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Scrumptious Bacon

Source of Recipe

From "A Real Southern Cook" by Dora Charles


Recipe Introduction

"Everybody loves this little-bit sweet, little-bit spicy bacon so much that it's hard to stop making it once you know about it. Sometimes I've gotten too busy and overcooked it, but people still insist on eating it, it's that good. Don't worry that it's going to be too spicy. The cayenne just gives it a little afterglow. It's essential to have thick-sliced bacon, and the better the bacon you start with, the better it will end up. You can make it ahead and it will keep for a couple of days in a tightly sealed tin in a cool spot. But if anyone knows it's there, it won't be there long."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 pound thick-sliced bacon
◦  ⅓ cup light brown sugar
◦  ½ tsp cayenne
◦  Freshly ground black pepper to taste


Recipe

Set the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with foil and put a rack on top, so the fat can drain off as the bacon cooks. Separate the bacon into slices.

Mix the sugar, cayenne, and black pepper on a plate and spread out the mixture. Press one side of each bacon slice onto the spicy sugar and arrange them sugar-side up on the rack on the baking sheet.

Bake until the bacon is golden brown, about 35 minutes - but start checking at 25 minutes. Remove the entire rack of bacon to a paper towel-lined platter to drain. When the bacon is cool, break each slice into two or three pieces. Serve, or store in a tightly sealed tin in a cool spot for up to 2 days.


Serves 4 to 6


TIPS:

â—¦ You can serve the bacon pieces with drinks or break them up over salads or side dishes. And this bacon makes awesome BLTs.

â—¦ I should confess that sometimes I double up on the seasoned sugar and do both sides. Is that twice as good? You'll have to try it for yourself.