Bacon and Corn Salad

Serve this Bacon and Corn Salad warm as a side to your favourite summer grilled mains. Loaded with fried bacon, bright yellow corn, and fresh green onions, this salad is tossed with a kicked-up mayonnaise-based dressing. Can be prepared ahead of time too and just lightly reheated through just before serving!

How long have you been reading my blog posts? Are you the type of reader to skip right ahead to the recipe or do you read the long-winded paragraphs found in every post? Well, if you’re the latter, then you no doubt know that I have a full-on love affair with corn. It’s quite possibly one of my top five favourite vegetables. That is why, Dear Reader, I’m back today with another corn recipe. This Bacon and Corn Salad is so delicious! You have to make this at least once this summer.

When it comes to side dishes, I love them! I’m one of those people who can make a complete meal on the sides alone. Take, for example, a summer BBQ. The mains usually consist of steak, pork, chicken, or seafood. And, the sides are usually corn, potatoes, salad, etc. That’s the end of the table I want to sit at; right next to the side dishes!

Lord Byron’s Kitchen is no stranger to a good side dish. If you click here, you can find a whole long list of all of the sides I’ve published on this site over the years. But, if you’re specifically looking for corn dishes, might I take a moment to recommend my Smokey Stovetop Charred Corn, my Cream Cheese Corn, or my personal favourite, this Apple and Corn Salad? For now, though, let’s talk about this Bacon and Corn Salad recipe!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post. 

• Bacon – You can use your favourite brand of bacon, but I would highly recommend using low-sodium bacon. There is added salt in this recipe, so you don’t want it to be too salty to enjoy.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic. The results are just better that way.
• Corn – I like to use frozen corn because it is quicker and easier. If you’re a purist and want to use fresh corn, you can do that too.
• Green Onions – These add a delicate onion flavour without overpowering the salad.  They add freshness and colour too.
• Parsley – Just a little bit for freshness, colour, and garnish.
• Mayonnaise – You can use full-fat or fat-free mayonnaise.
• Cream – Regular whole milk will do in a bind, but the cream will give you a creamier, thicker result.
• Hot Sauce – This is completely optional, but a few dashes of good hot sauce really kicks this salad up a notch. Use Tabasco, Frank’s, sriracha, or your favourite hot sauce.
• Lemon Juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best results.
• Ground Black Pepper

HOW TO MAKE A BACON AND CORN SALAD

Begin by cutting six slices of bacon into one-inch pieces. Pan-fry in a large skillet until browned and crisp. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Carefully drain the bacon grease from the skillet. Do not wipe the skillet clean!

Add the frozen corn and the garlic to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook the corn, stirring often, over medium heat until thoroughly heated. This will take about five minutes. Once cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

Next, transfer the mayonnaise, cream, lemon juice, ground black pepper, and hot sauce to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the chopped green onions and parsley to the skillet with the corn. Add all of the sauce too. Toss well to combine and serve immediately.

If you are preparing this dish ahead of time, allow it to cool completely before transferring to a food-safe container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. To reheat, you may microwave in one-minute increments, stirring well between each increment. Alternatively, add the salad back to the skillet and reheat on medium-low until just warmed through.

FROZEN CORN

In most cases, I use frozen corn in my recipes rather than fresh corn that has been removed from the cob. Would I prefer fresh corn? Yes, of course! But, fresh corn is not always available where I live, so frozen corn is the next best thing. Also, whenever I use frozen corn, I know I’m getting the next best thing without the need to shuck and clean it! And, unlike fresh corn, you don’t need to boil or cook frozen corn first. You just heat it through and it’s good to go!

Frozen corn can come in handy at any moment, whether you need an extra side dish or want to incorporate it into a dish you are already cooking. There are many ways to heat and cook frozen corn, from roasting to steaming, that can provide a variety of textures and flavours.

The frozen corn you buy from the grocery store is just like fresh corn. It is harvested at its peak and removed from the cob. From there, it goes into a quick boil to wash the corn and kill any enzymes or bacteria. Next, it is drained and packaged into bags immediately. From there it is flash-frozen and remains in a frozen state until it reaches your home.

In most cases, frozen corn is cheaper than fresh corn when comparing volume. And, if it saves me from having to shuck it, clean it, and cook it, I’m all in! I’m one of those food bloggers that have no problem with telling you to take the easy way out. Save the corn on the cob for your grill!

CREAM VS WHIPPING CREAM

Confession time – I use them both interchangeably, depending on what is available at the store, or whatever is on sale! Both of these can be quite costly. If memory serves me correctly, a 250mL carton, or one cup, here in Canada, will run just short of $5! There is a difference between the two, but not enough to concern yourself with when it comes to this Bacon and Corn Salad.

Just in case you’re interested, the most basic difference is the amount of fat contained in both. Whipping cream has 35% fat. It can be whipped into peaks and it’s also rich enough that it won’t curdle when heated in soups and sauces. It’s nearly identical to cream so if a recipe calls for cream and you can only find whipping cream, feel free to use that instead. In contrast, cream, which is sometimes called heavy whipping cream, contains about 38% fat. Either of those would work well in this recipe.

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Canned corn can be used if you don’t have access to fresh corn or frozen corn. Be sure to drain the corn very well before adding to the skillet.
• Add more flavour with smoked paprika and chili powder. Even cumin would be a good additive to add Mexican flair to the dish! If I were doing this, I would use lime juice instead of lemon juice.
• Store-bought, pre-cooked, microwaveable bacon could be used here too. Good quality, real bacon bits are also a great choice! Cook the corn in a tablespoon of salted butter and add the bacon bits once the corn is thoroughly heated through.
• Add shredded cheese and stir it through while the salad is still very warm so that it melts and becomes gooey and stringy.