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+ servings
3 jars of candied bacon

Three-Ingredient Candied Bacon

My family goes crazy when I make this recipe. I can't get it out of the oven fast enough for them to gobble it all down and ask for more.
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Course: Appetizer/Snack, Appetizer/Snack/Brunch, Breakfast and Brunch
Cuisine: Amercian
Keyword: candy bacon, man candy, pig candy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 26 pieces
Author: Laura Franco

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb. center cut bacon
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450°.
  • Cut bacon strips in half and lay them on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil.
  • Brush the bacon strips with 1/2 of the maple syrup.
  • Sprinkle 1/2 of the brown sugar on top of the maple syrup.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Flip the bacon strips over and brush with the remaining syrup and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.
  • Bake for another 6-10 minutes.
  • Remove the bacon from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack or on paper towels for 10 minutes.

Notes

  • Don't worry if the bacon looks charred and burned a bit, it's just the sugar from the syrup and brown sugar making it very dark-colored.
  • The bacon will feel a little floppy when you remove it from the oven but it will become crunchy as it cools within 5-10 minutes.
  • If this recipe lasts more than 5 minutes before everyone eats it, it will last for 3 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
  • Here are a few variations for making this recipe - add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the brown sugar for a spicer flavor. You can also use some cracked black pepper on the bacon before you brush it with the syrup. To make a more adult version, use 1/2 of the maple syrup and 1/2 bourbon.
  • You can also add candied bacon to salads, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken or egg salad, and even potato soup.
  • Crunch the aluminum foil - I learned this trick a while ago from a friend, crunch up the aluminum foil before you spread it out on the cookie sheet. It will stop the bacon grease from pooling and will help to cook the bacon more evenly and crispy.