Jumbo Snacking Croutons

Big bites with big flavor! Admit it – you always snag a couple of extras when you make a salad – so why not make them a snack?! Jumbo-sized cubes of Texas toast are seasoned with bacon, garlic, and spices, and baked until golden and crispy. Enjoy them with a beer, glass of wine, cheese, or by themselves.

jumbo_snacking_croutons_girlgamechef

Serves: 8-10

Time: 40 minutes plus drying time

1 (20 oz.) loaf Texas toast bread, crust on, partially dried out (let stand out on a wire rack in a single layer overnight)

½ c. bacon fat

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

½ c. bacon “broth” (liquid removed from baking sheets after cooking bacon; can substitute beef stock)

3 Tbsp. roasted garlic, mashed into a smooth paste

1Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. fine sea salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Cut bread into 1 – 1½” cubes and put into a large bowl. In a small bowl combine the dry spices; set aside.

 In a small saucepan over low heat combine bacon fat, butter, bacon broth or stock, roasted garlic, and Worcestershire sauce until melted, whisking to combine. Drizzle warm butter mixture (or even better - transfer mixture to a squeeze bottle with a ¼” nozzle opening) in 3-4 batches over the cubes, tossing in between applications and sprinkling with the spice mixture, stirring gently until all the cubes are well coated. Let stand 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats to 325° convection (or 350° conventional).

 Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Divide cubes between the prepared sheets and arrange in a single layer with space between each to allow for air circulation. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn cubes over. [To quickly turn over all the cubes at once lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the cubes, place a flat baking sheet (one with no sides) on top of the parchment, hold the sheets together firmly and quickly flip them over. Gently slip the parchment now on the bottom and cubes back onto the warm baking sheet.] Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until very light brown; some cubes may still be a little soft in the center. Remove trays from oven and transfer cubes to 2 cooling racks. Turn oven off and monitor the temperature; when it cools to 200° return cubes on the cooling racks to the oven and let stand until oven cools completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.