Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts {Rumaki}

Remember this fantastic appetizer from the 70’s? There’s a reason that Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts (Rumaki) are still around!

I feel so 1970’s today!

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts were big back in the day. My mom made these countless times and even back then I was eating them by the dozen. They’re addictive – crunchy water chestnut meets crispy, fatty bacon and a sweet, sticky sauce.

These little beauties are also known as “Rumaki” but I prefer to call them Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts since that’s what I’ve always called them. Rumaki can also have a little duck or chicken liver wrapped up in it, too, but since these don’t have any, I didn’t want to confuse the issue by using a name that technically may not apply. Besides, as soon as people hear “bacon wrapped” it really doesn’t matter what comes next!

Rumaki Sauce

The rumaki sauce is made with just ketchup and brown sugar with a few dashes of Worcestershire. Don’t skip the Worcestershire, it adds that extra little something. I like to add a few dashes of Sriracha for some spice, too. You can never go wrong with a sweet & spicy combination!

Don’t let the fact that these Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts are vintage scare you off, either. They’re nothing like these hilarious concoctions from those groovy days past. They make a great party appetizer and are perfect football food but be sure to double or triple the recipe if you have guests over – they really do disappear quickly!

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Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts (Rumaki)

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This beloved snack from the 70's is as good today as it was then!

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Ingredients

• 2 8 oz cans whole water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound bacon, not thick-sliced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2-3 dashes Sriracha or other hot sauce, or to taste (optional)
• toothpicks, soaked in water for 30 minutes before using

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place a wire rack over a sheet pan and set aside.
2. Mix together ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and Sriracha in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Slice bacon into thirds crosswise. Wrap one piece of bacon around a water chestnut and secure with a toothpick. Place each wrapped water chestnut onto the wire rack. Repeat until bacon and water chestnuts are gone.
4. Bake in preheated oven until bacon is starting to crisp (around 30 minutes or so). Remove from oven and, using a basting brush, dab sauce all over each appetizer. Return to oven and continue cooking until bacon is crisp and sauce is sticky and thick, another 10-15 minutes.
5. Serve immediately. They'll go quickly!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 326Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 1173mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 20g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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