I’ve never really been a good Jewish girl as far as food is concerned. I love shellfish, cheeseburgers and, of course, bacon. There was one Passover when my mom scolded me for eating ham, but that’s about the extent of our attempt at Kosher-ness. And since my love for bacon falls only slightly below my love of olives (both below cheese and chocolate), as soon as I saw this piece on unusual candied foods, I just had to try the bacon.
The process was actually pretty simple. I had to adjust a little, since I got a 12oz package of bacon (the only nitrite/nitrate-free choice). And while the instructions called for using just one spice I used a combo of cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg. The pinch of cayenne gave it a nice burn at the end to balance out the sweetness. My one problem was what to do with the finished product. My original plan was to use it as a topping on leftover cauliflower gratin. After snacking on taste-testing a few pieces, however, I didn’t really want more with my dinner. I tried it for lunch on a peanut butter and banana sandwich (amazing), and I think it could be great on a Cobb-type salad.
Any other suggestions for using candied bacon?
ready to go in the oven
draining (a few pieces didn't make it)
a bowl of 'yum!'
Here’s the recipe, so you can indulge too!
Candied Bacon
(adapted from Organic Authority)
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground spice of choice (try cumin, chili powder or cinnamon)
1 pound sliced bacon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan with foil, and place a broiler rack on top of the pan. Coat the rack with oil.
Mix sugar and spices in a large bowl. Add bacon and press mixture onto each bacon slice. Place bacon slice on oiled rack in a single layer, sprinkling with any remaining sugar mixture.
Bake until bacon is nice and crispy, about 20 minutes. Transfer to towels to drain, then transfer to a dish to cool completely.
