Get the recipe here.
Valentine's Day is one of those hype-heavy holidays, like New Year's Eve and uh, National Pizza Day: You know you should do something special, and in your quest to make it a night you'll never forget, you fall into (A) a litany of clichés, or (B) get so caught up in searching for "the best thing" that the day comes and you've got ... nothing. So you scramble, hustle, and shell out $35 for a dozen anemic-looking roses you'd normally snag for $10 any other day of the year.
This year, go rogue. Do something surprising — a grand gesture you won't find in any Nicholas Sparks novel, but is guaranteed to be every bit as unforgettable. Make bacon roses. And not just any bacon roses — these ones are candied for extra flavor. (Trust us — it's worth it.)
Here's what you'll need: 12 artificial roses, heavy-duty scissors or kitchen shears, a package of toothpicks, a baking sheet, a baking rack that fits in said baking sheet, maple syrup, brown sugar, black pepper and a package of bacon
Got those? You're doing great so far.
Step 1: Get Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'
Roll individual strips of bacon with the pink, meaty side being the bloom. (The fatty end can be the bottom of the rose.) Secure the seal with a toothpick so it doesn't unravel. For extra stability, add a second toothpick; a trick Our Best Bites taught us that's top-notch.
Put them on a baking sheet with a baking rack on top, then line up the bacon on top. Drizzle them with maple syrup — it doesn't have to be legit, grade A stuff; even Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworths works here — along with a light dusting of whatever bae's into, be it black pepper, brown sugar, or chili powder. Then they're ready to hit the oven.
Step 2: Channel Morticia Addams for A Hot Second
Here's where you have to get crafty: Trim the stems to the size you like (the shorter the stems, the more lush the bouquet looks), then go all Morticia Addams on those petals, chopping them off and removing the Styrofoam "bud" in the center. Just make sure to leave the little plastic nub; you'll need that to hold the bacon roses in place. Clean the nub and the flowers off.
Step 3: Wrap Things Up
Give the bacon a minute or two to cool, so you're not tossing them like a hot potato. Since the roses are really just roll-ups, find the hole in the center of each one, and slide them onto the nub on each stem.
Now go forth and declare your love in the saltiest way possible.
PIN IT FOR LATER:
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