Giant Bacon-Wrapped Onion Ring Stuffed With Ground Beef, Jalapeños, And Cheddar
When you're looking for a great side for a juicy burger or a fun snack to munch on, the onion ring is always a yummy option. Nothing comes close to the crispy, crunchy texture and deliciously sweet interior that make onion rings so special. But unfortunately, the traditional onion ring can only go so far. It's delicious in its simplicity, but you also can't make onion rings into the main course – at least not until now! This giant onion ring has all of the best parts of your standard snack, but it also gets coated in bacon and absolutely stuffed with a cheesy ground beef, cheddar, and jalapeño filling. Serve it as the ultimate appetizer or eat it as a decadent main course. Whichever way you eat it, this giant stuffed onion ring is going to blow your mind!
Yield: 1
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 4 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate
You'll Need:
For the stuffed onion ring:
- 6 onions, sliced
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 4 jalapeños, sliced
- 5 oz cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1 lb bacon
- salt & pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
For the béchamel sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- salt & pepper to taste
For the breading station:
- 3⅓ cups flour
- 6 whisked eggs for the egg wash
- 13 cups bread crumbs
- cooking oil for frying
Here's How:
1. For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, stir in the flour, and heat the mixture briefly, making sure it doesn't start to brown. Gradually add in the milk, stirring continuously, then bring the béchamel sauce to a boil. Season the sauce with salt & pepper, then remove it from the heat and let it cool down. Fry the ground beef in a small amount of vegetable oil and season it with salt & pepper. Peel and slice the onions, then caramelize them in vegetable oil until they become golden brown.
2. Stir together the caramelized onions, cooked ground beef, béchamel sauce, and sliced jalapeños. Grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan, then spoon about ⅔ of the onion mixture into it. Press the cheddar cheese cubes into the onion mixture, then fill up the bundt cake pan with the remainder of the onion mixture. Transfer the bundt cake pan to the freezer and freeze the stuffed onion ring for 3–4 hours.
3. Position the strips of bacon in a large circular pattern on a piece of parchment paper.
4. Remove the stuffed onion ring from the freezer and place it in the center of the circle of bacon. Wrap the pieces of bacon around the onion ring until it's completely coated.
5. Set up the breading station with separate baking trays for the flour, whisked eggs for the egg wash, and bread crumbs, then heat a skillet with a thick layer of cooking oil on the stove. Coat the stuffed onion ring in flour, dredge it in egg wash, and cover it with bread crumbs. Then dip the breaded onion ring in the egg wash and coat it with bread crumbs a second time.
6. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Fry the giant onion ring on both sides until golden brown, then place it on a baking tray, transfer the baking tray to the oven, and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes.
Crunchy on the outside, flavorful and cheesy on the inside – this onion ring has it all! Slice it up into pieces and serve it with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce. Just when you think you know your onions, something as new and exciting as this giant stuffed onion ring pops up!
Get the recipe for the Egg-Stuffed Meatloaf Pastry Ring featured in the bonus video.