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Maple-flavoured whiskey is the star in this recipe, along with delicious thick-cut Bacon, of course! The secret to getting it more crispy and retaining all of the flavours? Cornstarch! When you boost it with ground cayenne, black pepper, brown sugar, and a little more maple syrup, you get what I call a delectable, crispy sweet/savoury snack that no one can resist!
If a picture could speak a thousand words, this would be it! Delicious thick-cut, salty bacon doused with smooth maple-flavoured whiskey, seasoned with sweet brown sugar and peppery spices. One bite and you get a tasty, crispy, sweet/salty combination that makes your taste buds appreciate every note of flavour while, at the same time, your brain tries to make sense of how this combination works. Then you immediately crave a second crunchy bite and a third… Are you drooling yet?
Keep this recipe handy for when you have get-togethers with family or friends. These elevated bacon strips are a crowd pleaser and the perfect snack before brunch or dinner. Best served on the day of your event, for ideal crispiness. Not sure what else to use them for? How about treats such as Donuts or soft Cinnamon rolls with whiskey glaze? Mmmh mmmmhh!
*Good To Know*
- I can’t find Maple flavoured whiskey; what else can I use?
If you can’t find maple-flavoured whiskey, mix 1/2 cup regular whiskey with two tablespoons maple syrup or two teaspoons maple extract. Bourbon is another excellent alcohol substitute. - Do I have to use thick-cut bacon?
Using thick-cut bacon strips gives you a chewy interior and crispy exterior. It also gives it enough time to caramelize the sugar to a perfect crispy texture without burning the sugar (or bacon). If you prefer to use thin-sliced bacon for a crispy texture throughout, adjust the recipe by reducing the temperature and baking time. - How do I avoid burnt bacon edges?
You can lower the heat by 20 to 25 degrees and extend the baking time. Also, you can trim the bacon ends with a sharp knife by cutting each end crosswise so that each strip is even and not pointed. - How should I store leftover candied bacon?
I recommend enjoying the candied bacon on the day you make it for the best quality. If you have leftover bacon that you want to store for later, you can wrap each strip with wax paper and then place it into an airtight container or mason jar. Refrigerate it for up to a week. - How should I reheat candied bacon?
To reheat bacon, remove the wax paper and place bacon in the oven at 325°F on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake bacon for 10 minutes or until the sugar bubbles a little bit. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Ingredients you will need:
- thick-cut bacon strips (1 kg package)
- maple flavoured whiskey
- brown sugar
- ground cayenne pepper
- ground black pepper
- cornstarch
Marinate the Bacon strips
Pat the bacon strips dry with paper towels, then place them into a shallow dish. Add the maple whiskey, maple syrup, ground cayenne pepper, and ground black pepper, then gently massage the mixture into the bacon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate bacon for 30 minutes to let the marinade infuse.
Tip
- Although most of the alcohol will evaporate during baking, you can skip the alcohol to keep it kid-friendly and only use maple syrup or extract. You can also buy maple-flavoured bacon instead of regular bacon.
Prepare the brown sugar
Line your pan for easy clean up
To get the bacon crispy, you also need a baking pan with a rack so that the rendered bacon grease and sugar can drip onto the pan while maintaining enough airflow underneath so that the heat can cook and crisp up the bacon strips. This is important and cannot be skipped. Use aluminum foil to line the bottom and sides of the pan, then place the rack on top. You will thank me later when you don’t have to struggle to scrape the hardened sugar off your pan during cleanup!
Combine brown sugar with the bacon
Add half of the brown sugar to your bacon and mix to combine thoroughly, then lay each strip onto the rack in a vertical order without overlapping each other. Use a spoon or your fingers to sprinkle the reserved sugar on top of each bacon strip in an even, thin layer. Bake bacon strips in batches if all of them do not fit on the rack at once.
Bake bacon on the middle oven shelf at 375°F (191°C) for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bacon has browned and the sugar is caramelized. Since heat varies from oven to oven and if you find that your bacon is browning faster than the sugar can caramelize, drop the oven temperature to 350°F and extend your baking time to 5 – 10 minutes.
Move the cooked bacon to a separate wire rack to cool and proceed to your second batch of bacon. If possible, carefully change out the aluminum foil for the pan to avoid burning the sugar to a smoking point in the oven. Bacon should cool for at least 30 minutes or longer before serving. This gives the sugar a chance to harden as it cools.
Maple Whiskey and Brown Sugar Candied Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thick-cut Bacon strips, full sodium is best
- ½ cup Maple flavoured whiskey (see notes), or Bourbon
- 2 Tablespoons pure Maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ cups brown sugar, packed
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pat bacon strips dry with paper towels, then place them into a shallow dish. Add maple whiskey, maple syrup, ground cayenne pepper and ground black pepper to the bacon. Gently massage the mixture with the bacon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C) and make sure the oven rack is moved to the middle shelf. Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil and place a heatproof wire rack inside the pan.
- Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add half of this amount to the bacon in the shallow dish and gently mix to combine. Lay each bacon strip on the rack in a vertical order (crosswise) without overlapping the strips. Use a spoon or your fingers to sprinkle the reserved sugar in an even, thin layer onto the bacon. Bake bacon strips in batches if all of them do not fit on the rack at once.
- Bake the bacon for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bacon has browned and the sugar is bubbling/caramelized. Since heat varies from oven to oven and if you find that your bacon is browning faster than the sugar can caramelize, drop the oven temperature to 350°F and extend your baking time to 5 – 10 minutes.
- Cool bacon on a separate wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the sugar a chance to harden as it cools. If you are baking bacon in batches, carefully change out the aluminum foil for the pan to avoid burning the sugar to a smoking point in the oven.
Tips
If you can’t find maple-flavoured whiskey, mix 1/2 cup regular whiskey with two tablespoons maple syrup or two teaspoons maple extract. Bourbon is another excellent alcohol substitute. Do I have to use thick-cut bacon? Using thick-cut bacon strips gives you a chewy interior and crispy exterior. It also gives it enough time to caramelize the sugar to a perfect crispy texture without burning the sugar (or bacon). If you prefer to use thin-sliced bacon for a crispy texture throughout, adjust the recipe by reducing the temperature and baking time. How do I avoid burnt bacon edges? You can lower the heat by 20 to 25 degrees and extend the baking time. Also, you can trim the bacon ends with a sharp knife by cutting each end crosswise so that each strip is even and not pointed. How should I store leftover candied bacon? I recommend enjoying the candied bacon on the day you make it for the best quality. If you have leftover bacon that you want to store for later, you can wrap each strip with wax paper and then place it into an airtight container or mason jar. Refrigerate it for up to a week. How should I reheat candied bacon? To reheat bacon, remove the wax paper and place bacon in the oven at 325°F on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake bacon for 10 minutes or until the sugar bubbles a little bit. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving.
