Making candied bacon is one of those aha moments – why haven’t I done this before? The magic happens in the oven and only takes half an hour. Eat as is, crumble over salad, or garnish a Bloody Mary. We don’t have to tell you what to do with bacon, do we?
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Candied bacon. Addict bacon. sugar bacon. These are all names I’ve seen on the menus of popular brunch spots that sell three strips of this bacon at an embarrassingly high price.
Better news: It’s really delicious and all the other superlative adjectives people put in front of it!
The even better News: It only has two ingredients. Yay!
Video: How to make candied bacon
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How to make candied bacon
What is candied bacon?
Candied bacon is a wonderful food that combines salty, sweet, and crunchy. When cooked properly, the bacon will have crispy edges and a crunchy crust from the caramelized sugar on top.
Two-ingredient candied bacon
Ultimately, you only need two ingredients to make candied bacon: bacon and sugar. But there are many versions that you can easily create once you master the basic technique!
- For the bacon, I prefer a classic strip of bacon, not thickly cut. The thick cut takes too long to crisp up, but you can use it if you like chewy bacon.
- For the sugar, I prefer light brown sugar. Plain granulated sugar doesn’t caramelize as well, and dark brown sugar contains too much molasses. You can also use a coarse sugar like Turbinado if you want to add a little more texture to your bacon. For me, however, just classic light brown sugar is the way to go.
- You should definitely not use sugar substitutes in this recipe. They won’t caramelize the same way or form a crispy crust.
mix it up!
Once you’ve picked those two basics, you can really start experimenting with other flavors and toppings.
Let your thoughts run free here. I made candied bacon with maple syrup mixed with the brown sugar (this version is listed below in the recipe as an alternative), but you could use honey or stir in some spices or other seasonings.
sriracha? Yes. Black pepper? Yes. Dried herbs like rosemary? Absolutely!
Tips for making candied bacon
There are a few tricks for making candied bacon at home.
- First it needs to be baked. Attempting to sweeten bacon in a skillet will only result in a mess, and the bacon won’t stay in perfect strips.
- Second, to get really crispy and evenly cooked pieces, it helps to lift the bacon to allow air to circulate. I recommend placing the bacon on an ovenproof rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. The grate helps the bacon cook and crisp up, and the foil makes cleanup easier! Lay the strips perpendicular to the grate so the bacon doesn’t fall through while frying.
- Third, adjust the baking time as needed. Depending on the bacon you use, you may need longer or shorter baking times. I would start checking the bacon at 18-20 minutes and it could take up to 25 minutes to really crisp up.
- Finally, when the bacon comes out, let it cool before eating. That’s the hard part. The sugar on the bacon is basically melted and if you bite into it straight out of the oven your tongue will regret it!
What to do with candied bacon?
I recommend eating it! Ha! You can serve it as a side to almost any brunch. You can shred it and serve with toothpicks as an appetizer. You can stick it on a Bloody Mary bar or crumble it on a classic wedge salad! Crazy with it!
More delicious ways to enjoy bacon!
- ham jam
- BBQ Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
- Goat Cheese Bacon Pops
- Grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and pear
- Shrimp wrapped in bacon
How to make candied bacon
This recipe can easily be doubled. Place the bacon as tightly as possible on the two baking sheets. It’s okay if they touch in places, but don’t let them overlap.
As an alternative to the standard recipe, stir 2 tablespoons of maple syrup into the brown sugar and brush the bacon with it before baking. Bake the same as the regular version.
ingredients
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12 strips of bacon (not thickly cut, about a pound)
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1/4 cup light brown sugar
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
method
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Prepare bacon:
Preheat oven to 375°F with one rack in the top third and another rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and place an ovenproof rack on each. Lay the strips of bacon perpendicular to the lines on the wire rack and divide between the two pans, being careful not to overlap. (If you lay them parallel to the grate, the bacon may fall through the cracks as it cooks!)
Sprinkle the bacon strips with brown sugar and (optional) add some freshly ground black pepper. I like to use about 1 teaspoon of brown sugar per bacon strip and spread it down the length of the strip.
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Bake the candied bacon:
Bake the bacon in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. I recommend rotating the pans once during baking so the bacon cooks evenly. After about 18 minutes, start checking the bacon, as some slices will cook faster depending on the fat content and thickness of the slices.
The bacon is ready when the brown sugar has melted and the bacon is a deep brown color. Keep in mind that the bacon will continue to crisp as it cools, so don’t worry if it’s not quite crisp now.
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Cool the bacon:
Allow the bacon to cool directly on the wire rack for a few minutes. (If you eat it right away, you’ll burn your mouth from the melted sugar.) The bacon will crisp up as it cools and the melted sugar hardens. Then serve!
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Storing bacon:
Candied bacon can be kept in the fridge for a few days and reheats well in a pan over low heat.
I don’t think it’s worth freezing candied bacon, although you absolutely could if you made a large batch. You could just make sure you freeze the strips individually so they don’t stick together.
