Shan's Bacon Explosion

By now you've probably heard of the Bacon Explosion, the biggest food phenomenon of the year that causes minor heart palpitations just to look at it.

I've come face-to-face with a B.E. once, when a colleague brought one in to the office. It smelled smoky and tempting and looked harmless enough -- like a meatloaf, really -- but having just finished lunch I couldn't bring myself to try it.

Not so my fearless brother, who recently smoked up his own. Below, his description and a slideshow of the results!

I know you've seen this and I know you've been dying to make one yourself!

I made mine with onions, cilantro and cooked bacon, wrapped in one pound of pork country sausage and covered in a one-pound bacon weave, dusted lightly with Tony Chacere's creole seasoning. Smoked at 250* for 2 hours (maybe a bit overcooked, but fugit) Served it up with Caesar salad and parmesan risotto (out of a box, but not entirely awful) and a jug of cheap Pinot Grigio.

I'm looking forward to experimenting with different fillers next time. Maybe spinach and feta?

It's amazing how far one of these goes. Four of us ate, and there's easily leftovers for four more!

The guys behind this burly behemoth, it was reported this week, have just been offered a barbecue book deal.