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Roasted Whiskey Maple Candied Bacon
Thick-cut bacon transforms into an irresistible sweet and savory treat when coated in a rich blend of whiskey, maple syrup, and spiced sugar. Baking the strips on a wire rack allows the fat to render perfectly while keeping the bacon flat and crisp. The combination of dark brown sugar, pure maple, and a kick of cayenne pepper creates a glossy, caramelized crust. Serve these sticky, spiced slices alongside a weekend brunch spread or crumble them over a fresh salad for an unexpected crunch. The aroma alone will draw everyone into the kitchen before the pan even leaves the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-sliced bacon
- 1 tablespoon whiskey
- 3 tablespoons pure Maine maple syrup
- ½ cup maple sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper or ground pepper of your choice
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil to catch the rendered fat.
- 2Place a metal cooling rack inside each prepared baking sheet.
- 3Arrange the foil to fully cover the pan bottom if you are baking the bacon directly on the foil without racks.
- 4Place two shallow bowls next to your baking sheets, mixing the whiskey and maple syrup together in the first bowl.
- 5Combine the maple sugar, dark brown sugar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in the second bowl.
- 6Gently shake the sugar bowl to create a flat, even layer for dredging.
- 7Pull the bacon slices apart and submerge each piece into the whiskey and maple syrup mixture.
- 8Let the excess liquid drip off the bacon, then press both sides of the meat firmly into the spiced sugar blend.
- 9Position each coated bacon slice flat on the cooling racks so the fat can drip down during baking.
- 10Cut any overly long bacon slices in half so they fit neatly within the boundaries of your pan.
- 11Space the raw bacon strips about half an inch apart on the rack, handling them gently to keep the sugar coating intact.
- 12Coat the remaining bacon slices in the same manner and discard any leftover whiskey mixture.
- 13Bake the bacon in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through if your oven has hot spots.
- 14Take one pan out at a time after 10 minutes and carefully flip each slice with tongs to avoid splashing hot grease.
- 15Dust the freshly flipped bacon slices with any leftover spiced sugar mixture.
- 16Put the pans back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes until the bacon is crisp and deeply caramelized.
- 17Transfer the finished bacon to a plate lined with parchment paper or foil and let it cool for 20 minutes.
- 18Pour the cooled, rendered bacon fat from the baking sheets into a glass jar and refrigerate it for other cooking uses.
- 19Serve the candied bacon immediately once cooled, yielding about one pound of cooked meat.