Ultimate Bacon

While bacon is the ultimate food, not all bacon is created equal.  Granted all bacon is good, but some bacon is just a tad bit better.  Today I turned the ordinary bacon in to extraordinary bacon.  How do you do this? With a bit of brown sugar, Pure Grade A Michigan Maple Syrup and some thick cut apple smoked bacon, that is how.

Maple Brown Sugar Bacon
Maple Brown Sugar Bacon

The bacon was so tasty, 1lb was not enough for me.

Maple Brown Sugar Bacon

  • 1lb Thick Cut Bacon- (Apple, Maple or any type will work)
  • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbs Grade A Maple Syrup

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Usually I bake bacon on a rack, but if you try to cook this bacon on a rack all of the sugar will fall off.  The only real way to do this is flat on a cookie sheet.  Line a cookie sheet with Aluminum foil.  This step can be skipped, but this will make cleanup a heck of a lot faster.

Next line up the bacon side by side on the cookie sheet.  If you have any left over, place it on the bottom lengthwise.  Don’t worry if the bacon touches, just try not to overlap the slices.

Line them up
Line them up

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and maple syrup.  This will form a paste.

Best paste around... If only the stuff in kindergarden tasted like this.
Best paste around… If only the stuff in kindergarten tasted like this.

Next using a brush, glaze the bacon with the paste.

Brush the glaze on to the bacon - Use it all up
Brush the glaze on to the bacon – Use it all up

Place the bacon in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  Depending on the doneness that you desire.  Make sure to check the bacon throughout the cooking process to see if there are any hot spots in the oven.  You want all of the bacon slices to come out perfectly done, so you may have to rotate the pan.  My oven is not the best so I had to rotate my bacon a couple of times.

When the bacon is done you need to remove the bacon from the oven and then remove it from the pan.  Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a brown paper bag or on a cooling rack.  Since we cooked the bacon directly on the cookie sheet there will be a ton of oil and the bacon will not crisp up unless it is removed from the oil. Let the bacon cool on a rack or a brown paper bag for 1-2 minutes before eating.

If you use a rack, place some foil or parchment under the rack to catch the drippings.
If you use a rack, place some foil or parchment under the rack to catch the drippings.

– On a side note, do not place the bacon on a paper towel.  Since the bacon was glazed with sugar, it will stick directly to the paper towel.  You will end up with bacon/paper strips.  Totally not cool.

This bacon is amazing.  It is perfect for breakfast, BLT’s or even salads.  Try it out the next time you cook bacon.

Rex

Rex is an avid griller, barbecuer and bacon enthusiast. He is the Pitmaster for the Rex BBQ competition team. Rex was also featured on the TV show American Grilled. If you have any questions or wish to have Rex decode your favorite dish, click on the ASK REX link in the menu above.

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4 thoughts on “Ultimate Bacon

  1. Rex, I have a question for you. My friend brought me some dry salt bacon (or belly as it says on the package) from NC. What can I do with it? Another friend who was also given that to tried to fry it and said that it was really salty to eat by itself. Any suggestions?

    1. You have to try it Chris. For those days when the smoker is covered in snow, you can settle for the oven and still have a nice meal.

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