Eggplant Bacon

 by shesparticular
Contest WinnerFeatured
Bacon is one of the most delicious foods ever, but one that vegetarians, vegans, and other folks with dietary restrictions are sure to miss it at breakfast time (and lunch, and dinner, and snacks). With a few simple ingredients, you can make a yummy bacon-proxy sure to please all your brunch guests - even pork-aholics.

 
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Step 1: You'll Need. . .

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Software:
  • A few small eggplants (Japanese or Italian work best - small ones are preferred since they have fewer or no seeds)
  • Bacon Salt (I like to use the maple or natural, but it's up to you) - if you don't have Bacon Salt or don't have access to it, you can try a mix of salt, pepper, brown sugar, and paprika (and maybe a little onion and garlic powder)
  • Oil for frying (vegetable or canola work well)
Hardware:
  • A mandolin for slicing (if you don't have one, you can use a very sharp knife)
  • A medium sized mixing bowl and a sheet pan with some type of cooling/straining rack over it (sheet pan method is not required, but is recommended)
  • Large cast iron skillet
  • Kitchen tongs
  • Paper towels (brown paper bags can also be used)
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itsme12i says: Feb 21, 2012. 3:41 PM
I won't say this tasted like bacon...but then I can't say that it didn't. the ones that sat in the bacon salt the longest tasted the best. I thought they were pretty delicious. I tried them plain and in a sammich and I am pretty sure I will be eating these regularly. I will probably try the oven method...or maybe my GF grill to save a little on fat calories. overall this was a success. thanks.
shesparticular (author) in reply to itsme12iFeb 21, 2012. 6:08 PM
Thanks so much! So glad you gave them a shot and enjoyed them!
cbaleia says: Feb 4, 2012. 5:46 PM
Do you think these would turn out okay if I baked them rather then fried them??
shesparticular (author) in reply to cbaleiaFeb 5, 2012. 11:28 AM
You could certainly give it a shot :) It sounds like others have tried baking them with good results.
cbaleia in reply to shesparticularFeb 5, 2012. 6:17 PM
Excellent! I am definitely going to give it a shot! :) These sound yummy!
rcole3 says: Dec 10, 2011. 9:44 AM
I love meat and eat meat when I can.. BUT sometimes my diet and/or body won't allow it. So, why do people have to hate when it has nothing to do with them! Thanks for the recipe... it's great!
shesparticular (author) in reply to rcole3Dec 10, 2011. 11:36 AM
Thanks so much - hope you enjoy it!
lmunn says: Jul 23, 2011. 11:52 AM
YUMMMMMMMMM...so doing this.
shesparticular (author) in reply to lmunnJul 23, 2011. 11:54 AM
Please post pictures of your results - hope you love it!
Mr. Potato Head says: Apr 18, 2011. 4:00 AM
It may indeed be quite yummy, but all of you vegans need to accept the simple fact that there's no such thing as a "bacon-proxy". It's either bacon (easily identified by the pools of rendered pork fat it sweats onto your plate) or it's not. My only complaint with the whole vegan thing is this quest for "virtual carnivore" experiences. They're just not gonna happen.
bettbee in reply to Mr. Potato HeadMay 24, 2011. 3:26 PM
Oh, Mr. Potato Head, you are so very wrong. We have plenty of substitutes. They may not look, feel, or taste exactly like their crueler cousins, but they are good enough and make us happy. Why you would bother having any complaint at all with the whole vegan thing eludes me - you aren't one, so why go there? Your life is perfect and you NEED something to complain about? Or just to be rude 'cause it lets you vent your frustrations on other people? Sheesh.

And for those who persist in asking why a vegetarian would want substitutes - well, we generally still like the tastes that we grew up with, we simply choose not to eat them. So we get as close as we can. At times, the subs are very close indeed, at others, not so close but also delicious (or not) in their own way. Still NYFP.
shesparticular (author) in reply to bettbeeMay 24, 2011. 7:11 PM
Well said, bettbee. Outside of those who are vegans and vegetarians, there are also loads of folks around the world who don't eat meat at all or don't eat pork for religious reasons.

On a somewhat unrelated note, you might want to check out these Vegan Pecan Pies - they're pretty great!
rtanner in reply to Mr. Potato HeadApr 28, 2011. 5:17 PM
I would have to agree. :)
shesparticular (author) in reply to Mr. Potato HeadApr 18, 2011. 4:04 AM
Fair point. I guess it's the closest thing to bacon (something that I stopped eating for dietary reasons) that I've been able to find. For vegans and vegetarians (as well as more orthodox Jews, Muslims, and others), bacon is off limits (but remains delicious, so a close substitute is often much appreciated).
suayres says: May 18, 2011. 3:37 PM
This sounds very promising (a promising premise.....hmmmm!). Have you ever tried a baked version of this? I'm a weight watcher and try to avoid frying foods wherever & whenever possible. It seems to me that, if you brushed the slices lightly with oil and placed them on a rack on a cookie sheet, then baked at, say, 425-450F until crispy, you would have a lighter version that's just as good. Hmmm. I think I predict some experimentation in my future. Thanks for the springboard!
bettbee in reply to suayresMay 24, 2011. 3:32 PM
PS - When I'm doing any faux bacon I use liquid smoke and maple sugar rather than the bacon salt, which has some stuff I don't like. A very little liquid smoke goes a long way.
bettbee in reply to suayresMay 24, 2011. 3:29 PM
I do this baked all the time. I slice the eggplant fairly thinly, but not as thin as if I'm frying it, and put the oven on broil but put the pan about 2/3 down in the oven, and let 'em rip 'til they're nice and brown, then turn and brown on the other side. It's also nice to slice up other veggies and do the same with them. Onion slices are especially good done this way. I do spray mine with olive oil (I use a misto sprayer and use my own oil.)
shesparticular (author) in reply to bettbeeMay 24, 2011. 7:09 PM
Thanks bettbee, that sounds like a great way to do it in the oven!
shesparticular (author) in reply to suayresMay 18, 2011. 3:58 PM
I haven't tried it, but I would actually suggest baking at a low temperature (150 degrees or so if your oven can manage, or as low as it can go) for several hours. I don't imagine you'd actually need to put oil on, especially if you use a Silpat or parchment. If you have access to one, I bet a food dehydrator would also work very well, and would allow for a low cooking temperature over a very long period of time, yielding a nice and crispy end product.

Please let me know how your experiments go - I'd love to know if it can be baked and what works best!
suayres in reply to shesparticularMay 18, 2011. 6:30 PM
I'm get back to you on that--and I actually, I have several silpat-oids (got them at Aldi around christmas last year, they were very reasonably priced unlike the branded ones, so I invested, very happily). If you are interested, I'd keep an eye peeled around christmas time again. The low temp option sounds very promising.
shesparticular (author) in reply to suayresMay 18, 2011. 6:32 PM
Can't wait to hear how they turn out!
noahh says: May 18, 2011. 5:26 PM
This looks very good. Do you think any other vegetables would work in lieu of eggplant? Do you need something with a relatively bland flavor or does the bacon salt overpower anything in its way?
shesparticular (author) in reply to noahhMay 18, 2011. 5:35 PM
I've also done this with carrots and they turned out pretty well. The only difference in the process was that they don't need to sit as long before frying. Thanks for the question!
The Locksmith says: May 17, 2011. 6:20 PM
You are a god.
shesparticular (author) in reply to The LocksmithMay 17, 2011. 6:21 PM
Goddess, actually. I'm not, but thank you :)
The Locksmith in reply to shesparticularMay 17, 2011. 8:06 PM
Well, a diva at the least :)
I am going to try this and your oatmeal milkshake. I'll post photos!
shesparticular (author) in reply to The LocksmithMay 17, 2011. 8:08 PM
Awesome! Can't wait to hear/see how they turn out for you
flyingpuppy says: May 9, 2011. 8:45 PM
I'm drooling...
shesparticular (author) in reply to flyingpuppyMay 10, 2011. 3:49 AM
Thanks!
iminthebathroom says: Apr 21, 2011. 10:36 AM
wonder if you could bake it on high heat in a silpad and still be crispy. "silpad is like restaurant grade silicone baking mat - more non-stick then even parchment" I have made crispy strawberry jerky on them. I'll have to give it a try
shesparticular (author) in reply to iminthebathroomApr 21, 2011. 10:40 AM
I'm a huge fan of my Silpats - they're amazing! I think it would probably work if baked at a very low temperature for a long-ish period of time, or if a food dehydrator was used (or at least it would be similar). I opt for frying though since I don't make it often and frying imparts some of the fattiness of bacon that baking might not.
iminthebathroom in reply to shesparticularApr 21, 2011. 12:43 PM
How true, think I called them a silpad, whoops
shesparticular (author) in reply to iminthebathroomApr 21, 2011. 12:45 PM
No worries - I knew just what you meant!
kojak_15 says: Apr 20, 2011. 12:18 AM
(removed by author or community request)
shesparticular (author) in reply to kojak_15Apr 20, 2011. 3:48 AM
I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean?
mikeasaurus says: Apr 19, 2011. 10:58 AM
Hmmm..A tasty alternative, I'll need to remember this for my veggie friends next time!
When making the eggplant bacon a little crispier, does it become brittle like bacon? Thinking of eggplant/bacon salad.
shesparticular (author) in reply to mikeasaurusApr 19, 2011. 11:01 AM
Awesome question! It becomes quite crisp (and brittle) rather quickly. When it's about as brown as pictured above it breaks up easily and would be great for a salad. When frying though, make sure to keep an eye on it, as it goes very quickly from crisp and delicious to charred, burnt, and inedible.
Xenobia says: Apr 18, 2011. 4:20 PM
I used a packet of oriental noodle flavouring with a little paprika to flavour mine instead of bacon salt and it worked great. I would have never of thought to use eggplant as a bacon substiute so thanks!
shesparticular (author) in reply to XenobiaApr 18, 2011. 5:28 PM
That sounds like an awesome flavor substitution! Hope you enjoyed them!
frenzy says: Apr 17, 2011. 9:10 PM
yum! more vegan un-bacons!
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