Smoked Dates Wrapped in Bacon

 

Ingredients:

• 30 pitted dates (preferably Medjool)
• 10 – 15 strips of unsmoked bacon
• tooth picks

Serves 5 – 7 appetizers or 10 – 15 hors d’oeuvres

Directions:

1. Cut bacon into 3 inch length pieces. Use center cut bacon. Center cut bacon doesn’t have the fatty ends, and it is generally meatier.
2. If dates are not slit, make a slit length ways so that the dates can be opened up.
3. Check to make sure there are not parts of the pit left.
4. Wrap 1 piece of bacon around each date, securing it with a pick.

Hot Smoking Directions

You want to hot smoke when you want to melt the cheese, to further cook the ingredients you stuffed with, and/or have wrapped the dates with uncooked bacon, or other uncooked meats. If using pancetta you may want to hot smoke to reduce some fat.

1. Preheat smoke generator, and cabinet to 250°F.
2. Arrange stuffed dates on a wire rack so that there is at least 1/2 inch space between dates (use the jerky racks if you are using small dates).
3. Load dates into smoker and apply smoke for 40 minutes (I used apple).
4. Continue to cook until the bacon is done. If you want crispy bacon:
   1. Remove dates from the smoker after you have applied the smoke
   2. Arrange dates on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or aluminum foil.
   3. Bake in a preheat 450 °F oven until the bacon is golden and crisp (monitor closely to prevent bacon from burning).
5. Remove from smoker or oven.
6. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool slightly before serving.