Bacon-wrapped Asparagus

 

Grilling asparagus makes it browned, a little sweet and utterly, totally delicious. Add a strip of bacon and this is practically a main dish. How many bacon slices you’ll need will depend on the thickness of the spears in your bunch of asparagus. Makes 4-6 servings.

What you Need:

• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 1/2 pound thin-cut bacon
• Olive oil

Next:

1. Preheat a gas grill over high heat for 10 minutes with the lid closed. Rinse and pat dry the asparagus spears. Grasp each spear firmly by the base and bend it with your other hand until it breaks. A fresh spear will break very near the base, a tough one will break higher up, but this way, you will have tender asparagus all the way up, with no stringy tough bits to ruin your final dish. Discard the bottom half of the spear.

2. Cut the bacon slices in half and wrap a short strip tightly around each spear. If you stretch and wrap, spiraling and just barely overlapping as you go, you won’t need to secure the strips with a toothpick.

3. Place the asparagus just off the direct high flame and grill, moving the spears around to prevent charring, for 8 to 10 minutes altogether, until the asparagus is lightly browned and a little shriveled and the bacon is golden and crisp. (Times may vary depending on the thickness of the spears.)