Do you think it's possible to make bacon even more alluring? Well, it is. Try this delicious brown sugar bacon as soon with your next breakfast. For sobbing out loud, all you need to do is add a little brown sugar, and an (optional) pinch of chili powder. It's so easy!
What is brown sugar bacon?
Thick slices of bacon are coated in a sweet such as brown sugar, caramel, or maple syrup and baked until caramelized to create candied bacon.
What makes this bacon better than others?
If you have ever had this kind of bacon before I can almost guarantee that you haven’t had it the way I make it!
The combination of brown sugar, chili powder, and bacon is the perfect trifecta of flavorful explosions in your mouth!
What will you need to make this bacon?
To make this yummy bacon you will need:
- Baking sheet
- Tin foil
- Thick-cut gluten-free Bacon
- Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Brown sugar
- Shelled pistachios (optional)
Can bacon have gluten?
Yes, bacon and other cured meats can contain gluten in flavorings and spices. Gluten-free bacon is available from Pedersen Farms, Applegate, Jones Dairy Farm, and Wellshire Farms - these four brands make all of their bacon products without gluten. Additional brands that offer gluten-free bacon are Hormel, Oscar Meyer, Farmer John and Wright.
About the bacon in this recipe: I call for thick-cut bacon here, and that's not merely a suggestion. Thin-cut bacon will scorch before the sugar has time to caramelize, and that's not delicious.
Tips for making this bacon:
Lining your baking sheet-
Unless you want a sticky mess, I highly suggest that you don't forget to line your baking sheet with foil.
If you forget to line your baking sheet, you will have to spend hours scraping the solidified caramelized sugar from the bottom of the pan. Not fun!
Sugar-
Due to its delicious caramel flavor when heated, brown sugar works best. Granulated white sugar can be used on the bacon, but the flavor won't be as rich.
Bake your bacon-
For brown sugar bacon- the bacon should only be baked. If you try out this recipe, don't try cooking it another way. It will not work well. This recipe bakes at 400F to caramelize the sugar. If your oven runs a little hot, turn it down to 390F - anything over 400 will cause all kinds of smoke!
The sugar won't adhere to the bacon if you try to cook it on the stovetop, and a huge mess will result in the microwave.
Seasoning-
If you want your bacon to be super sweet, you can skip adding additional seasonings. For me, just adding the brown sugar makes it too sweet.
I like to add black pepper and chili powder to balance out the sweetness and add a little kick to the bacon. And because it just tastes better!
I also add a few chopped pistachios for crunch. This is optional - but encouraged.
Brown Sugar Bacon
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Tin foil
- wire baking rack
Ingredients
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 8 slices thick-cut gluten-free bacon
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios (OPTIONAL) finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set a wire baking rack inside the prepared pan and set aside.
- In a shallow dish, combine the brown sugar, chili powder and pepper. Dredge the bacon slices in the brown sugar mixture and arrange the bacon on the rack. Pat any remaining sugar mixture onto the bacon. Bake in the preheated oven until crisp, about 20-25 minutes. (Tip: keep an eye n the bacon after 18 minutes.)
- As soon as the bacon is out of the oven, sprinkle with the chopped pistachios if you're using them. Cool 5 minutes & serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
photos by Meg van der Kruik - who now makes pig candy on repeat!
Bacon & Coffee? Oh yeah, that's a thing.
Once you've mastered the standard Brown Sugar Bacon recipe, try my Espresso Candied Bacon next!
How to Oven Bake Bacon:
Cooking bacon in the oven is the easiest way to get crisp, evenly cooked strips. Plus, clean-up is way easier!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Brown Sugar Bacon:
Brown Sugar Bacon is also called Candy Bacon, Candied Bacon or Pig Candy.
Thick-cut bacon is the way to go when making candied bacon since it’ll still have some chewiness to it, and so the bacon cooks at the same time the sugar caramelizes. Unless you want super sweet shards of burnt bacon, stay away from thin-cut bacon.
You can serve your brown sugar bacon any way you like. It can either be the main show or the guest appearance. It's fabulous as part of a brunch spread or an appetizer at a party. It's also a fabulous gift.
Yes, bacon and other cured meats can contain gluten in flavorings and spices. Gluten-free bacon is available from Pedersen Farms, Applegate, Jones Dairy Farm, and Wellshire Farms - these four brands make all of their bacon products without gluten. Additional brands that offer gluten-free bacon are Hormel, Oscar Meyer, Farmer John and Wright.
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