Bacon Explosion

The Bacon Explosion is an American smoked barbecue dish made by weaving strips of uncooked bacon into a mat, spreading a layer of seasoned loose Italian sausage mixed with chopped cooked bacon and barbecue sauce over it, rolling the combination into a log, coating the exterior with additional barbecue rub, and slow-smoking it until fully cooked, resulting in a spiral cross-section when sliced.^[1][2] The dish was invented in December 2008 by Jason Day and Aaron Chronister, experienced barbecue competitors and members of the Kansas City-based team Burnt Finger BBQ, who developed the recipe in Day's kitchen as a creative experiment using readily available ingredients like bacon and sausage for tailgating events.^[3][4] They first documented and shared the step-by-step instructions, including photos, on their blog BBQ Addicts (bbqaddicts.com), where it was presented as a simple, indulgent pork-based alternative to traditional smoked meats.^[5] Upon posting, the recipe rapidly became an internet sensation, accumulating over 500,000 views and thousands of links within weeks, fueled by social sharing on platforms like StumbleUpon and word-of-mouth among barbecue enthusiasts.^[6][7] Its viral spread led to features in major publications such as The New York Times and The Huffington Post, as well as adaptations and commercial products, cementing it as one of the most downloaded and discussed home barbecue recipes of the late 2000s.^[8][9] The creators later expanded on its success by publishing the cookbook BBQ Makes Everything Better in 2010, which included the original recipe alongside variations.^[10]

Overview

Composition and Structure

The Bacon Explosion consists of an outer shell formed by a lattice weave of thick-cut bacon slices, which encases a central core of spiced ground sausage meat.^[11][12] The sausage filling consists of loose Italian sausage mixed or layered with chopped cooked bacon and barbecue sauce, typically seasoned with barbecue rub; variations may include additional elements such as chopped onions, jalapeños, or shredded cheese to enhance texture and variety.^[11][13] This layered construction results in a cylindrical log shape, often resembling an American football in shape, popular for tailgating events, with a design that "explodes" with bold, savory flavors upon consumption.^[14][12] Standard preparations yield a dish approximately 10 to 12 inches in length, weighing about 3 to 4 pounds, and sufficient to serve 10 or more people.^[11][15] Visually, the finished product presents as a glossy, bacon-encased roll with a crispy, rendered exterior from the interwoven slices, contrasting a moist and tender sausage interior; when smoked or grilled, it acquires a characteristic smoky aroma and profile.^[11][14]

Culinary Characteristics

The Bacon Explosion delivers an intense savory umami flavor profile, primarily from the rich combination of bacon and pork sausage, which melds into a deeply meaty taste during smoking.^[12][1] This base is often balanced by optional spicy elements, such as charred jalapeños, providing a contrasting heat, or a sweet barbecue glaze that adds caramelized notes and cuts through the saltiness.^[1] The high fat content from the bacon weave and sausage filling further enhances the richness, creating an indulgent, full-bodied experience that emphasizes pork's natural succulence without overwhelming subtlety.^[16] In terms of texture, the dish showcases striking contrasts: the exterior bacon forms a crunchy, crisp shell after smoking or broiling, while the interior sausage remains tender and moist, retaining juiciness from the low-and-slow cooking process.^[12][1] When sliced, this reveals an appealing pinwheel pattern of layered bacon and sausage, contributing to a satisfying bite that combines the snap of rendered fat with the soft give of spiced meat.^[12] Nutritionally, a standard serving (1/10th) of the Bacon Explosion is high in calories, approximately 500 per portion, along with substantial protein (around 25-30 grams) and fats (around 50 grams), underscoring its status as a calorie-dense indulgence suited for occasional enjoyment rather than everyday fare.^[11] This composition highlights its role as a hearty, fat-forward barbecue centerpiece, though portion control is advisable given the concentrated energy density. For optimal serving, the Bacon Explosion is sliced into rounds and paired with complementary sides like coleslaw for a creamy crunch or cornbread to soak up the savory juices, making it a popular choice for parties and game-day spreads where its bold, shareable nature shines.^[17]

History

Invention and Creators

The Bacon Explosion was invented by Jason Day and Aaron Chronister, two Kansas City-area barbecue enthusiasts and members of the competitive Burnt Finger BBQ team.^[18][4] Day and Chronister, who co-run the BBQ Addicts blog, drew on their experience as backyard grillers and competition participants to experiment with bold, meat-heavy dishes.^[18][12] The dish originated in December 2008 in Day's kitchen in Roeland Park, Kansas, shortly before Christmas as the pair sought a standout creation.^[18] Inspired by a Twitter message from a friend challenging the idea of weaving bacon—prompting Day to create a mat-like base—the creators combined this technique with sausage stuffing to form a smoked, spiral-shaped roll.^[18][4] This innovation emerged amid a growing cultural fascination with bacon-infused foods in the late 2000s, where bacon's versatility was celebrated in everything from desserts to cocktails.^[18] Their initial motivation stemmed from a desire to develop a novel, crowd-pleasing barbecue item for their blog, which they used to share recipes and attract readers to support their hobby through potential ad revenue.^[18] The experiment was partly spurred by a request from BaconToday.com for extreme bacon-barbecue ideas, leading them to "clog a few arteries" with an over-the-top creation.^[12] The first iteration featured a basic 5-by-5 weave of thick-cut bacon strips as the outer layer, filled with 2 pounds of Italian sausage and scattered bits of fried bacon for added texture, seasoned simply with a barbecue rub and sauce—no extras like cheese were included.^[18][12] Day and Chronister refined it through trial smokes in a backyard smoker, adjusting the weave tightness and smoking time to ensure even cooking and optimal flavor absorption, resulting in a high-calorie log estimated at over 5,000 calories total.^[18] This prototype was documented in their inaugural blog post on December 23, 2008, dubbing it "the BBQ sausage recipe of all recipes."^[12]

Initial Spread and Virality

The Bacon Explosion was introduced to the public via a detailed blog post on BBQ Addicts on December 23, 2008, complete with step-by-step photographs illustrating the weaving of bacon strips, layering of sausage and fillings, and smoking process.^[12] This initial publication rapidly circulated through word-of-mouth among barbecue enthusiasts on online forums such as The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board and BBQ Brethren, where users discussed and shared the recipe shortly after its release.^[19] By Christmas Day 2008, the post had already drawn over 27,000 visitors, marking an explosive start to its online presence.^[18] In early 2009, the recipe's momentum accelerated on nascent social media platforms like Twitter—where the creators had around 1,200 followers—and Facebook, amplifying its reach beyond niche communities.^[18] Discovery tools such as StumbleUpon propelled it to the site's front page for three days, resulting in approximately 390,000 total views and links from over 16,000 websites by late January.^[18] Features on food-focused sites further boosted visibility, leading to reports of thousands of home recreations by mid-2009 as amateur cooks experimented with the dish.^[20] Several factors contributed to its virality: the visually striking photographs that showcased the dish's indulgent layers, the straightforward assembly appealing to home barbecuers, and its opportune timing just before Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009, positioning it as a game-day novelty.^[18] The concept's excess—bacon encasing more bacon and sausage—tapped into the emerging "bacon-wrapped everything" meme, capturing the era's fascination with over-the-top pork innovations.^[18] The online community responded enthusiastically, with users posting their own photos, videos, and slight adaptations on forums and social media, transforming the Bacon Explosion into a grassroots internet sensation prior to broader cultural adoption.^[18] This user-driven sharing established it as a participatory phenomenon, with recreations often incorporating personal twists like added spices while preserving the core bacon lattice structure.

Preparation

Required Ingredients

The traditional Bacon Explosion relies on a simple set of core ingredients centered around pork products, barbecue seasonings, and sauce to create its signature layered, smoked profile. These components form the foundation of the dish as originally conceived by Jason Day and Aaron Chronister of the Burnt Finger BBQ team in 2008.^[12][21] Core Ingredients:

• 2 pounds thick-cut bacon slices: Used for both the outer weave and frying bits to layer inside the sausage for added texture and flavor.^[21][11]
• 2 pounds ground Italian sausage (pork preferred, loose and uncased): Provides the primary filling, offering a spiced, meaty base that binds the roll together during smoking.^[21][1]
• 3 tablespoons barbecue rub (e.g., a mix of 1/4 cup brown sugar, paprika, salt, and spices like garlic powder and black pepper): Applied to season the exterior for a caramelized crust.^[21][11]
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (sweet and smoky variety preferred): Reserved for glazing the interior layer and exterior during cooking to enhance moisture and tang.^[21][11]

Optional Add-Ins for the Base Recipe:

• 1 cup diced onions: Incorporated into the sausage layer for subtle sweetness and crunch.
• 1/2 cup diced jalapeños: Added for heat, balancing the richness of the pork.
• 1 cup shredded cheese (e.g., cheddar or pepper jack): Stuffed inside for a melty contrast to the smoky exterior.

Sourcing recommendations emphasize quality to ensure structural integrity and optimal results: Select high-quality, uncured thick-cut bacon to minimize shrinkage during smoking, and choose loose ground sausage rather than pre-cased links for easier spreading and rolling.^[21][1] Barbecue rubs and sauces can be store-bought or homemade, with commercial options like those from Burnt Finger BBQ providing consistent flavor profiles.^[12] The standard recipe yields 10-12 servings, suitable for large gatherings like tailgates or holidays, with scaling possible by halving ingredients for 4-6 servings or doubling for crowds while adjusting cooking time based on roll thickness.^[22][21]

Assembly and Cooking Process

The assembly of a Bacon Explosion begins with creating a bacon weave foundation. Lay out approximately 10 strips of thick-cut bacon side by side on a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil to form a roughly 5-by-10-inch rectangle, then weave additional strips perpendicularly over and under the first layer to create a tight mat that holds together during rolling.^[12][11] This weave, typically using about 1 pound of bacon, provides both structure and flavor encasement. Season the weave lightly with a barbecue rub for added taste.^[23] Next, prepare the sausage layer by spreading 1 to 2 pounds of seasoned ground sausage—such as Italian sausage—into an even rectangle atop the bacon weave, pressing it to about ½-inch thickness while leaving a 1-inch border around the edges to facilitate rolling.^[12][24] Optionally, incorporate fillings like crumbled cooked bacon (from an additional pound fried until crisp) and a drizzle of barbecue sauce over the sausage for internal moisture and flavor.^[11] Roll the sausage tightly away from the weave into a log shape, using the plastic wrap to assist in tightening, then carefully roll the bacon mat around the sausage log, ensuring the seam faces down and securing any loose ends with toothpicks to maintain form during cooking.^[23][24] For the primary cooking method using a smoker, preheat the device to 225–250°F with hickory or fruitwood smoke for indirect heat. Place the assembled roll seam-side down on the grates or a perforated pan and cook uncovered for the first hour to allow smoke penetration and initial rendering of the bacon fat.^[12] After the initial hour, brush the exterior with barbecue sauce for a glaze, then continue smoking for 1 to 2 additional hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, typically totaling 2 to 3 hours depending on the roll's thickness (about 1 hour per inch).^[23][24] If a smoker is unavailable, an alternative oven-baking method can be employed. Preheat the oven to 300°F, place the roll on a wire rack over a baking sheet to allow air circulation and fat drainage, and bake for 1.5 to 2 hours until the internal temperature hits 165°F, finishing with a brief broil (2–3 minutes) under high heat to crisp the bacon exterior if desired.^[25] Throughout the process, prioritize food safety by using a digital meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roll to verify the 165°F doneness, avoiding cross-contamination by not consuming any bacon that has contacted raw sausage, and allowing the cooked Bacon Explosion to rest for 10–15 minutes tented with foil before slicing to redistribute juices and prevent dryness.^[11][23]

Recognition and Impact

Media Coverage

The Bacon Explosion garnered substantial early media attention in 2009, shortly after its debut on the creators' blog. The New York Times published an article titled "Take Bacon. Add Sausage. Blog" on January 28, 2009, profiling inventors Jason Day and Aaron Chronister and detailing the recipe's explosive online popularity, which the piece described as a "modestly called... BBQ Sausage Recipe of all Recipes."^[18] This coverage extended to the paper's travel section, which included an adapted recipe alongside international reactions to the dish's indulgent excess.^[26] The article ranked as the second most-read story on the Times' website for the entire year, amplifying its reach.^[4] Additional print and broadcast features followed, including mentions in The Wall Street Journal of the Bacon Explosion as a prime example of viral online food trends and gigantism in culinary competitions.^[27] On television, ABC's Good Morning America aired a segment on January 30, 2009, demonstrating the recipe and positioning it as a novel fusion of bacon and sausage that united food enthusiasts.^[28] Food Network also highlighted the dish in segments tied to barbecue culture, contributing to its mainstream visibility.^[29] The surge in coverage inspired the 2010 release of the creators' cookbook, BBQ Makes Everything Better, which devoted a full chapter to the Bacon Explosion and featured other barbecue innovations.^[30] Publisher interest was intense, with foreign rights secured before the book's launch, reflecting the recipe's global appeal.^[4] Ongoing mentions persisted, such as Garden & Gun magazine's 2015 recipe adaptation incorporating cheese and jalapeños for a Southern twist.^[1] More recently, digital media has revived interest, with Food Network's BBQ USA showcasing a cheddar-jalapeño variation by the creators during its 2023 season premiere at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue.^[8] This exposure has sustained the dish's cultural footprint, boosting cookbook sales and prompting copycat versions in outlets like Garden & Gun and various culinary sites.^[4][1]

Awards and Competitions

The Bacon Explosion gained notable recognition through its creators' competitive barbecue endeavors and appearances at culinary events, cementing its place in the barbecue community. Jason Day and Aaron Chronister, as members of the Burnt Finger BBQ team, achieved multiple grand championships and category wins at prestigious competitions, including the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, and World Food Championships. These successes, spanning events from 2010 onward, highlighted the team's expertise in innovative pork preparations, with the Bacon Explosion serving as a signature element in their repertoire.^[29][31] The dish itself contributed to formal accolades via the 2010 cookbook BBQ Makes Everything Better by Day and Chronister, which includes the original recipe and was named "Best Barbecue Book in the World" at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris. This honor recognized the Bacon Explosion's role in elevating creative barbecue techniques beyond traditional methods. In competitive settings, such as the 2009 American Royal Barbecue Invitational in Kansas City, teams including Burnt Finger BBQ prepared and sampled versions of the dish, emphasizing its appeal in judged categories focused on texture, presentation, and taste.^[31][32] Demonstrations by Day and Chronister further showcased the Bacon Explosion at festivals, where its assembly and smoking process drew crowds and inspired participants. At informal levels within barbecue circles, the recipe earned nods as an innovative standout, often praised for its bold flavors and viral adaptability during the late 2000s barbecue scene. No significant competitive setbacks were recorded for the team in relation to the dish, reflecting its reliable popularity. The Bacon Explosion's legacy includes annual recreations at events like the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival in Des Moines, Iowa, where it has been a recurring feature since at least 2009. For instance, in 2015, student chefs prepared 480 units of the dish for festival attendees, underscoring its enduring draw in celebratory pork-focused gatherings.^[33][34]

Variations

Common Adaptations

One of the earliest modifications to the Bacon Explosion, reported by users in 2009, involved incorporating a layer of cream cheese or cheddar cheese within the sausage filling for added creaminess and melt-in-your-mouth texture.^[12] Size variations quickly became popular; mini versions, using about 1/2 pound of sausage wrapped in a smaller bacon lattice, serve as bite-sized appetizers for gatherings.^[35] Larger party-sized iterations scale up the ingredients by roughly double, yielding 3 to 4 pounds to feed 6 or more people.^[36] Flavor enhancements included mixing herbs into the sausage or applying glazes during the final cooking stage.^[12] For those without smokers, equipment adaptations like air frying at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes offered a faster alternative, yielding crisp results with reduced smoking time compared to traditional methods.

Modern Interpretations

In response to rising interest in low-carbohydrate diets following the popularity of keto eating plans in the early 2020s, adaptations of the Bacon Explosion have incorporated health-conscious modifications to reduce net carbohydrate content. For instance, versions replace traditional high-carb fillers with low-carb alternatives like raw spinach and shredded cheddar cheese, while using chipotle seasoning and herb blends that avoid added sugars, resulting in approximately 2.7 grams of net carbs per serving.^[37] These changes maintain the dish's indulgent profile through high-fat ingredients such as bacon and cheese, aligning with keto principles that emphasize protein and fats over grains or starches. Global influences have inspired fusions that integrate international flavors into the core recipe structure, particularly through sausage substitutions and glazes. A Mexican-style variation employs bulk chorizo sausage layered with refried beans, sautéed onions, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese over a venison base, seasoned with taco spices and topped with salsa, offering a spicy, south-of-the-border twist suitable for smoking or grilling.^[38] Such adaptations highlight the recipe's flexibility for cultural experimentation while preserving the bacon-wrapped format. Sustainability considerations have led to versions emphasizing ethically sourced ingredients, such as heritage pork from pasture-raised farms like Otter Creek Heritage Farm in Vermont. Recipes utilizing heritage breakfast sausage and maple-smoked bacon from small-scale producers.^[39] This approach gained traction amid broader post-2020 trends toward eco-friendly cooking. Recent competitions have further evolved the dish, as seen in a 2023 entry at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, where competitors stuffed pork sausage with chopped bacon and jalapeños, wrapped in a bacon lattice, and finished with barbecue sauce to showcase contemporary creativity in sausage categories.^[8] As of 2025, modern interpretations have extended to sandwich formats, such as the Triple Cheese Bacon Explosion Sandwich, incorporating bacon-wrapped sausage elements between bread for portable consumption.^[40]