My bacon and potato soup has soft vegetable chunks, a bacon bone broth, and no added flavorings that are bad for you. It’s great for lazy days and can be made in two hours.
I pair this, with homemade bread rolls which can be made from start to serve in an hour. they are wonderfully soft and so easy to make!.
How to Cook Bacon Bones for Maximum Flavor
By John Smith
Bacon bones are often overlooked as scrap pieces with little value But these pork bones actually impart incredible flavor when cooked properly Simmered for hours, bacon bones transform soups, beans, greens, and more into rich, smoky masterpieces. Read on to learn the secrets to extracting every bit of taste from bacon bones.
What are bacon bones? Bacon bones are the bones that are left over after pork belly is crushed to make bacon. You’ll often find them in bulk packages labeled soup bones or ham bones. But the streaks of meat and fat make it clear that they are bacon.
Pigs’ rib bones are where these bones come from. They have meat, fat, and connective tissue on them. Even though there isn’t much meat left to eat, the bones and other parts attached to them are full of bacon flavor.
Bacon bones should not be confused with pork neckbones or ham hocks. Those bones provide their own distinct flavor. Not just any pork bone will do for smoky bacon flavor. You need the bones that bacon is made from.
Benefits of Cooking with Bacon Bones
Here are some of the benefits of using bacon bones in your cooking:
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Infuse recipes with smoky, salty bacon flavor without having to use as much actual bacon.
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Add richness and depth of flavor to soups, beans, vegetables, gravy, and more.
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Stretch a little bacon into a lot of flavor by extracting every bit of taste from the bones.
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Make use of an inexpensive cut of pork that would otherwise go to waste.
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Gain collagen, gelatin, and minerals by simmering bones for a long time.
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Create natural seasoning rather than relying on salt, smoked paprika, liquid smoke.
With their intense bacon essence, these bones can make anything taste better. Keep your freezer stocked with bacon bones for flavoring all kinds of dishes.
Choosing Good Quality Bacon Bones
Not all bacon bones are created equal when it comes to flavor. Here is what to look for when selecting bones:
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Pick bones with more fat/meat attached rather than clean, bare bones. This is where most of the bacon flavor comes from.
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Look for bones branded as soup bones, ham bones, or bacon bones specifically. Avoid generic pork bones.
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Select bones from artisanal or high-quality bacon when possible for better taste.
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Choose smoked bacon bones for added smoky flavor.
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Fresh bones work best as freezing can diminish flavor slightly over time.
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Buy preprocessed bones in bulk from butchers or online rather than saving your own after cooking bacon.
With a high ratio of fat to bone and a smoky cure, you’ll extract the most bacon essence for cooking.
How to Prepare Bacon Bones for Cooking
Before cooking your bacon bones, follow these tips for prep:
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If bones were frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before using.
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Rinse bones under cool water to remove any dust or impurities. Pat dry.
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Use a knife to remove excess hardened fat or rind from bones.
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Cut bones into 2-3 inch sections using a cleaver or heavy knife and mallet.
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Soak cut bones in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out impurities. Rinse again before use.
Proper prep removes excess fat, allows better water penetration for releasing flavor, and increases the surface area of the bones.
Choosing Your Cooking Method
There are two good options for cooking bacon bones to maximize flavor:
Simmering:
- Place bones in a pot and add vegetables, herbs and enough water to cover.
- Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer.
- Simmer for 2-4 hours, adding more water as needed.
- Strain out bones and use broth for soups, beans, etc.
Roasting:
- Spread bones on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 400F for 30 minutes, flipping once.
- Roast bones until well browned then add to soups, greens, etc. and simmer.
- Roast again as needed to continue extracting flavor over long cooking times.
The long, slow simmering method yields the most flavor extraction from the bones. But roasting provides an extra smoky char and can be used in combination with simmering.
Flavorful Additions for Cooking Bacon Bones
To make the most of your bacon bones, add extra flavor with aromatic ingredients:
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Diced onion, celery, carrots for background sweetness.
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Fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, bay leaves.
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Whole black peppercorns, allspice berries.
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Crushed garlic, ginger, shallots.
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Apple cider or red wine vinegar for acidity.
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Dried mushrooms to enhance savory umami taste.
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Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin for warmth.
Mix and match to complement the smokiness of the bacon bones. Aim for 2-3 cups of mixed vegetables and aromatics per 1 pound of bones.
Ideal Recipes for Cooking with Bacon Bones
While delicious in almost anything, bacon bones are ideal for adding flavor to:
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Bean soups and stews like split pea, lentil, chili.
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Hearty greens including collards, kale, turnip, spinach.
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Classic soups like potato, tomato, mushroom, vegetable.
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Savory braised dishes like cabbage rolls, beef stew, baked beans.
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Rich broth for risotto, wild rice, grains, pasta.
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Gravies and sauces to top meats and vegetables.
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Eggs like quiche, frittatas, crustless quiche.
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Brines and marinades for pork, chicken, or even vegetables.
Let your bacon bones simmer for hours in any of these dishes for maximum absorption of that sweet, smoky flavor.
Step-By-Step Guide to Cooking Bacon Bones
Follow this simple step-by-step guide for foolproof bacon bone flavor:
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Prep and cut bacon bones into 2-3 inch sections.
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Place bones in a stock pot and cover with 8-10 cups of water.
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Add in coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrots.
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Stir in desired herbs, spices, garlic, vinegar.
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Bring pot to a boil over high heat.
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Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer 3-4 hours.
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Occasionally skim any foam that rises to the surface.
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Add more water during cooking if bones start to become exposed.
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Remove from heat and carefully strain out solids from broth.
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Pick remaining meat from bones and shred or chop.
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Use infused broth and shredded meat bits to flavor soups, beans, sauces, and more!
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Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to one week or freeze for later use.
Following this process draws every ounce of flavor from the bones into the surrounding broth and meat.
Bacon Bone Cooking Times
The longer you simmer bacon bones, the more collagen and smoky flavor they will impart. Minimum recommended cooking times:
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Soups: Simmer bones 2-3 hours.
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Beans and stews: Simmer bones 3-4 hours.
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Greens and braises: Simmer bones 3-6 hours.
Test the broth for taste and continue simmering bones longer as needed. The bones should basically crumble when fully cooked.
Ideas for Using the Leftover Bacon Bone Broth
Don’t let the leftover bacon bone broth go to waste after straining out the solids. Here are some uses for this liquid gold:
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Drink it as a nutritious bone broth.
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Use it as the base for soups, stews, grains.
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Make a fragrant rice, quinoa or couscous.
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Braise or boil potatoes, roots veggies, beans.
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Cook greens, cabbage, onions.
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Make a gluten-free gravy.
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Add to pan sauces for chicken, pork, shrimp.
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Use for moistening baked goods like cornbread.
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Freeze broth in ice cube trays for later use.
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Reduce broth to a demi-glace for intense flavor.
Bacon bone broth is diet-friendly with its high collagen content from long simmering of the bones. Sip it straight or incorporate into both savory and sweet recipes.
Storing Cooked Bacon Bones and Broth
Get the most mileage from your cooked bacon bones with proper storage:
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Refrigerate broth for up to 5 days.
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The broth can also be frozen for 4-6 months.
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Cooked bacon bones will keep for 3 days refrigerated.
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Place cooled broth in airtight containers, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
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Remove as much fat from the top of chilled broth before storing.
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When freezing, leave space for expansion in containers.
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Wrap extra cooked bacon bones in foil and place in freezer bags for reusing.
Avoid wasting your broth and bones by using ideal storage methods. Frozen bones can be reused at least once more in additional recipes.
Making Bacon Bone Soup
Here is an easy recipe to highlight bacon bones in a hearty soup:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb bacon bones
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp thyme
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cups green beans, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
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Prepare bacon bones according to previous steps. Simmer in water for 2-3 hours until softened. Remove bones and reserve broth.
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Sauté onion, carrots and celery 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and herbs and cook 1 minute more.
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Add reserved bacon bone broth, potatoes, beans and seasonings. Simmer 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
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Remove bay leaf. Use immersion blender to puree soup to desired consistency.
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Shred reserved bacon bone meat and add back to soup. Simmer 5 minutes before serving.
The twice-cooked bacon bones infuse maximum flavor into this hearty soup. A dollop of sour cream or bacon crumbles makes for perfect garnish.
Get Creative with Leftover Bacon Grease
Don’t pour that rendered bacon fat down the drain! Use it to impart more bacon flavor through cooking:
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Sauté onions, brussels sprouts or kale.
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Fry eggs, potatoes or chicken.
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Make a roux for gravy.
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Brush on meats before grilling.
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Grease pans for baking cornbread or meatloaf.
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Mix into cookie dough, biscuits, scones.
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Pop popcorn or roast nuts and seeds.
With so many savory uses, keep that bacon grease in the fridge for cooking anytime. Use cheesecloth or a gravy separator to strain out food bits after cooking bacon.
The Next Best Thing to Actual Bacon
While nothing quite compares to fresh bacon, well-cooked bacon bones provide the next best thing. Their smoky, salty, umami flavors make recipes shine without going through pounds of bacon itself. With the right preparation and long, slow cooking times, bacon bones unlock a world of flavor your tastebuds will thank you for.
Bacon and potato soupYield:
This is a tasty soup made with common ingredients. You can dress it up or keep it simple. Everyone loves it on a cold winter day with hot bread.
- 1 kg of smoked bacon bones or two ham hocks.
- two large brown onions
- 2 tsp garlic powder or 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of curry powder (optional)—add one tablespoon and taste it before adding the second.
- Add 6 to 8 cups of water, or if you made your own stock, add a few cups of that along with the water.
- 6 potatoes cut into quarters
- parsley to serve
- Chop the onion and put it in a big soup pot with the bacon bones or ham hocks, water, garlic, herbs, and pepper.
- Let it cook on medium heat for one hour and twenty minutes with the lid on. see note 1.
- After an hour and twenty minutes, the bacon bones will be almost crumbled. If you want to serve the food quickly, add the potatoes, carrots, and curry powder and cook for another twenty five minutes. see note 2.
- Put the soup on low or off when the potatoes are done. Take out the bacon bones and let it cool a bit until you can remove the meat. I just use my hands to do this. Put the meat back in the pot and serve with pepper, salt, and parsley.
- If not and you want to cook longer. At 1 hour and 20 minutes, take the bones out of the soup to cool. Once they are cool, remove the meat from the bones and add it back to the soup. Cook on low for as long as you want.
- Taking off the lid and letting some of the liquid cook off will make the smoked bacon taste stronger.
1. At this point, the bacon bones will start to break apart. There will be little bones in the soup, so I like to take them out and add the meat back in. If you don’t want to remove the ham hocks, you can leave them in for the whole cooking process.
2. You can add whatever vegetables you like to this soup. leeks, turnips, celery…. its very flexible.
Bacon bones for extra flavour
This recipe calls for bacon bones. In the winter, they are cheap and make any soup or stew taste just right, meaty and salty. They also give the soup or stew a strong stock flavor after only an hour of simmering.
You can use just salt, pepper, and dried herbs if you don’t want to add any other flavors. I add a touch of curry powder in this soup for a little extra kick.
You probably already have everything you need for this recipe in your pantry, maybe not the bacon bones. If you don’t have any, you can use bacon and beef, chicken, or homemade stock instead. Just add a little extra salt, and it will taste just as good.
You can find bacon bones at a good butcher or in the deli section of an Australian Coles or Woolworths.
curry powder (I use Clive of India, authentic curry powder.)
I like to cook for at least two hours, but you can cook your broth for as long as you want. Just add the bacon bones, onion, herbs, garlic, and carrots, and simmer for an hour or a little more. Then, if you used bacon bones, take them out, let them cool, and then take out the meat (there isn’t much, but it’s so soft and tasty!). About 40 minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the potatoes.
How to make Bacon Hock Soup | Quick Feeds
FAQ
Are pork bones and bacon bones the same?
How to fry bacon strips?
What is the best way to cook bacon?
How to cook bacon so it’s not crispy?
How do you cook bacon bones?
There are several ways to cook bacon bones, but the most common method is to simmer them in a pot of water or broth. Here’s a step-by-step guide: 1. Start by heating a tablespoon of oil in a soup pot over high heat. Add the bacon bones and brown them on all sides. This will help to enhance their flavor. 2.
Is bamboo shoot good for bones?
Bamboo shoots are rich in fiber and several vitamins and minerals. They are a nutritious food to consider incorporating into the diet. However, there are several varieties and they do not all contain a sufficient array of bone health nutrients to be considered reliable as a food that is good for bones unless the species consumed is known. For example, there is not enough vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, or vitamin D in most bamboo shoot varietals but some do contain decent amounts of calcium and magnesium. Bamboo shoots can be purchased fresh or canned. If purchased fresh, they need to be cooked well.
What are bacon bones?
Bacon bones are a type of bone that comes from the pork belly. These bones are cured and smoked to create bacon, and they are often used to flavor soups, stews, and other dishes.
How do you cook bacon bones in soup?
To make the stock, heat a large pan with a dash of oil and brown the bacon bones. Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté for 3-4 minutes before adding 4 cups of water and the bay leaf. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Strain the stock, reserving the liquid for the soup. Remove the meat left on the bacon bones to add to the soup.