot, and mushrooms. When I found out our mom was working with a rice paper bacon, I had to try it. If you like super-crisp bacon, try that one first (see the Option, here). We offer up seven different plant-based ingredients that you can turn into bacon, and then three different ways of bacon-izing each, including pan-frying, baking, and dehydrating. See here and here to see what each bacon looks like. —CHAD

PLANT OPTIONS (CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE)

2 cups large shiitake mushrooms

4 portobello mushroom caps

1 large eggplant

4 large carrots

2 young (Thai) coconuts

1 package (8 ounces) tempeh

8 ounces extra-firm tofu

MARINADE AND OIL (FOR ANY PLANT OPTION)

¼ cup tamari or soy sauce

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1½ tablespoons Homemade Badass Sriracha (here) or other sriracha

1 teaspoon liquid smoke (mesquite preferred), optional

½ tablespoon granulated onion

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying (a bit less for baking)

TO PREP YOUR PLANT: Cut it into strips. For mushrooms, remove the stems (also remove the dark gills from portobello mushroom caps), then slice the mushrooms into ¼-inch-wide strips. For eggplant, slice lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slabs, then cut each slab lengthwise into strips about 1 inch wide. For carrots, peel, then slice lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slabs; since carrots are very firm, steam the carrot slabs in a steam basket over simmering water for 3 minutes to soften them, then let cool. For coconut, cut open and scoop out the soft meat with a spoon; remove any pieces of shell and cut the meat into strips about ¼ inch thick and 1 inch wide. (Be sure to use young coconut; mature coconut meat is too hard for this preparation.) For tempeh, steam whole for 3 to 5 minutes and let cool, then slice into ¼-inch-wide strips. For tofu, cut into slabs no thicker than ¼ inch and about 1 inch wide.

TO MAKE THE MARINADE: In a bowl or jar, whisk or shake together the tamari, maple syrup, sriracha, liquid smoke if using, granulated onion, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Put your plant strips in a baking dish and pour the marinade over them, tossing gently to coat all over. Cover and marinate the strips overnight in the refrigerator. For faster marinating, use a vacuum sealer to seal the coated strips in a plastic bag, then let stand at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours.

TO PAN-FRY YOUR PLANT BACON: Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil, then the plant strips in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Fry, turning once, until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes total. Remove to paper towels to drain.

OR, TO BAKE YOUR PLANT BACON: Preheat the oven to 275ºF; coat a rimmed baking sheet with spray oil or a thin layer of oil. Place the plant strips in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake until crisp, turning the strips halfway through cooking. Timing varies: Mushrooms and carrots will take about 1 hour, eggplant about 1¼ hours, and tempeh and tofu about 1½ hours.

OR, TO DEHYDRATE YOUR PLANT BACON: Place the strips in single layers on screens in a dehydrator set to 110 to 115ºF and dehydrate until crisp, 4 to 6 hours. Dehydrating makes plant bacons drier, a little more like jerky.

OPTION

RICE PAPER BACON: Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using 10 rice papers (about 8½-inch diameter), dip each in warm water to soften, then pat dry with clean kitchen towels. Dip a pastry brush in the marinade and paint the paper all over with marinade. Fold the paper in half to make a half-moon shape, then cut it crosswise into strips about 1 inch wide. Place the folded strips on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining rice papers. Bake the strips (in batches if necessary) until crispy, about 20 minutes. Alternatively, pan-fry the marinated rice paper as described in step 4; but they are very delicate, so use tongs and handle them gently.