Going Meatless? How To Make Bacon From Banana Peels!
Going Meatless? How To Make Bacon From Banana Peels!
Humans are nothing if not resourceful. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at Lifehacker. The website recently published a story that teaches you how to make a bacon substitute using… banana peels?
Yes, indeed. Considering the world’s love affair with vegan-friendly burgers, perhaps it’s not too surprising that there’s some truly satisfying meatless bacon out there. According to Eat This, Not That!, meatless bacon is being made from all kinds of ingredients these days, from the familiar tempeh and seitan bacon to the lesser-known coconut bacon, which is made from seasoned coconut flakes.
But who would ever suspect that crispy faux-bacon could be made out of trash? Make no mistake: Whipping up a tasty, pork-like banana peel takes a lot of work… but it’s totally worth it! Hard to believe, right? After all, banana peels on their own taste bitter and rubbery, and they have a really strange mouthfeel, don’t they?
Well, according to Lifehacker, that all changes when you fry a banana peel in bacon grease. This makes the banana peel crisp and a little bit chewy, just like any piece of bacon worth its considerable amount of salt. However, that doesn’t do much to help get rid of the bitter flavor, nor does it make this “fake-un” a great option for vegetarians. And honestly, why make a plant-based vegan bacon substitute unless vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters can all enjoy it?
Instead of using bacon fat, try this a quick flash fry in a skillet with vegetable or grapeseed oil. Then add a coating of sweet, salty, and smoky seasonings before tossing your banana peel bacon into the oven. This will result in a pleasant, almost candied fake-un, perfect for sprucing up your next sandwich or salad. A BLT with banana peel bacon sounds like a plant-based dream, doesn’t it? Well, rest assured, this fake-un can stand in for its porky counterpart just about anywhere.
Pork bacon is packed with protein too, but it contains just as many grams of fat. According to the website Very Well Fit, a 3-slice serving of bacon has 12 grams of protein and 12 grams of fat. Although pork bacon does provide some potassium and B-vitamins, banana peels offer 12 percent of your daily potassium and 20 percent of your daily B-vitamin intake. On the downside: Both real bacon and your banana peel-based fake-un are going to contain a whole lot of sodium… so do keep that in mind if you embark on this oddly delicious alchemical experiment.
And before you attempt this one weird kitchen hack, there are a few things you should keep in mind. The website Lower recommends using organic bananas, meticulously washing the banana peel and removing all the stringy insides. Also, give yourself plenty of time to work your trash-to-treasure magic, and be sure to have soy sauce, maple syrup, brown sugar, garlic powder, liquid smoke, and sweet paprika on hand.
These flavor-enhancing ingredients are essential for combating the bitterness of the banana peel and locking in that bacon-y essence you so desperately crave. Hey, no one said turning banana peels into bacon was going to be a walk in the park, but what a noble way to spend your free time.
