Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Soy sauce, smoky bacon and sweet brown sugar dress up water chestnuts for a festive party appetizer. The crunchy centers are a great counter to the crisp, meaty bacon and the sticky-sweet glaze.
Equipment
- 1 Rimmed Baking Sheet
- 1 Cooling Rack Fits inside the baking sheet
- 1 Resealable Plastic Bag Or mixing bowl for marinating
- 1 Mixing Bowl For the glaze
- 1 Toothpicks
Ingredients
Main
- Two 8-ounce cans whole water chestnuts drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 14 slices bacon cut crosswise into thirds
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the water chestnuts and soy sauce in a resealable plastic bag and let marinate at room temperature, tossing and massaging the bag occasionally, for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap each water chestnut in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Set a cooling rack into a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts on top. Bake until the bacon renders its fat and is crisp, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and 1/3 cup water in a bowl to make a sauce.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully lift the cooling rack off the baking sheet. Drain away any fat in the baking sheet and wipe dry with paper towels. Line the baking sheet with foil and lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully transfer the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts to the bowl with the sauce, swirling to fully coat, then spread out on the baking sheet.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake, tossing every few minutes, until the sauce is reduced to a sticky glaze, about 15 minutes. Immediately transfer the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts to a warm serving platter. Sprinkle with pepper and serve while hot.
Notes
Ensure water chestnuts are thoroughly drained before marinating to avoid diluting the soy sauce.
Baking on a rack in the first step is crucial for rendering fat and achieving crispy bacon. Don't skip this.
Watch the glaze closely in the second baking step. Brown sugar can burn quickly once it reaches a sticky consistency. Tossing every few minutes is key.
For a touch of heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the glaze mixture.
Baking on a rack in the first step is crucial for rendering fat and achieving crispy bacon. Don't skip this.
Watch the glaze closely in the second baking step. Brown sugar can burn quickly once it reaches a sticky consistency. Tossing every few minutes is key.
For a touch of heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the glaze mixture.