The Best Presents are Wrapped in Bacon

For those who dig swine, bacon is the ultimate, the pinnacle, the epitome of all things porky. It's always welcome (nay, celebrated), whether tangled together with eggs and hashbrowns on a breakfast platter, tucked into your dessert, or just baked flat, crispy, and ready for sandwiches.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that bacon-wrapped things are always a slam-dunk appetizer. Dress (almost) anything in a crispy, savory coat of bacon, and it will fly off your holiday hors d'oeuvre platter or dinner party spread. Skeptical? Try wrapping bacon around crunchy water chestnuts or sweet dried apricots and put them out for guests—just see how long they last. This year, as our gift to you, we've rounded up 6 of our favorite pork-wrapped presents to get you through the holiday entertaining season (and beyond):

But don't stop there—feel free to wrap anything and everything in bacon. Bacon-wrapped fingerling potatoes! Bacon-wrapped pan-roasted scallops! Bacon-wrapped sautéed dates! Bacon-wrapped bacon! (Just kidding on that last one, but maybe give it a go and let us know!)

Tips for bacon-wrapping perfection:

• If you're making individual, bite-sized porky bites, make sure to rotate them with a pair of tongs every 5 to 6 minutes to ensure even crispness.

• Unless you like scrubbing greasy sheet pans, bake your bacon-wrapped dishes on aluminum foil or parchment paper. After they're cooked, transfer to a paper towel-lined pan or plate to drain, then pour the rendered bacon fat into a jar to use later for popcorn, roasting vegetables, and frying eggs.

• If you want to speed up the process, you can skip the oven and go straight for the broiler—just be sure to keep a close eye on your bacon.

• To ensure crispness, you can par-cook your bacon before wrapping in. Our hotline suggests cooking in a 350° F oven for a few minutes until the fat just begins to render, but before the bacon is crisp. Let cool until you're able to handle it and then wrap away.

• Don't forget to season your bacon! After wrapping, brush the pork with Dijon mustard, honey, or maple syrup to add another layer of flavor.

What's your favorite thing to wrap in bacon? Share your porky inspiration in the comments below!