Reach For Another Breakfast Staple To Amp Up Your Next Plate Of Bacon

If there's one protein that best represents breakfast, it's bacon. Crispy, versatile, and a must-have accompaniment to a heaping pile of fluffy scrambled eggs, a batch of perfectly cooked bacon is a crave-curbing bounty worth waking up for. Thanks to its salty and deeply savory profile, a batch of no-frills, skillet-sizzled bacon is delicious without extra fixings. But that doesn't mean you can't jazz up its naturally delicious taste with some added goods. Enter coffee grounds, the simple pantry staple that gives bacon an aromatic facelift.

Coffee or espresso grounds have a bitter yet alluring aroma and flavor that walks the line between bittersweet chocolate and earthy nuts. Its complex yet subtle and nuanced profile adds a sophisticated trim to bacon, bringing out its umami-froward notes while adding depth to its on-the-nose saltiness. Although it's a bold pairing, ground coffee-kissed bacon marries well with other classic breakfast provisions, which means you can make your standard morning meal without compromising on your favorite items. 

A platter of crispy bacon is a relatively easy dish to prepare, and introducing coffee grounds to the recipe doesn't need to complicate things. Oven-baking coffee-coated bacon on a wire rack is the best option for this recipe, and make sure to use finely pulverized coffee grounds to prevent a gritty texture. A few pulses in a food processor can help them achieve that must-have powdery consistency. Simply coat or sprinkle bacon in the grounds and bake until crispy — et voilà – bacon and coffee in one fell swoop.

Encasing bacon in coffee grounds is enough to transform its familiar taste into something avant-garde, experimental, and downright delicious. But since we're already taking risks, why not take it one step further by zhuzhing up this caffeine-kissed pork dish with additional complementary ingredients?

In addition to coffee grounds, coat bacon with brown sugar and chili flakes for a tapestry of flavors that weaves sweet, spicy, savory, and bitter into one full-bodied bite. Dare we suggest a dash of cocoa to bring out the taste of coffee grounds while adding a contrasting flavor of sweetness to the meaty machismo of bacon? Of course, you can never go wrong with a flurry of cinnamon. Experiment with herb finishes like rosemary or sage for a woody essence or garnish with orange zest to brighten up the bold but never brash taste of coffee-tinted bacon.

Take a page out of Ina Garten's book by laminating bacon in maple syrup, crushed pecans, fiery cayenne pepper, and coffee grounds. This expert-crafted bacon dish is a comforting, warming, and flavor-blasted recipe that tastes all the more complex with the addition of coffee grounds. Plus, the ooey-gooey texture of maple syrup helps the spices stick to the bacon's surface for maximum flavor retention.

Whether you keep it simple or button it up with added embellishments, coffee grounds are an exciting way to shake up your bacon bounty with a bold new dimension of flavor. Just make sure to leave plenty of grounds for a warm cup of joe.