Salty, sweet, peppery bacon is absolutely amazing and will having you licking your lips with every single bite! This is one addictive snack but wait, “candied bacon” can be enjoyed lots of different ways so get ready to let your creative juices flow.
If you are a bacon lover, then this recipe is for you. Adding sweet flavor to bacon has become a thing over the past few years. The first time I tried “pig candy” was in Charleston and it was mixed into a salad and I’m not gonna lie, I fell hard for this stuff! There’s just something about the combination of smokey and sweet flavors that turn a slice of bacon into something magical. It’s super easy to make with only three ingredients and is done in about 30 minutes.
I mix up brown sugar and pepper to give my bacon a deep, rich flavor along with just a bit of heat. I use thick cut bacon so that the brown sugar mixture will have something to hang on to, because you know…we want as much of that pig flavor as possible. To prepare the recipe, I line my sheet pan with parchment, layer on my bacon, sprinkle on my candy mixture and cook. For this recipe, I use my grill for cooking to bring out a little extra smokiness but using the oven is perfectly fine too. After about 25 minutes, you’ve got something that is just sinful…that’s really the only way I can describe it. 
There are countless ways to enjoy brown sugar, pepper bacon. It’s great on burgers and takes a BLT to a whole new level. It’s so good sprinkled on top of deviled eggs and salads. Mr. A Southern Soul has topped off his ice cream with a few sprinkles when it’s time to be really bad. Most times, I serve it along side some creamy cheese and crackers for a quick, no fuss appetizer. Just think of it as a little something extra special…actually, something really, over the top extra special.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound thick cut bacon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven or grill to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place strips of bacon on sheet pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 of mixture on bacon strips. Place baking sheet in oven or on grill and cook for 15 minutes. Turn bacon strips and sprinkle on remaining sugar mixture. Continue to cook for 10 minutes, watching carefully so that bacon does not burn.
- Remove pan from oven or grill. Set aside and allow bacon to cool. Once bacon has become somewhat hard, remove from baking sheet and place on paper towels to drain any extra drippings. Seve immediately. Can be stored in airtight container in refrigerator.
