Beef Bacon Plantain Hash (AIP, Paleo)

Sometimes the simplest, least flashy recipes become the most successful.  At least, that seems to be the case for my blog!  To date, my Turkey Apple Breakfast Hash has been my most popular, most pinned, most made recipe.  And it’s one that I threw together, not intending to even use it for the blog.  Little did I know, it was destined for fame. 😉  Why has it been such a hit?  I’ll never know for sure, but my guess is that it’s a recipe that you could make for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It fits in nicely with the Paleo and AIP diets.  It’s extremely versatile.  And it hits on both sweet and savory flavors, which is an added bonus.

Today, I’m not attempting to top my most popular recipe, but since it’s Easter week and we all can use some new brunch ideas, I figured I’d create another hash!  This time, I present you with a Beef Bacon Plantain Hash that I think checks off all the boxes for another crowd-pleasing recipe.  This Paleo and AIP dish is packed with protein, veggies, and healthy fats, and could be used for any meal of the day!  It features savory flavors from the beef and bacon, sweetness from the plantains, and a touch of Mexican inspiration, thanks to cilantro, avocado, and lime juice.

If you’re looking to add something different and delicious to your Easter weekend brunch menus, I strongly suggest you give this new Beef Bacon Plantain Hash a try!  It’s even great made-ahead and reheated, so it’s a stress-free option for your busy holiday weekend!

Since this is my token Easter post for the year, I want to quickly express my joy and excitement over Easter Sunday.  I think that as I get older, my love of Easter grows.  That’s probably because as a Christian, my relationship with Jesus keeps growing as the years go by.  If you don’t know Jesus yet, I couldn’t think of a better time to get to know Him than Easter week.  This week in history is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions.  Not only did God send Jesus into the world to live among us, teach us, and be a perfect example for us, but He also sent Jesus to redeem us from our sinfulness by conquering death and rising from the grave.  It’s the greatest story ever told, but it’s more than just a story.  It’s real truth.  And because of Jesus and His love for us, we have a future in eternity with Him- free of death, mourning, crying, or pain.

Considering everything Jesus did for us, it’s easy to think that we’d have to work hard to “earn” our salvation and future in heaven.  But the great news is that all He asks of us is to believe and allow Him to be Lord over our lives.  My prayer is that if you’re reading this and don’t know Jesus, you’ll pause here and visit the book of John.  Read about Jesus – who He is and what He did for you, me, and everyone on this earth.

One thing that really stands out to me this Easter is the verse in John chapter 16 where Jesus was speaking to His disciples about His upcoming journey to the cross.  His disciples were fearful and afraid at the thought of losing Jesus, so He was reassuring and encouraging them right before He was arrested and sentenced to death.  He said, “I have told you these things so that in me you have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  

I don’t know about you, but I need these words of comfort today.  Jesus didn’t promise a pain-free, easy life to us as His followers, but He does promise us peace in this life and victory in the life to come if we give our lives to Him.  No matter where you are or what you’re going through, we can take heart because Jesus understands every bit of our troubles and fears, just as He understood His disciples’ troubles and fears.  And like He reassured His disciples, He also reassures us that He has paved the way for us by His death on the cross and resurrection three days later.  Because Jesus has overcome the world for us, we can face whatever troubles that come, with Him leading us through them.

So, I can think of no better way to celebrate Christ’s victory at Easter than through worship, fellowship, and (of course) feasting. 🙂 Be sure to start your Easter weekend off right with a solid brunch recipe like today’s Beef Bacon Plantain Hash!  And I think you’ll be pleased with how easy this is to make!  If you want to cut the cook time in half, you could use two skillets at the same time, but I purposely wrote this as a one-skillet recipe just to show that you can do it all in one if you desire.  (Especially if you’re making pancakes at the same time!)

I just have a couple highlights to help you out in your hash-making experience.  The first is about the plantains.  Ideally, you want yellow plantains – not green, brown, or really spotted.  If you can only find green plantains, let them ripen for a few days before using and they should hopefully turn yellow by then.  If you can only find very ripe plantains (yellow/brown with spots), just keep in mind that they’ll cook faster and might be a bit mushy in texture.  Green plantains will take much longer to cook and will not be at all sweet, so keep that in mind if you go for green ones in this recipe.

Secondly, I used shredded brussels sprouts from Trader Joe’s that come pre-shredded.  If you don’t have that option, you can shred them yourself using either a food processor, a grater, or just finely chop them.  Same goes for the kale.  I bought Tuscan kale that was pre-chopped, but if you buy a large bunch of kale, take the leaves off the stems and discard the stems.  Or if you’re not a fan of kale or brussels sprouts, feel free to substitute your favorite greens here!

And finally, I absolutely love this Beef Bacon Plantain Hash with a healthy dose of avocado on top!  It adds good-for-you fats and a delicious creamy lightness that offsets the meaty flavors from the hash.  Sprinkle some extra cilantro and lime juice on each serving and you’re all set!  A hearty hash packed with meat and veggies that will fill you up for any meal of the day!  But I personally love this the most for breakfast and brunch!  And I hope you’ll cook up a big skillet of this hash for you and your family over the holiday weekend!  Have a Happy Easter, my friends!  He is Risen!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Beef Bacon Plantain Hash (AIP, Paleo)

 

Print

Created by: Joanna Smith

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 8 ounces bacon, chopped
• 3 yellow plantains, peeled and chopped
• 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
• 10 ounces shredded brussels sprouts
• 5 ounces chopped kale
• 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro, plus extra to garnish
• juice of 1 lime
• 1-2 avocados (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium/high heat until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, reserving bacon grease in a small bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon grease to the skillet and sauté plantains on medium/high heat for 5-6 minutes, or until golden/brown in color and softened. Remove to a plate and set aside.
3. Add another tablespoon of bacon fat and cook the red onion and minced garlic for 2-3 minutes, then add in the ground beef.
4. Cook beef and onion mixture for another 3 minutes until beef has browned, then add in brussels sprouts and kale.
5. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then cover pan for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until greens have softened.
6. Add plantains and bacon back into the skillet, along with spices, salt, lime juice and cilantro.
7. Turn off heat and top with avocado slices and extra cilantro, if desired.

Notes

~You can save any extra bacon grease in a small mason jar and keep it in the fridge for future use!

3.5.3226