Go Back

Beef Bacon Carbonara

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Large Pasta Pot
  • Large Skillet or Sauté Pan
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Tongs
  • Microplane Grater
  • Digital Kitchen Scale

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Spaghetti or Linguine 454g, preferably bronze-cut for better sauce adherence
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt 15g, for pasta water
  • 8 ounces Beef Bacon 227g, thick-cut halal beef bacon, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 large Egg Yolks preferably organic, at room temperature
  • 1 large Whole Egg organic, at room temperature
  • 1 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese 100g, freshly grated, plus extra for serving
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese 50g, freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper 2g, plus extra for serving
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley finely chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon (15g) kosher salt to the water. The water should taste like the sea.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 1 cup (100g) grated Pecorino Romano, 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and 1 teaspoon (2g) freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow. Set aside at room temperature.
  • Cut 8 ounces (227g) beef bacon into 1/2-inch dice. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture for better crisping.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced beef bacon and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and crispy. Do not drain the rendered fat.
  • Meanwhile, add 1 pound (454g) pasta to the boiling salted water. Cook according to package directions minus 1 minute for al dente texture. Reserve 1 cup (240ml) of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
  • When pasta is nearly done, remove the skillet with bacon from heat and let it cool for 30 seconds to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
  • Add the drained hot pasta directly to the skillet with the beef bacon and rendered fat. Toss quickly with tongs to coat the pasta.
  • Remove the skillet from heat completely. Immediately pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta while tossing continuously with tongs. The residual heat will gently cook the eggs into a creamy sauce.
  • Add 1/4 cup (60ml) of the reserved pasta water and continue tossing. If the sauce appears too thick, add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until you achieve a silky, creamy consistency that coats each strand.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning with additional black pepper if needed. The cheese provides sufficient salt, so additional salt is rarely necessary.
  • Divide the carbonara among 4 warmed serving bowls immediately. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, additional grated cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Serve immediately while hot. Carbonara waits for no one and is best enjoyed fresh from the pan.

Notes

EGG TECHNIQUE TIPS:
The key to perfect carbonara is temperature control. Remove the pan from heat before adding the egg mixture, and toss continuously to create a creamy emulsion rather than scrambled eggs. Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly.
METRIC CONVERSIONS:
All measurements include both imperial and metric equivalents for precision. Use a kitchen scale for cheese measurements to ensure proper sauce consistency.
TROUBLESHOOTING:
If the sauce breaks or appears grainy, immediately add hot pasta water while whisking vigorously off the heat. If too thick, thin with pasta water; if too thin, add more grated cheese.
STORAGE:
Carbonara is best served immediately and does not reheat well due to the egg-based sauce. Leftover ingredients can be stored separately: cooked bacon (3 days refrigerated), grated cheese (1 week refrigerated).
SCALING:
This recipe easily doubles for 8 servings. Use a larger skillet and increase pasta water accordingly. For 2 servings, halve all ingredients but maintain the same cooking techniques.

shelfrecipes.com