BBQ Mushroom Bacon

BBQ mushroom bacon is a spicy plant-based bacon substitute that’s great for BLTs, grilled cheese, and other sandwiches, or for chopping and serving with grain bowls and salads.

They say bacon is the gateway meat, but I think the door swings both ways.

By this, I mean it’s not only the first thing one might crave when falling off the vegetarian wagon, but it’s one of the last ingredients that’s hardest to part with when moving towards a fully plant-based diet.

Ethics aside, bacon has a lot going for it as an ingredient.

The smoky, salty flavor, the chewy-crisp texture, the way it creates its own sizzle as the fat renders—not only is it hands-down delicious on its own, but it adds so much flavor to so many meals.

And all of these elements are insanely difficult to replicate when fakin’ the bacon with other foods.

There are a lot of companies trying very, very hard to nail the particulars of this taste and texture combination, and I’ve tasted a lot of them in the name of science (and also in the name of assuaging my bacon craving).

Generously, I’ll say that there are some good efforts out there, and I hope that all the amazing food scientists keep plugging away at the great experiment that is plant-based bacon.

While no vegetarian bacon substitute is perfect … yet … I believe we’re getting closer. And in the meantime, I’ll keep sampling and trying my own versions.

In this spirit of continual improvement, I’ve developed a recipe for BBQ mushroom bacon that’s spicy, smoky, salty, and caramelized.

It’s true that in a blind taste test, this will never be able to fool anyone into believing that it’s actual bacon from a pig. (Neither will any other bacon substitute I’ve eaten, TBH.)

For one thing, you can tell this is made from sliced mushrooms by the shape of each strip. That kind of gives the game away!

The texture is also on the chewier side, so if you’re one of those people who loves crisp-to-the-point-of-burned bacon, you can’t quite get to that texture with mushrooms.

But if you want a homemade vegetarian version of bacon that’s not as processed as some of the store-bought options, I think this BBQ mushroom bacon fits the bill.

How to Make BBQ Mushroom Bacon

The key, I believe, to getting truly chewy-crisp mushroom bacon is to marinate it first.

Mushrooms are high in water content, and that water can lead to soggy mushrooms when you’re cooking them.

(This is why all us recipe developers tell you to never crowd the pan with mushrooms—they need room to let the water escape as it turns to steam!)

By marinating mushroom slices in BBQ sauce overnight, you’re kind of brining them. That is, you’re infusing the mushrooms with BBQ flavor while simultaneously releasing excess liquid from the slices.

Once that liquid is drained off, the mushroom slices are tossed with a smoky spice blend and roasted until caramelized and chewy.

The BBQ mushroom can be eaten warm, or refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.

What BBQ Mushroom Bacon Can and Can’t Do

Because this oven-roasted mushroom bacon is made simply with mushrooms in a dry rub, it doesn’t render its own fat as it cooks. There’s really no fat to be found in the recipe!

So you won’t want to sauté mushroom bacon as you would raw bacon to build a foundation of flavor for a stew or pan sauce.

However, it’s a great sandwich ingredient. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my homemade BBQ mushroom bacon in BLTs with juicy Jersey tomatoes, mayo, and crisp lettuce all summer long.

I’ve also been slicing the cooked mushroom bacon into bite-sized strips and adding them to vegetable grain bowls and cold noodle bowls. They’re fantastic for adding a hit of meaty umami flavor to a one-bowl meal.

And once the weather finally cools down, I’ll be adding mushroom bacon as a topping to my baked potato soup and clam chowder.

If you also want to use this bacon in a recipe that calls for cooking chopped bacon in a pan to get the bacon fat out of it, like this collard greens recipe, simply use olive oil in place of the bacon fat.

Then add the mushroom bacon in place of the cooked bacon as instructed by the recipe.

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BBQ Mushroom Bacon

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 35 minutes

BBQ mushroom bacon is a spicy plant-based bacon substitute that's great for BLTs and other sandwiches, or with grain bowls and salads.

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces (1/2 pound) king oyster mushrooms
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Trim any gnarly root ends off the mushrooms.
2. Slice each mushroom lengthwise into 1/4 inch-thick slices.
3. Place in a bowl and add the BBQ sauce.
4. Gently stir and toss to coat (I do this with my hands), then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Whisk the brown sugar, smoked and Hungarian paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a medium bowl.
7. Pour the marinated mushrooms into a metal strainer and drain well, shaking to remove as much excess liquid as much as possible.
8. Add the mushrooms to the bowl with the spice blend and toss to coat as evenly as possible.
9. Place the mushrooms in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
10. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip the mushrooms.
11. Cook for 5-10 minutes more, until the mushroom bacon is crispy and sticky at the edges, with a matte sheen.
    
    Smaller pieces may be ready to go more quickly, so remove them as you see them blackening at the edges.
12. Transfer the mushroom bacon to a plate (if eating warm) or to a lidded container (if saving for later use).
13. Serve as desired, or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 426mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 10g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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