Chef Dean
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
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Culinary Explorer
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Brown Sugar and Black Pepper Bacon
Created by
Thick slabs of bacon lacquered with molasses-rich brown sugar and sharp cracked pepper, baked until the fat renders completely and the edges turn to shattering, sweet-savory glass. This is breakfast worth waking up for.
Breakfast & Brunch
American
BBQ
10 min
Active Time
35 min cook•45 min total
Yield8 servings
Bacon has been the backbone of American breakfasts since before we were a nation. Colonial farmwives cured their own bellies in the smokehouse, slicing thick rashers to fuel a morning's labor. What we've done here is honor that tradition while adding a simple glaze that transforms good bacon into something extraordinary.
The oven is your friend for this preparation. I know the romance of bacon sizzling in a cast iron skillet, popping and spattering while you hover with tongs. But baking produces more consistent results with less mess. The heat surrounds each slice evenly. The fat renders slowly. And that brown sugar melts into a lacquer that no stovetop can replicate.
Dark brown sugar matters here. It contains more molasses than its pale cousin, bringing depth and a faint bitterness that balances the pork's richness. The black pepper should be cracked coarse, not ground fine. You want to bite into those fragments, feel the heat bloom across your tongue between the sweetness. This is bacon with intention.
Make this for a summer cookout when you've got a crowd to feed. The oven does the work while you're outside tending the grill or setting the table. It holds well in a warm oven, stays crisp for twenty minutes, and disappears within five once people discover it.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
thick-cut bacon
Quantity
2 pounds (about 16 slices)
dark brown sugar
Quantity
3/4 cup
packed
black pepper
Quantity
2 tablespoons
coarsely cracked
cayenne pepper (optional)
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| thick-cut bacon | 2 pounds (about 16 slices) |
| dark brown sugarpacked | 3/4 cup |
| black peppercoarsely cracked | 2 tablespoons |
| cayenne pepper (optional) | 1/2 teaspoon |
Equipment Needed
- •Two rimmed baking sheets (half sheet pans)
- •Two wire cooling racks that fit inside the sheet pans
- •Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Instructions
- 1
Prepare your pans
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat to 375°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with heavy-duty aluminum foil, then set a wire cooling rack inside each one. The foil catches the rendered fat and caramelized sugar for easy cleanup. The rack elevates the bacon so heat circulates beneath each slice, rendering the fat evenly and preventing the bottom from turning soggy.
If you don't have wire racks, you can lay the bacon directly on parchment paper. The results won't be quite as crisp on the bottom, but the glaze will still caramelize beautifully. - 2
Mix the sugar coating
In a shallow bowl, combine the dark brown sugar and cracked black pepper with your fingers, breaking up any sugar clumps. Add the cayenne if you want heat that builds slowly beneath the sweetness. The mixture should be loose and slightly sandy. You'll press this into both sides of each bacon slice, so keep it within easy reach of your workspace.
- 3
Coat the bacon
Lay the bacon slices flat on a cutting board or clean work surface. Take each slice and press it firmly into the sugar mixture, coating one side generously. Flip and repeat. Don't be timid. You want a thick layer that will melt and caramelize into a crackling glaze. Arrange the coated slices on the prepared racks in a single layer. The slices can touch slightly at the edges since they'll shrink as the fat renders.
Work with cold bacon straight from the refrigerator. It's firmer and easier to handle. The fat won't stick to your fingers as much. - 4
Bake until caramelized
Slide the pans into the oven, one on each rack. Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for another 12 to 15 minutes. Watch closely during the final five minutes. The sugar goes from perfectly caramelized to burnt in a narrow window. You're looking for deep mahogany color, bubbling sugar that's just beginning to darken at the edges, and bacon fat that's fully rendered and translucent rather than white.
The bacon will look slightly underdone when you pull it from the oven. It crisps further as the sugar coating cools and hardens. Trust the color, not the texture. - 5
Cool and serve
Remove the pans from the oven and let the bacon rest on the racks for five minutes. The sugar will set into a glossy, crackling shell. Don't touch it yet. Molten sugar burns worse than hot oil. Transfer to a serving platter using tongs. The bacon should release cleanly from the wire rack. Any stubborn spots will yield if you wait another minute. Serve while still warm, when the glaze shatters between your teeth and the fat melts on your tongue.
Chef Tips
- •Seek out bacon from a butcher or quality grocer who slices it thick. Supermarket thin-cut bacon will overcook before the glaze properly caramelizes. You want slices at least an eighth of an inch thick.
- •Save the rendered bacon fat that collects in the foil-lined pan. Once cooled and strained, it keeps refrigerated for months. Use it to fry eggs, start a roux, or add depth to cornbread batter.
- •For a bourbon variation, brush the bacon with two tablespoons of good bourbon before pressing into the sugar. The alcohol burns off, leaving behind a smoky sweetness that complements the pork.
- •This bacon pairs brilliantly with fresh summer fruit. The sweetness echoes ripe peaches or cantaloupe, while the pepper and salt cut through the fruit's sugars.
Advance Preparation
- •The sugar and pepper mixture can be combined up to a week ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- •Coated bacon can be arranged on racks, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated overnight. Add 3 to 5 minutes to the baking time when cooking from cold.
- •Baked bacon holds well in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes. The glaze may soften slightly but will re-crisp as it cools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 90g)
Calories
485 calories
Total Fat
3 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
1 g
Cholesterol
7 mg
Sodium
35 mg
Total Carbohydrates
3 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
3 g
Protein
3 g
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