Bacon-Wrapped Onion Rings
Steal the show with sweet, smoky, savory bacon-wrapped onion rings — the ultimate appetizer recipe perfected for your next post-hunt smoker session.
Bacon-Wrapped Onion Rings
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Appetizer
Cuisine
American
Author:
This recipe comes from Matt Pittman, CEO of Meat Church BBQ, YouTube personality, and friend of Montana Knife Company.
Servings
15
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
90 minutes
Calories
285
I’ve smoked hundreds of different appetizers over the years, and I keep coming back to these bacon-wrapped onion rings.
They’re the perfect blend of sweet, smoky, and savory — plus, they’re just plain fun to make. When my hunting buddies gather around the smoker after a long day in the field, these bacon-wrapped onions always steal the show.
I’ve tested every possible combination of onions, bacon, and seasonings to create this bacon-wrapped onion recipe that hits all the right notes.
Ingredients
To whip up these delicious bacon onion rings, grab the following ingredients and tools:
- 4–6 sweet onions (Vidalia work best)
- 1 package of regular-cut bacon
- 2 Tbsp. of Sriracha sauce
- Your favorite sweet BBQ rub (I use Meat Church’s Honey Hog BBQ rub)
- 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
- High-quality chef’s knife or santoku knife for precise cuts
- Pastry brush for sauce application
Directions
Now that we’ve gathered our ingredients, let’s make some mouthwatering bacon onion rings:
Fire up your smoker to 250°F. Hickory wood gives these rings the best flavor profile, but oak or pecan work well, too.
Using a sharp, clean knife (I prefer a santoku for its precision), slice your onions into 1/2-inch-thick rings. Clean cuts make a big difference in how the bacon wraps. Remove the inner rings, keeping just the two outer rings from each slice.
Brush each onion ring with Sriracha sauce. Make sure to get both sides for balanced heat!
Start wrapping bacon around each ring. You’ll need two or three strips per ring depending on size. Overlap the bacon slightly as you wrap to prevent gaps during cooking.
Season the wrapped rings with your sweet BBQ rub. A light coating works best — the bacon brings plenty of salt already.
Place the rings on your smoker, spacing them about an inch apart.
Smoke for 90 minutes, or until the bacon crisps up nicely.
During the final 10 minutes, brush the rings with BBQ sauce.
Let them rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Note
Tips for Perfect Bacon-Wrapped Onion Rings
Through countless smoking sessions and post-hunt cookouts, I’ve learned that these bacon onion rings turn out best when I implement these tricks:
- Pick onions that are similar in size for even cooking.
- Keep your knife razor-sharp when slicing onions — just like you would for field dressing.
- Regular-cut bacon works better than thick-cut for wrapping.
- If your bacon starts to unwrap during cooking, secure it with a toothpick.
- Don’t skip the resting time — it helps the bacon stay crispy.
Serving Suggestions for Bacon-Wrapped Onions
These bacon-wrapped onion rings shine as a tailgate appetizer, hunting camp treat, or backyard BBQ starter. I serve them with extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping and sometimes add a ranch dressing option, too. After a successful hunt, they pair perfectly with cold beer and good company around the campfire.
The best part? You can prep these ahead of time. Wrap and season the rings up to 24 hours before smoking — just keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. They make great fuel for early-morning hunting trips or late-afternoon target practice sessions.
Whether you’re new to smoking or a seasoned pitmaster, these bacon-wrapped onion rings are guaranteed to become a staple in your outdoor cooking rotation.The combo of sweet onion, crispy bacon, and smoky flavor creates an appetizer that disappears fast at any gathering of hunters, outdoorsmen, or BBQ enthusiasts.
