candied maple bacon
Ingredients:
½ lb – 1 lb of fresh cut bacon
¼ - ½ c coconut sugar
¼ - ½ c Vermont maple syrup (I am from Vermont, so I am openly biased)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a large, rimmed baking pan with foil.
Place a non-stick, oven safe (bakeable) cooking rack on top of the foil. (This will allow the excess bacon grease to drip into the pan and create airflow so the bacon crisps evenly on both sides).
Place a second non-stick cooling rack on a large cutting board (or any surface you don’t mind getting sticky – this will be your prep-rack).
Line prep-rack with bacon strips (it is okay if they overlap a little or you can prepare in two separate batches).
Using a pastry brush, brush bacon with maple syrup until well coated.
Sprinkle tops of bacon with coconut sugar.
Flip, and repeat the same steps for the other side (you will notice that the sugar will “melt” into the syrup).
Once you have coated both sides, transfer strips of bacon to the prepared baking rack. (Try to give each slice a little room, but it is okay if there is some slight overlap).
Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes (checking frequently to be sure there is no burning). Flip bacon using oven safe tongs (not necessary, but I like to move things around a little to be sure bacon crisps evenly).
Cook bacon for another 10-15 minutes.
Note: Baking times may vary depending on the thickness of your bacon and your bacon preference. Some like soft and chewy, I like caramelized and tender, and I find 20-25 minutes tends to do the trick. You can certainly cook for longer, you just want to be sure the sugar does not begin to burn.
Tips:
Put the bacon on your favorite burger for a sweet and savory combination (make it a breakfast burger; top with a fried egg and your favorite hash browns).
Chop and add to your favorite salad.
Use as a crumble topping for your glazed donut.
Half bacon in length, and skewer before baking to create a crowd pleasing brunch appetizer (because who doesn’t love bacon on a stick)!
