These bacon-wrapped olives are a great last minute appetizer. I call them “Greek Poppers”. They can be cooked at about any temperature. Throw it on during the last leg of cooking your ribs or grill them right along your steak. They crisp up great and make an amazing appetizer. The olives used for this are double-stuffed mammoth-sized olives. Each one has a sliver of garlic and jalapeno. Amazing flavor and a great treat to make.
2 dozen Tassos Double-stuffed Olives (buy at Costco or Amazon)
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1 pkg bacon
toothpicks or skewers
Directions
1)
Place the olives in a bowl and rinse with cool water for a few minutes. Fill the bowl with water and leave the olives to de-brine for 15 minutes. The soak will out some of the saltiness from the olives.
2)
Evenly mix the brown sugar, black pepper and ground ginger. You can also substitute a Memphis-style rub for a little more kick.
3)
Cut the bacon strips in half. Dry the olives and wrap each olive with 1/2 piece of bacon. Secure with a toothpick.
4)
Hold the olive over the bowl of rub. With a spoon pour some rub over every inch of the olive. Scoop a little extra rub into one side of olive, packing it down with the spoon.
5)
Place the olives on a grilling tray or a skewer rack.
6)
Cook them along with whatever is for dinner. They’re done when the bacon crisps up. When cooked by themselves they’re best cooked indirect at 275°F for 1 hour with a hunk of hickory or pecan or your favorite wood.
Allow them to cool and enjoy!
