January 27, 2015
Tom D'Intino/for PhillyVoice
There is nothing less healthy than salted butter wrapped in bacon and deep fried in a thick beer batter.
The Super Bowl is upon us. Are you ready to embrace the revelry and gluttony? Do you want to go big? 370-pound lineman big? Wings are great. Nachos are delicious. Beer is life. But let’s go over the top this year. If you’re a gluten free paleo-vegan prepping for the ultimate cheat day or a disenfranchised football fan whose team failed to make the playoffs again and you're ready to walk into the light (depression and mental health issues are no laughing matter, but Jets fans are) then this recipe is for you.
I asked my BBQ guru what the unhealthiest thing he could think of cooking was. I received these three words in a text: “Deep Fried Butter." Some folks in the midwest deep fry butter in funnel cake batter, coat in honey and sugar for their county fairs. That sounds way too healthy. So we're gonna salt it, wrap it in bacon and then deep fry it in a thick beer batter. Make sure all of your affairs are in order. Say a prayer to whatever God you believe in. Here we go.
Beer Battered Bacon Wrapped Deep Fried Butter
Serves 8
You will need:
6 strips of bacon
Kosher salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
8 TBS salted butter (1 stick)
12 fl. ounces peanut oil (or any oil with a high smoke point)
3-ounce beer (any beer will do, Yuengling was used for this recipe)
Pepper
Fry the bacon in a pan until almost done but still slightly pliable. Remove bacon from pan and let drain on a paper towel. Once the bacon grease has cooled, place it in a container to save for other recipes. While the bacon cools, cut the stick of butter into 1/2 TBS pats. You should get 16 out of a stick. Salt the butter pats lightly. Wrap cooled bacon around the butter. If the bacon is too crisp and starts to break you can just press it into the butter. Place the wrapped butter either in the top shelf of your fridge next to the fan for a few hours or into freezPhilly food bloggers share bookmark-worthy winter recipeser for 60 minutes before frying. They should be very firm but not frozen before they go into the batter and are fried.
Once the butter is very firm, begin making the beer batter. Pour 3 ounces of beer into a large mixing bowl. Drink the remaining 37 ounces (I only drink 40s). Slowly whisk the flour in until you reach a thick pancake batter consistency. More or less flour will be needed depending on what brand/type of beer you are using. If you're not sure go a little thicker so the butter is well coated and will not melt out into the fryer. Only batter and fry one butter pat the first time to ensure the batter is thick enough.
Fill a small pot with the peanut oil. On the stove (with the hood on) get the oil to 375 degrees. The oil must be hot enough to sear the outside of the batter almost immediately so the butter does not melt and escape. The oil will not have to reach a boiling point. If you do not have a thermometer that goes that high, drip a drop of batter in the oil and it should sear it very quickly if the oil is hot enough. Once the oil is ready, pick a butter pack with a pair of tongs. Dip into batter. Carefully place, do not drop, battered butter into frying oil. Once the underside starts to get golden, use the tongs to flip it over to finish browning other side. Remove with tongs and let dry on a paper towel. Salt immediately. Crumble the left over bacon to garnish.
Maple syrups go very well with this but also take into consideration what beer you used when pairing a sauce.
