Crispy Deer Bacon with Asparagus and Eggs is one of our favorite family weekend breakfast ideas and a great choice during asparagus season.
This dish has you covered for a healthy, protein-packed breakfast with its perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs and roasted asparagus served fresh and hot with crispy deer bacon sprinkled on top.
Bacon With Asparagus And Eggs
Asparagus and eggs balance each other out and coexist as harmoniously as mule deer and sharp-tailed grouse in the Badlands of North Dakota. The asparagus does its job brightening up the subdued richness of the eggs.
The deer bacon takes the succulent, gamey flavor of venison and infuses it with the smoky, savory bacon aroma that everyone loves waking up to.
This quick and easy meal is made with a few simple ingredients and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Asparagus Season
There are so many pleasures that come every spring. Tulips bursting into bloom, the return of migratory birds, and the smell of alder wood chip smoke cascading over freshly caught fish. But there is also a palpable sense of energy and excitement when you get to cook with the first wild edibles of spring. Some folks chase ramps and wild onions, but I'm an asparagus man. Simply drizzle it with olive oil, season it, roast it, and call it a day.
Where Does Asparagus Grow?
There's no better time to eat asparagus than springtime! The spears are at the height of their sweetness, with a distinctly clean, earthy flavor that seems to rid my soul of the doldrums of winter. Most people buy their asparagus in the grocery store, but you'll find foragers scouring roadside ditches for this vegetable found all across the United States and Canada. I've seen groups of family and friends fill the bed of a pickup truck on an annual asparagus season hunting trip during the month of May.
If you want to try and hunt for your own asparagus, you can use this map from the USDA to see where asparagus is more prevalent to grow and be found near you.
How To Trim Asparagus
The best way to trim asparagus is with a chef's knife and cutting board. Line up all the asparagus spears in a row and slice off the ends simultaneously. Cut right above where the stalks turn from white to green.
Do Not Bend And Snap!
A great many websites will tell you asparagus has a natural breaking point - hold the spear up horizontally, bend it in your hands, and it'll break precisely where you need it to. But you'll tend to waste a lot of perfectly edible asparagus this way. Go ahead and try it yourself! Compare two asparagus stalks of the same length and size side-by-side. Use the bend-and-snap method with one stalk and see how it compares to a stalk trimmed with a knife. The snapped stalk will probably be a couple inches shorter.
If you're like me, you work hard to try and not waste food. Whether that's using all of the deer we hunt each fall, or the asparagus and other vegetables that come our way each spring and summer. So stick with trimming your asparagus with a knife.
How To Roast Asparagus
Start by rinsing the asparagus spears in a colander under cool water. Shake gently to remove as much water as possible, then pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water. Too much water on the asparagus will prevent oil and seasoning from adhering to them.
Once the asparagus are dry, arrange them on a cutting board so the woody ends are lined up. Then, use a large chef's knife to trim 1 to 2 inches off the ends of the stalks. Larger spears might require a little more trimming than tender, thin spears. Discard the white and woody asparagus ends in your compost bin if you have one.
Place asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Roast the asparagus spears on the baking sheet in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, which will ensure they brown deeply and quickly. Not moving the asparagus spears during cooking allows them to get a rich sear on one side and remain a lively green on the other, which also helps them retain their freshness and tender snap.
Looking For More Great Recipes With Deer Bacon?
Try these other popular recipes that highlight deer bacon as one of their ingredients:
- Deer Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
- Deer Bacon and Lentil Soup
- Venison Bacon Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
- Venison Bacon Savory Muffins
- Venison Breakfast Strata
Come Deer Hunting in North Dakota
If you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.
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Crispy Deer Bacon with Asparagus and Eggs
Ingredients
- 4 ounces deer bacon, chopped
- 8 ounces asparagus
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 large eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk or half and half
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Start by rinsing the asparagus spears in a colander under cool water. Shake gently to remove as much water as possible, then pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water. Too much water on the asparagus will prevent oil and seasoning from adhering to them.
- Once the asparagus are dry, arrange them on a cutting board so the woody ends are lined up. Then, use a large chef's knife to trim 1 to 2 inches off the ends of the stalks. Larger spears might require a little more trimming than tender, thin spears. Discard the white and woody asparagus ends in your compost bin if you have one.
- On half of the rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper arrange the chopped deer bacon in a single layer. On the other half, arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, which will ensure the bacon is crispy and the asparagus browns deeply and quickly. Not moving the asparagus spears during cooking allows them to get a rich sear on one side and remain a lively green on the other, which also helps them retain their freshness and tender snap.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk or half and half, and salt. Use a fork or whisk to beat the mixture until the eggs are well blended.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, slowly add the egg mixture and let it sit undisturbed for about 30 seconds, until you see the edges start to solidify. Use a silicon spatula to slowly stir the eggs, folding them onto themselves while gently shaking the skillet with your other hand. Do this until big soft lumps form, then remove the pan from the heat, season with a little more salt and black pepper, and let the eggs rest for 1 more minute to finish cooking before serving.
- Remove the deer bacon and asparagus from the oven.
- Divide the asparagus between four plates and top with the scrambled eggs. Sprinkle the bacon over the eggs and serve immediately.
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