I make an attempt to make healthy eating choices most of the time, but I make sure I leave room for some guilty pleasures now and then. And if you're like me, you'll want to leave room for these:
Those, my friends, are honey-sriracha coated, bacon-wrapped onion rings. I'll wait and let that sink in for a minute. You might want to wipe that drool from your chin.
That's right, some of our favorite things have found their way into a recipe that is sure to become a game-day staple … even if you're not watching any games! Wonderful alongside a burger or your favorite pub-style sandwich, they are also just perfect as a snack tray munchable. Make sure you choose onion rings of similar size and double up on the rings to make sure the bacon has something a little hearty to wrap around (it will also keep them from breaking). Giving the bacon-wrapped onions a bit of time in the refrigerator serves a couple of purposes: 1) the bacon firms up a bit and stays in place better after a chilling, and 2) chilled rings are easier to dip in the warm honey-sriracha sauce. Please don't skip that step — it's very important.
Because there's a lot of honey in this recipe, you'll want to keep a pretty close eye on the oven while you're baking them. I'm suggesting 20 minutes of baking on each side, but if you notice your bacon taking less or more time to crisp up, feel free to adjust the baking times accordingly. Also, please save the bacon grease that collects in the bottom of your baking sheet. It will make the most amazing flavored fat for frying or browning ... just about anything! Don't toss that liquid gold.
Now, you might think a dozen onion rings is a bit slim, but remember these things are packed with flavor. A dozen is a good side serving for about 4 people and you can always double … or triple … or … you get the idea!
Sriracha Bacon Onions
- 2 large sweet onions
- 12 slices raw bacon
- 1/4 c. honey
- 4 T. sriracha
- 1 T. soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten free option)
- 1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 T. water
Remove the outer skin of the onions and, using a sharp knife, slice into rings about 1/2-inch thick. Separate the rings, keeping two together for each separated ring. Keep about six of the larger rounds from each onion for making the onion rings. You can save the smaller onion parts for another use.
Wrap one slice of bacon around each onion ring, tucking the ends of the bacon into the last wrapped section and then placing the rings on a cookie sheet covered with a silicone baking mat, aluminum foil, or parchment paper. When all of the onion rings have been wrapped, place them in the refrigerator to chill while you make the sriracha sauce.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Add the honey, sriracha, and soy sauce (or tamari) to a small saucepan and bring to a low boil. In a small bowl, completely dissolve the cornstarch in the water and then add the mixture to the boiling honey mixture. Stir until the sauce is thickened and then remove the sauce from the stove and cool slightly. Dunk each bacon wrapped ring in the sauce and then place them back on your prepared baking sheet.
Bake the onions for about 20 minutes. Then flip each onion ring over, baking for another 20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon onion rings from the oven and allow the bacon to cool slightly and crisp up further. If desired, bring the remaining sriracha sauce to a boil and serve with the onions as a dip.
- Yields: 12 onion rings
- Preparation Time:1 hour