If there’s something that stands out in clarifying the difference between men and women, it is gifted. It’s so easy to get a woman a nice gift because of the huge variety of products out there, but for men, the options are quite limited.
There are only so many watches, ties, and shirts you can get. What if we told you there’s an alternative? If you combine the thing we all love most, bacon, with flowers, the classic symbol of love, what do you get? A bacon bouquet. We’re gonna show you how to do it yourself.
Step 1: get it together
There’s no doubt that you don’t want to waste time. Especially if you’re going to be preparing it as a surprise while your loved one is away, you obviously need to get it over with before they come back. That’s why our first step is preparing all the things you’ll need to make your bacon bouquet.
For the roses, you’ll be needing regular bacon slices, as well as, thick bacon slices to get a wide variety when it comes to the final shape.
Now, if you’re going to go with long-stemmed bacon roses, you’re going to need a bunch of fake roses and a vase. Then, as for the cooking part, a mini muffin tray, a drill, and a broiler pan are all that it takes.
Step 2: what’s a drill got to do with it?
That is a valid question. We don’t need to tell you that when bacon cooks, it sweats out some grease. For the sake of your own health, it’s better not to let bacon sit in that grease for a long time.
After all, no one likes too much grease. A simple solution would be to drill a tiny hole in the bottom of each muffin slot with a 1/8″ drill bit.
As your bacon cooks, the holes will let out the grease into the broiler pan, and leave you with perfect bacon rosebuds. In case you’d rather not drill holes in your tray, you can feel free to ignore that step. Keep in mind, though, that the holes won’t affect your beloved muffin tray that much.
Step 3: makin’ the bacon
First off, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 Celsius before you start shaping your roses. Then, take a strip of bacon and start rolling it wide edge first.
You could use a combination of thin and thick strips to create more complex rose shapes, or stick with the good old strip technique. After you’re done with the rolling, place your rose comfortably in the pan and press on it a little.
From here, you could go in two different directions. You could place your trays in the oven and wait for about 30 to 45 minutes, or for as long as it takes depending on your oven.
On the other hand, you can try this idea we got from the Manly Man Company™ and add your own flavor to the bacon. It’s as simple as sprinkling brown sugar on your bacon before putting it in the oven.
Step 4: decapitate your fake roses
If you and your loved one care about the presentation as much as you care about the look of the food and its taste, you’ll love this part. As your bacon is cooking, take out your roses and start separating the top flower part of the stem.
You should be left with a green, cup-like thing (botanists call it calyx) and a stem. Push that calyx further down the stem to make room for the bacon rose.
Step 5: Presentation
Did you hear your oven timer ring? Are the buds done? Well, take them out, then, what are you waiting for? After taking them out, place the bacon buds on a cooling rack or paper towels to cool down. Your end product should look something like this. If we were you, we’d sneak a little taste. It is the bacon, you know.
On the off chance that you’re able to resist yourself around the roses as they cool down, take your end product and push it down through the stem. Needless to say, take good care of cleaning the stems before you place the bacon roses on top. When you’re done, place your stems in a vase.
There you have it. Such a cheap, simple, and heartfelt way to show your partners, friends, and relatives that you care about them, right? Not to mention, it’s also an excuse to eat a couple of pieces when no one’s looking.
We’ve got to remind you, however, that this is a gift that you must prepare with love. As cheesy as it sounds, love makes things look and taste differently. When you do something out of obligation, it shows. So, make sure your intentions are true. Good luck!
