My uncle taught me this 2 ingredient grilling secret for springtime cookouts. The smoky crunch paired with tender greens makes even picky eaters ask for seconds.

My uncle Ray swore by keeping things simple when the first warm days of spring rolled in. He’d wheel out the old charcoal grill, toss on a couple of packs of bacon and a bundle of fresh asparagus, and tell us kids, “This is my two‑ingredient secret for getting everyone to eat their greens.” The smoky crunch of the bacon wrapped tight around those tender spears turns plain asparagus into something even the picky eaters ask for seconds of. This recipe is exactly what he made: just bacon and asparagus, cooked until the greens are vibrant and the bacon is golden, then piled onto a foil-lined platter, glistening and ready for the picnic table.

Serve these bacon wrapped asparagus bundles right off the grill on a foil-lined platter alongside classic cookout favorites: potato salad, baked beans, and a bowl of crisp coleslaw. They also pair nicely with grilled chicken, burgers, or pork chops, since the smoky bacon flavor fits right in with anything off the fire. For a lighter plate, offer sliced tomatoes, cucumber salad, or a simple buttered dinner roll to soak up the savory drippings.

Servings: 4

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

Line a large platter or shallow pan with aluminum foil. This will be your prep and serving platter, and it will catch the bacon drippings for easy cleanup.

Rinse the asparagus under cool water and pat completely dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Trim off the tough, woody ends (about 1 inch from the bottom of each spear).

Separate the asparagus into small bundles of 3–4 spears each, trying to keep spears of similar thickness together so they cook evenly.

Take one slice of bacon and start wrapping it around a bundle of asparagus, beginning just below the tips. Spiral the bacon down toward the cut ends, overlapping slightly as you go so the bacon covers most of the spears. Tuck the end of the bacon underneath or press it gently so it sticks. Repeat with remaining bundles.

Arrange the bacon wrapped asparagus bundles in a single layer on the foil-lined platter or pan. Keep a little space between each bundle so the bacon can crisp instead of steaming.

Preheat your grill to medium heat (about 350–375°F). If using charcoal, you want a good bed of coals with no big flames, and set up for indirect heat if your grill tends to run hot.

Lightly oil the grill grates or rub them with a piece of bacon fat on a paper towel held with tongs to help prevent sticking.

Using tongs, place the bundles on the grill over medium, direct heat. Close the lid and cook for 4–5 minutes without moving them, letting the bacon start to render and crisp.

Open the lid and carefully turn each bundle a quarter turn. Close the lid and cook another 4–5 minutes. Continue turning every few minutes until the bacon is golden brown and crisp on all sides and the asparagus is tender-crisp, about 12–15 minutes total, depending on grill heat and thickness of the spears.

If the bacon is browning too quickly before the asparagus is tender, move the bundles to a cooler part of the grill or indirect heat and finish cooking with the lid closed for a few more minutes.

When done, transfer the bacon wrapped asparagus back onto the foil-lined platter. Let them rest for 2–3 minutes so the juices settle and the bacon firms up slightly.

Serve warm right from the foil-lined platter, spooning a little of the savory melted bacon fat over the bundles if you like extra richness.

If you’d like a milder bite, choose thinner asparagus spears; thicker ones give a meatier chew and stand up well to longer grilling. Regular bacon (not thick-cut) works best here, because it crisps up in about the same time it takes the asparagus to become tender; thick-cut often stays chewy before the vegetables are done. You can make smaller, single-spear wraps if you’re serving a crowd that likes finger food—just cut the bacon slices in half and wrap each spear individually. For oven roasting instead of grilling, place the wrapped bundles on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 18–22 minutes, turning once, until the bacon is crisp and the asparagus is just tender. Food safety tips: Keep raw bacon refrigerated until you’re ready to wrap, and don’t let it sit out in the sun at a cookout. Use separate plates and tongs for raw and cooked bundles so you don’t cross-contaminate. Cook until the bacon is fully done with no raw, rubbery sections. If you partially cook the bacon in advance to speed things up, chill it promptly and keep it refrigerated, then finish on the grill right before serving.