BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Are you looking for the ultimate tailgate or holiday party appetizer? Well, look no further!  Sweet, salty, and crunchy, Dorothy’s BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts are delicious! We know you won’t be able to eat just one. 

Can you smell that? It’s that wonderful smell that only tailgates can bring. Don’t get me wrong, I love summertime, but I am ready for a good old-fashioned Lincoln Nebraska Husker Tailgate! Today, I am kicking things off with a brand new Dorothy Lynch tailgate recipe that will surely be a winner at your next game day!

These bacon appetizers can be prepared in your oven or on your grill or smoker, making them the perfect watch party or parking lot food.  Easy cleanup too – toss the foil and the toothpicks and the dishes are done!

Crunchy water chestnuts, wrapped in smoky, crisp bacon and then slathered in homemade tangy barbecue sauce featuring Nebraska’s own Dorothy Lynch Dressing make for the ultimate snack or appetizer. Dorothy’s Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts can be prepared in advance, too, making them one of my favorite hors d’oeuvres. 

This recipe is sponsored by Dorothy Lynch Dressing & Condiment.  All of the opinions and love of their Nebraska-Made Home Style Dressing & Condiment are my own.

Easy Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Super easy to prepare, for this classic appetizer all you have to do is combine all the barbecue sauce ingredients and let them simmer. Then you wrap the water chestnuts with the bacon slices and bake them. After the bacon has crisped up you baste the water chestnuts with the barbecue sauce and then bake for a few more minutes until they are piping hot. 

If you love this recipe, you are sure to love these bacon appetizers too: Sauerkraut Bacon and Swiss Cheese Ball, Bacon and Cheese Phyllo Wrapped Pickled Asparagus, and these Bacon Wrapped Hot Brussels Sprouts.

Dorothy Lynch BBQ Sauce

Today, can we talk about the magic that making homemade barbecue sauce does for a recipe? Yes, you could just buy the bottle of sauce at the store, but trust me here, homemade is just so much better. This BBQ sauce is not hard to make and I bet you have these basic items on hand in your pantry right now.  

Adding Dorothy Lynch Dressing to my barbecue sauce recipe, replacing the ketchup that I normally use is a game-changer. It gives it a whole new sweet and spicy dimension of flavor, and its tomato base is the perfect addition to a homemade barbeque sauce.  

Dorothy Lynch Dressing & Condiment

You might be asking me, so why are you turning a condiment into a condiment?  I will tell you that Dorothy Lynch Dressing makes so many sauces and seasonings better. I have used it to make homemade taco seasoning and taco sauce, pizza sauce, a ham glaze, glazed cranberry meatballs, and of course, the infamous Sloppy Dorothy Recipe, which became one of my top recipes in less than a month. They are that good.

Ingredients for bacon wrapped water chestnuts

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe card. 

To Make the homemade BBQ sauce:

• Dorothy Lynch Dressing: I used the Home Style variety to prepare this barbecue sauce.
• Brown sugar: I used dark brown sugar but light will also work as will coconut sugar. I just love the molasses flavor in the dark brown sugar.
• Honey: Honey adds a sticky, sweet flavor to the sauce. 
• Soy sauce: I used low sodium soy sauce but regular works too. Or for a gluten-free sauce, use tamari. 
• Sriracha: Sriracha adds a touch of spice to kick the sauce. If you prefer a milder sauce you can reduce the amount or omit the sriracha. 
• Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire adds a depth of umami flavor.
• Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds a touch of tanginess and acidity. 
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds the best garlic flavor but you can use jarred if you’ve run out. 
• Cornstarch and water: Cornstarch and water help to thicken the sauce. 

For the Water Chestnuts:

• Water chestnuts: Make sure to pick up canned, whole water chestnuts, not sliced. 
• Bacon: Thick-cut bacon strips cut into thirds, add a deep, smoky flavor. 

Be sure to keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this recipe for bacon-wrapped water chestnuts.

How to make this bacon wrapped water chestnut appetizer 

This delicious recipe comes together quickly and easily. 

Add all of the BBQ sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch and water) to a saucepan over medium heat stirring occasionally, cooking for about 15 minutes. 

Whisk cornstarch and water together and whisk into the sauce. Cook for another couple of minutes until the sauce thickens.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a cookie sheet or baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Set aside.

Drain the liquid from the water chestnuts and pat them dry with paper towels.

Wrap a piece of bacon around each water chestnut and secure the little bundle with wooden toothpicks.

Place the bacon-wrapped water chestnuts on the foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes.

Baste each one with the barbecue sauce and then bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and the BBQ sauce has caramelized.

Pour the remaining sauce into a small bowl for dipping.

Once the water chestnuts have come to room temperature, store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, air fryer or oven. 

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this recipe for bacon-wrapped water chesnuts make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

What is Dorothy Lynch Dressing & Condiment?

Dorothy Lynch got its start in the 1940s at the Legion Club in St. Paul, Nebraska. Dorothy made her homemade dressing for the restaurant, and people fell in love with it. They even brought in their bottles to have them filled with this delicious dressing. These days, the famed dressing is made in a 64,000 square foot plant in Duncan, Nebraska, population 351. Dorothy Lynch is available in Home Style and Light & Lean. Dorothy Lynch contains no MSG, cholesterol, or trans fats and is gluten-free.

Misconceptions about Dorothy Lynch Dressing

Because of its color, people may think Dorothy Lynch will taste like French dressing. Not true. Where most French dressings have an oil base, it has a tomato base. It’s thick and creamy and has a sweet and spicy flavor that everyone can enjoy. It simply tastes homemade.  And if you’re from Nebraska, like me, it tastes like home.  

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• If you can’t find thick-cut bacon, any slice of bacon will work. 
• Instead of sriracha, use your favorite hot sauce or whatever you have on hand. 
• Use garlic powder if you don’t have any fresh garlic or jarred.

FAQs about these bacon wrapped water chestnuts

1. What is the best way to eat canned water chestnuts? Canned water chestnuts are very versatile and can be eaten in loads of ways. They can be added to soups, salads, stews, stir-fries, or as in this recipe wrapped with yummy bacon.
2. Do you need to rinse water chestnuts before cooking? It’s not a bad idea to give the water chestnuts a rinse before using them. Sometimes they are packed in salt so rinsing will help remove some of it. 
3. How long do you cook water chestnuts for? Canned water chestnuts are already cooked so it doesn’t matter how long you cook them, you just need to heat them.
4. Do you drain canned water chestnuts? Yes, canned water chestnuts should be drained before you add them to your dish. 

Tips & Tricks

• To ensure the toothpicks don’t burn in the oven, soak them in water for a few minutes. 
• Use a pastry brush to baste the water chestnuts with the barbecue sauce. 
• Make a double batch of the barbecue sauce so you can have some on hand in the fridge for another meal.

More Recipes to Love

If you love Dorothy Lynch Dressing, you will also love these entree recipes I have created; Dorothy’s BBQ Pork Chops, Dorothy’s BBQ Little Smokies, and Dorothy’s Bacon and Potato Frittata. Or if you like to use Dorothy Lynch in an appetizer you will love Dorothy’s Hot Taco Dip!

See ALL of my Dorothy Lynch Recipes

Where do I get Dorothy Lynch?

Dorothy Lynch Dressing & Condiment can be purchased at most grocery stores in Nebraska and can be found at select grocery stores west of the Mississippi, including Walmart and Hy-Vee. If you can’t find it there, you can always get your pantry stocked with Dorothy Lynch by shopping Buy Nebraska!

Make sure to follow along with Dorothy Lynch on their website, and their Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter accounts for delicious recipes all year long.

This easy appetizer is bound to be a hit with your gang. What’s not to love about the crunch of the water chestnuts, the smoky bacon flavor, and the sweet and savory flavor of the barbecue sauce?