Fried Irish Bacon and Bacon Cabbage Slaw

Posted by Boss Hog Credit: BaconToday.com on Mar 7th 2023

Irish Bacon is the most popular cut of bacon in the British Isles. Unlike American bacon, which is made from just the pork belly, Irish bacon is cut to also include the loin.  Here's a smoky, crispy Fried Irish Bacon with Bacon Cabbage Slaw recipe to enjoy on St. Patrick's Day, or any time you're in the mood for something new and delicious. The crispness and acidity of the slaw compliments amazingly with the crunchy juicy flavors of the fried Irish bacon. If you don’t consider Irish bacon “real” bacon, don’t worry, there’s American bacon in the cabbage slaw, too.

Ingredients

The Cabbage Coleslaw

• 4 strips Gourmet Bacon, cooked, chopped
• 3 cups green cabbage, sliced thin
• 1 medium sized carrot, sliced thin
• 1 green apple, sliced thin
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp whole grain mustard
• 2-3 tsp sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• salt to taste

The Fried Irish Bacon:

• 8 oz Irish Bacon, about 4 slices.  The best substitutes for Irish bacon are Canadian bacon,                             slices of ham, and pancetta.
• 1 cup light beer
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 cups plain dried bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

• Place the Irish Bacon in an air-tight container and pour the beer to cover. If your pieces of bacon are large, you can cut them in half. Marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, mustard, sugar, and season with salt and black pepper to taste, then toss in the chopped bacon. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrot, and apple. Toss with the dressing and refrigerate until ready to eat.
• Now, for the Irish bacon. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, set aside. In another medium bowl, beat together the eggs and milk, set aside. Add the breadcrumbs to another medium bowl and season lightly with more salt and pepper.
• Remove the bacon from the beer and gently pat dry, discarding the used beer. Lightly dredge each piece of bacon in the flour, then the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumbs, pressing them gently into the meat. Lay the coated bacon on a parchment lined plate or baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered about 10 minutes. This will allow the coating to dry a bit and adhere better to the bacon.
• While that is drying, heat the olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Gently lay the bacon pieces into the pan and cook until golden brown for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• Serve the Irish bacon with a spoonful of the cabbage slaw on top or on the side.