Candied Bacon AKA Pig Candy

Candied Bacon or Pig Candy is a sweet and salty treat for bacon lovers with just three simple ingredients. How can you NOT give this recipe a try? Sunday morning bacon is pretty much a given at our house. I’d been seeing candied bacon recipes for the past couple of years, and finally got a chance to make some for a New Year’s Day gathering.

Often served whole as a breakfast option, I went another route and served pieces as an appetizer. This glazed bacon was sublime. As usual, we had WAY too much food at our gathering, but this Candied Bacon Recipe disappeared in a flash.

Why You Must Make

• If you love bacon, you have no excuse not to make this candied version.
• It’s great for brunch, but also fun to serve on game day or chop it into pieces and use in salads, on pizza, deviled eggs, etc.
• It’s made with three easy-to-find ingredients.

How to Make 

1. Preheat the oven and prep your baking sheet.
2. Put bacon slices in a bowl, season them with pepper and toss with the brown sugar.
3. Arrange the bacon on the pan (use an oven-safe rack if you have one).
4. Sprinkle any sugar left in the bowl over the bacon.
5. Top with a second baking sheet wrapped in foil.
6. Bake as directed, checking after 20 minutes, and adding more time until the bacon is crisp. If you’re impatient, turn on the broiler, but watch with eagle eyes!
7. If your pans are heavy-duty or if you use a rack, you may need additional baking time. Let rest a few minutes, break into pieces if desired, and serve warm.

Ingredient Notes:

• Sliced Bacon – About ¼-inch thick for nice sturdy bacon
• Black Pepper – Fresh ground fine black pepper tastes best
• Light Brown Sugar
• Variations may include maple syrup, cayenne powder, or red pepper flakes

Recipe Tips

• The cooking time may vary a lot. It depends on your sheet pans (mine are heavy-duty), whether you use a rack, and the thickness of your bacon.
• I like to wrap both sheet pans in foil for easier cleanup. Wide heavy-duty aluminum foil works well.
• I used a sheet pan, then inserted an oven-safe rack, layered the bacon, then placed another sheet pan on top of the bacon. This keeps the bacon flat, so it doesn’t curl while cooking.
• To hurry things along, after cooking for 20 minutes you may always remove the top pan, turn on the broiler and watch like a hawk until the candied bacon is crisp. PRO-Tip: Do not walk away if you turn on the broiler as you could end up with charred bacon or a grease fire in your oven.
• If you’d like to add some extra flavor and sweetness, brush your bacon with real maple syrup before adding the brown sugar.
• For some heat, mix in a touch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes into the brown sugar before coating the bacon.
• Give the bacon some space while you cook it. Slices should not overlap, but be in a single layer.
• This bacon would be marvelous for your Super Bowl party, plus the leftovers, which I doubt you’ll have, could be eaten for breakfast the next morning. I hope you’ll give this caramelized bacon a shot.

Frequently Asked Questions

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The Recipe:

Candied Bacon Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Yield 6 servings

Bacon with a delicious candy coating.

Ingredients

• 12 slices bacon, about 1/4-inch thick
• Finely ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• Cayenne Pepper or Red Pepper Flakes, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. Put bacon slices in a bowl, season them with pepper and toss with the brown sugar.
3. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange the bacon in a single layer on top (if you have a rack, you may want to use it).
4. Sprinkle any sugar left in the bowl over the bacon.
5. Top with a second baking sheet of the same size which has also been wrapped in foil.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Check to see if the bacon is crispy, and if not, and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes and check again.
7. If your pans are heavy-duty or if you use a rack, you may need additional baking time. Let rest a few minutes, break into pieces if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

Keep the oven temperature at 350º. Time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon and your bakeware.

Recipe adapted from Alex Guarnaschelli

Recommended Products

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• 
  Oven-safe Cooking Rack
• 
  Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
• 
  USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pan

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

2 slices
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 390mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 8g

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I have to admit that I had visions of the fire department showing up again for a grease fire, but I put on the exhaust fan and my scrupulously clean oven didn’t fail me with a cloud of smoke. Below is the photo and commentary my oldest put on facebook after I roasted a bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin on Christmas Day. Isn’t he charming?