BACON CANDY





An apology to my healthy and/or vegetarian friends..... I go a little crazy this time of year for holiday gluttony. Of course, I still crave veg, fresh fruit, and simple soups, but every December I totally let loose cooking and gobbling up sweet treats, buttery polentas, creamy pastas, and beefy stews. I really can't help myself.

I've been itching to experiment with Bacon Candy ever since I saw a recipe in Canal House No. 1 and another one from Adrianna, who serves her candied bacon crumbled on top of ice cream - hell ya. I mean how can you go wrong serving up sweet, salty, crunchy bacon!

Want to have friends over for cocktails and a tasty nibble? This bacon could be your hero.  I imagine it would also make an awesome addition to a weekend brunch. It's outrageous. Don't you think you might just have to try bacon candy for yourself?



INGREDIENTS inspired by Canal House and Adrianna from A Cozy Kitchen
{printable recipe}
  • 8 ounces sliced bacon (GF folks: check packaging to make sure there isn't any sneaky gluten in there. Any decent bacon will be GF.)
  • 1/2 -3/4 packed cup brown sugar ( GF folks: confirm your label here as well.)

Don't preheat your oven.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stick a rack on top. Set aside.

Scoop brown sugar into a long shallow baking dish (long enough to accommodate the bacon). Pat strips of bacon dry with paper towels, then dredge bacon in brown sugar. Transfer sugary bacon strips onto rack nestled over your parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop bacon into the cold oven. Turn the heat to 350 degrees.

Flip bacon strips after 15 minutes in the oven. At this point, you'll want to check on the bacon every couple of minutes - it can quickly go from cooked to burned. If the caramel drippings on your parchment are getting too smokey, toss the paper out and put bacon back into the oven until it's done. I've found that my thin-cut bacon is done after 20-22 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of your bacon - a thicker bacon should take an extra 5 minutes.  When it's done, you want the bacon to be glistening with the sugar glaze. Let it cool on a rack and it will crisp up. Tear strips in half or thirds. Serve and enjoy!



I have to give a holiday shout out to my buddies at Blackcreek Merchantile. They just gave me a stunning hand-made cherry wood board (that beauty in the first photo). When the box arrived, I felt as though Christmas had come early at my house - thank you Josh and Kelly!  I bought a Blackcreek cutting board for my mom last year, and a few quirky kitchen tools for my friends. If you want something beautiful and practical for your kitchen that will last long enough to pass down to your kids, something that's handcrafted by really nice people in the good old USA, think about one of Josh's creations. Bay Area folks, you can find a huge array of Josh's work at March in SF (a dangerously enticing shop). Otherwise, peek at Josh and Kelly's website. You won't be disappointed. xxxooo E





122 comments:

  1. Wow, now that is original! Your bacon candy looks really tempting. A wonderful treat.

    Great pictures too!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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    1. Thanks Rosa! Isn't bacon candy a fun idea? And so decadent!

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  2. My neighbor makes something similar that we call "crack bacon" - he just adds three kinds of pepper into the brown sugar topping (red, white, black) - not enough for you to tell that there's pepper in there, but enough to tell that there's "something else" going on.
    I've tried to copy it before, but never gotten the cooking down right - mine always burn! He calls me "cooking on high with alison" but I like your method and think I can actually make it work! thanks for the recipe :)

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    1. Alison, I bet all those peppers are a good addition. "Crack Bacon" - I love that!
      Have you tried cooking the bacon on a rack so that the drippings fall below? That might help on the burning front. Just a thought.
      Thanks!
      E

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  3. this is my favorite way to prepare bacon (roasted), except i brush mine with maple syrup instead. yum!

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    1. Megan, I'm not sure how it took me so long to try it - and I want to try maple syrup. I've always loved dipping bacon in the puddle of maple syrup around my pancakes, so why not slather it on!

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  4. What a great idea. My kids will love it

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  5. No apology necessary! You have outdone yourself with this one Erin. I absolutely love cooking bacon in the oven. Less mess, much easier! This will be a perfect snack for the holidays. Hope the book is going well. xoxo

    Christina

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    1. Thanks Christina. I agree... bacon in the oven is so much easier. I hope you enjoy.

      And thanks for asking about my book. It's really coming along. I can't wait to share all the new recipes.

      xo
      E

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  6. In the US light brown sugar is NOT reliably GF - some kinds are colored with a wheat derived substance that can cause reactions in the highly sensitive. Might be safer to use dark brown on the maple sugar mentioned above.

    Cecilia

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    1. Thanks for that heads up Cecelia. Wow. After all my years being gluten free - I thought I'd heard it all, but gluten in brown sugar? Yikes. I made note in the recipe for GF folks to check their labels.
      Thanks again!

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    2. Interesting. I didn't know that either. I've heard of soy sauce not being gluten free friendly but brown sugar, wow. Good to know.

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    3. Soy sauce is a nasty one for serious GF people - most of it has wheat. I'm hoping that might change one of these days - Now that so many of us are GF:)

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    4. Luckily, I'm not that intolerant but I've seen some GF soy sauces in my local Vegan/GF stores, so at least I have access to it. They're coming around, slowly but surely.

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  7. Lord have mercy. I want bacon candy right now! Looks amazing. And what a pretty cutting board - lucky you :)

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    1. Renee, bacon candy is a dangerous thing. Beware;)
      xxoo
      E

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  8. Normally, chocolate is my candy of choice. But these might just replace that. After all, who can resist bacon in any form? ;)

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  9. There is nothing like bacon!!!
    It looks delicious...

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  10. Looks amazing, lovely photos also, I'll be tucking into some of this over Christmas for sure!
    anna x

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    1. Merry Christmas to you Anna! Nice to hear from you.
      xxoo
      E

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  11. If you can't do it at Christmas, when can you?! This looks amazing. I'm still not completely convinced by the whole bacon on ice cream thing but maybe I need to try it and see!

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    1. True, it's the time of year where I loosen the waist band and just surrender.
      I'm not sure about bacon on ice cream either, but the salty sweet creamy thing... could be SO good. Plus I just love Adrianna's attitude.
      xxoo
      E

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  12. Gorgeous pictures! I make something similar, but I drizzle the bacon with good balsamic vinegar and then sprinkle with brown sugar. Always the first to go at a party!

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    1. Oh balsamic and brown sugar - yes please!

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  13. Wow! That looks tasty, and beautiful pics as always. (Nothing like the challenge of photographing meat!)

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    1. Thanks Dulcie! Too true about photographing meat.... I do love the challenge.
      xo
      E

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  14. whoa, you just wove your way so deeply into my heart that you'll never get out!

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  15. As much as I love bacon, I am not sure about the candy part. But it sounds like such an easy recipe. I will give it a try :)

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    1. Kankana, it's intense for sure. Do you like it when your bacon and maple syrup make friends on the plate? If you do... you'll love this. But maybe you're a bacon purist - I respect that!
      xxoo
      E

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  16. Oh my, my, my, who doesn't love bacon. Here's another one I need to try. Always a show stopper and so good on so many levels.

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    1. Oli, bacon is magical for so many reasons. Add the sugar and it's crazy outrageous.

      xxoo
      E

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  17. My blog may be entirely vegetarian, but bacon is my weakness. I want to try this!

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    1. Kathryne - you're a Baca-tarian! This is what I call my friends who eat no meat other than bacon! The stuff is hard to resist.
      xxoo
      E

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  18. Hi Erin!
    I don´t like bacon, chorizo and that kind of stuff lool ... sorry but this is not tempting for me :p
    My mom loves bacon and i think i´m going to make this for her on Christmas :)
    I saw their website and they have great wooden cutting boards and spoons...their quality might be excellent!
    I share the same opinion as you..vintage kitchen tools are always the best! it´s nice to have kitchen tools that belonged to our grandparents..they have history and it´s something that helps to keep them (and memories) alive :D
    In Portugal, we eat (on the street) roasted chestnuts wrapped in newspaper..the last picture makes me remind them because that´s the way they´re wrapped :p
    Have a nice weekend.
    Hugs

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  19. sorry..have a nice week :p

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    1. Kitchen tools that have been used by my mom, dad, grandma are total treasures in my house. I hope my kids will feel the same way about all of the goodies I'll share with them one day.

      xo
      E

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  20. Bacon candy! I actually have that very Canal House book and must say that I've always been a little afraid of going down this road...how can you stop yourself?! I hope your December is off to a nice start, friend. xo

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    1. Hey you! Everytime I think of you I get so excited for your little bun in the oven.

      I totally understand why you were afraid to go down the road to candied bacon - it's a dangerous one;)

      xxoo
      E

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  21. Mmhhmm that looks so delicious !
    I love bacon for breakfast !

    All the best,
    hugs from vienna
    melanie

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    1. Thanks Melanie. Nice to hear from Vienna!

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  22. Love love love this, Erin. I'm a lover of all things bacon even though, like yourself, I don't indulge often. I think I may to have to try this as soon as possible. It ticks all the boxes!

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    1. Madga, I hope you enjoy!
      Wishing you a very happy holiday season.
      xxoo
      E

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  23. You had me at bacon! It sounds and looks really delicious, I love the idea of this treat!! xx

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    1. Ah bacon does that to people, doesn't it!
      xxoo to you and your family,
      E

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  24. This sounds like one of those super skills which is incredibly dangerous to learn because I imagine once you start candying bacon, the temptation is to add it to everything ;) Gorgeous, gorgeous pictures too!

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  25. Oh no you didn't!! What an excellent thing to see first thing in the morning - thank goodness I've already had breakfast, or I would suddenly have massive bacon cravings. I love candied bacon, and yours is incredible gorgeous! Now I will admit that the only thing I don't like about cooking bacon in the oven is that the end product seems less fatty than when cooked on the stove - oops ;)

    Are you getting yourself and your home in the holiday spirit? I can't even imagine xmas in a warm and sunny place.... although I sort of can. It seems dreamy. xoxo, all my best

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    1. Oh yes I did! And you should too;)

      All good here for the holidays. I haven't really gotten started yet in terms of xmas shopping, deocrating, etc. My girl Lilah has a birthday on the 16th so we always wait and let her have all the glory first.

      My kids are waking up eating chocolate from their advent calendars - now that's the xmas spirit!

      xxoo to you Emma!

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  26. Erin - I wish you could see my face right now - my mouth has dropped to the floor! How can you go wrong with Bacon Candy! Simply perfect! Happy Thursday!

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    1. Oh Lisa that cracks me up! Yes bacon candy will do that to a person.

      Happy Thursday to you too,
      xxxoo
      E

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  27. Erin!!! I was just looking at the jam it, pickle it, cure it cookbook last night (by Karen Solomon) and was drooling over her homemade bacon and now you post this! I think I'm going to have to make it this weekend.

    And what are you using the oranges for? Is it just for drinks with the whiskey?
    Congrats on your new cutting board. It is pretty. Though I am coveting that metal mug you use for the bacon.

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    1. Jenn, Homemade bacon yum! So cool. My husband just went to a pig butchery class this week. I made him swear not to bring the belly home this as I actually went pretty overboard on the bacon while I was recipe testing!

      A friend of ours introduced us to a great cocktail with whiskey, orange, bitters and maple syrup. Perfect with bacon candy!

      xxoo
      E

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    2. Just to clarify, I'm talking about making the bacon candy, not homemade bacon (yet). I think that it would be dangerous to have a slab of bacon laying around!

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    3. I was too scared to have a whole slab of bacon at our house;) So many delicious possibilities...

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  28. Oh btw, I am also craving meat these days. It must be the holidays and the cooler weather :).

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    1. Glad I'm not alone. Maybe we are storing up fat for hibernation?

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    2. Probably! Though I don't need more fat. But in moderation should be ok (the meat I mean, not the fat :)).

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  29. Yes to bacon candy! My mouth is watering!

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  30. Bacon candy.....sounds great; I like this idea. Bacon is good for any food item, candy, ice cream, soda pop, toppings, mints, and so much more.

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    1. Whoa... bacon mints and soda pop? Angelo you are blowing my mind!

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  31. Oh man, this just looks decadent and delicious. I would choose bacon candy over traditional Christmas cookies anytime!

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    1. Jillian, it's good stuff! Hope the holidays are treating you right.
      xo
      E

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  32. This does sound good! I have made chocolate dipped bacon before, and it was the whole sweet/salty thing that made it!

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    1. Jane, chocolate dipped bacon does sound good. Sweet and salty is right!
      xxoo
      E

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  33. These look amazing and amazing? No need to apologize to your vegetarian friends..we will eat it all!

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  34. Oh my goodness. . I can't tell you how much I LOVE this! Totally dangerous (b/c I would eat everything!) . . but looks awesomely delicious!

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  35. I go a little crazy this time of year too. Candies, cookies, and all kinds of treats. Candied bacon is one I've never made though. I bet this disappears quickly at parties!

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    1. Lisa, I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this gluttony:)
      xxooo
      E

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  36. I want to eat the whole cup! I have been looking for something to spice up my Christmas cookie boxes for friends/neighbors and I think this would do it! Do you think it would hold up well or does it need to be served immediately? Thanks

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    1. Kelly, I haven't been able to keep any around to know how it lasts. I'm thinking if you can get it really nice and crispy and keep it in an air tight container, you could keep it for a few days but not too much longer.
      Merry Christmas to you,
      E

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  37. You only need to say Bacon Candy once, and I will listen :)

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  38. I've made these a couple times. In the beginning, I would always burn to crisp. Lol. It just has such a second too long cooking span. I love it though since I now cook it perfectly. I'm a big maple bacon bacon person, and find I don't buy anything but maple now. If they don't, I make this. What is REALLY good is putting this as a pizza topping for meat! Yummmmm...

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    1. I hear you. All that sugar on the bacon goes from done to burned so fast. I've ruined a couple of batches myself before I really got the hang of it.

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  39. How cool is this, gorgeous shots! Nothing beats that cirspy saltiness, mmm.
    I remember seeing all kinds of trendy bacon products when I was in NYC last summer, haven't seen it in the Netherlands that much though.

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    1. Thanks Denise! We are a bit bacon crazed here in the US. You guys in the Netherlands may have more restraint?:)

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  40. hi, i've been cooking this in restaurants for over 20 years. it's called Billionaire Bacon. always a crowd pleaser!

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    1. Billionaire Bacon- I love it! I'm not sure why it took me so long to start making this deliciousness myself;)

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  41. Oh wow, never seen this before but it looks amazing! I love your photography too, mouthwatering!

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  42. How long do they keep? Am trying to gauge how far in advance I can make this. I am assuming in a air tight container in the fridge, maybe a week? More, less? :)

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    1. Guinan, We've never been able to keep the bacon candy around for more than a few days before eating it all, so I'm not totally sure. But a few days in an airtight container works just fine.
      Happy Holidays to you,
      E

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  43. What are stunning photographs of the olives! They look so fresh and alive!!! Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and your loved ones. xoxo

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    1. Thanks Emi! Happy New Year to you. xxxooo Erin

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  44. This looks so decadent and amazing! My husband would love this...maybe for the next special occasion!

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  45. Hi!! I'm making these now, how would I store them? And how long will they last post cooking? I realize that you've probably eaten them all each time, but I'm baking for a wedding & need to make a lot.... Is this a day of kind of thing? Or can the be refrigerated and still stay crisp? Thanks!!!

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    1. Hey there, to be honest... we haven't be able keep the bacon candy around our house for much more than a day - we eat it all;)
      But I think you could keep it for 2-3 days in an air tight container. Maybe you could stick it back into a 350 oven to warm and crisp again? You may want to experiment with a batch or two before the big day.

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  46. thought you might be interested that this recipe facebook page is using your photo and recipe/post http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=156122007884897&set=a.117927805037651.24799.117925708371194&type=1

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  47. Thanks so much for letting me know.

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  48. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Do you know if it stores well, able to be canned or vacuum packed? Hmmm maybe not vacuumed packed, LOL! Crumbles. But canned would be great. Maybe I'll have to experiment a tad. Just do not want to waste anything!
    Thank you!

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  49. Hi Linda, I have no idea about the canning, but I'd love to hear how your experiments go:)
    -E

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  50. AnonymousJune 14, 2013

    My mom always used to sprinkle white sugar on her bacon while frying it up in a cast iron skillet when I was growing up! So good! I like the idea of roasting it in the oven; less mess! And brown sugar or even maple syrup (per another comment) sounds so flavorful!

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  51. AnonymousJuly 03, 2013

    Bacon and brown sugar added to sliced potatoes and onions wrapped in foil on the barbeque are delicious.

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  52. That's awesome. Can you tell me how to make home made bacon?

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    1. Hi there Myint Zu, I haven't made bacon myself before. Sorry I can't help with that one;)

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  53. Wouldn't this be great crumbled on a salad? Yum!

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  54. Oh does the crispy bacon look amazing!

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  55. Hi.....I have been planning on trying these but am stumped when it comes to the "baking rack". Is it a special baking rack? I have "cooling racks and have looked at stores for baking racks, but only find cooling racks. Are they one and the same?

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    1. Hey madcitymike, sorry about the confusion. I'm so glad you left me a note!

      Yes a cooling rack is just right. Do you have one that will fit over a baking sheet? Check out the last picture in the 4 prep photos.

      I hope you enjoy!

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    2. Thanks for the quick response! I just sat down to see if you'd replied because I was going to try making them right now. :) I really appreciate your quick answer!

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  56. Replies
    1. So glad you liked it!! Dangerous stuff, isn't it?

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  57. So if I wanted to ship these to family members. How do you think it would be best to store it and for how long will they be good for? I figured a tupperware and two days, so I'd have to make them the day of shipping. But wanted to see if anyone else had done the same. Thanks!!

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    1. Hi Rebecca, I worry that the bacon will get soggy:(
      I would make a batch and give them a try and store in Tupperware or little glass jars for 2 days at home. Then give the bacon a try to see how the texture holds up. I often need to recrisp mine in the oven.
      I'd love to hear how it goes for you! Wishing you well this holiday season, E

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  58. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM It's BACONI love u i lve bacon or however the dog says it on the commercial poor dog has no thumbs to get it himself lol

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  59. I've also made chocolate covered bacon. YUM!

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  60. I wonder if this would work with coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. Bacon with anything is heaven!

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  61. Interesting idea... coconut sugar is so similar to brown, it might be amazing. Do let me know if you try it:)
    xo
    E

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  62. mmmm My mouth is watering its awesome thanks for sharing..

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  63. how long would these last? I want to make them as christmas gifts

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    1. HI Nissa, so sorry not to be of help on this one. We've always made the bacon candy and eaten it right away. I'm not sure how it would hold up. I worry that it would get a little soggy after sitting for few days. Maybe you could try a little test run this weekend and see how it lasts over the weekend?
      I'd love to hear how it all goes for you.
      Happy holidays,
      E

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  64. Just came across your recipe now. I've been making candy bacon for years now, and love it!! The only difference is I typically add it to my homemade marshmallows which make them amazing!! Albeit, I do admit that I am guilty of eating some before they find their way into the marshmallows!! :-)

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So good to hear from you... I appreciate each and every note you leave for me!

Thanks,
E