Maple Candied Bacon

I decided to make some maple glazed bacon on a whim yesterday and didn't want to spend much time finding a recipe. I was hungry. This candied bacon recipe from The Chew caught my eye because it uses dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar for added flavor on top of brown sugar and maple syrup.

I only had a few slices of applewood smoked bacon (about 1/4 lb.), so I cut the ingredients down proportionately.

Ready for the oven

The bacon takes longer to cook because of the glaze. I only basted twice after 15 and 20 minutes and let them finish baking at 350° F for 30 minutes.

After 15 minutes

The bacon was cooked and crispy after 30 minutes, but still had a little bend after cooling completely. This is perfectly fine if served flat or chopped up.

After 30 minutes

But, I wanted these to be extra crispy so they can stand up in a glass or jar. I stuck them back in the oven for a few more minutes, so total cooking time ended up between 30-35 minutes.

I think this could bake at a higher temperature, like 400°, for a shorter time as long as you check them frequently to make sure the sugars and bacon aren't burning. These can go from crispy to burnt quickly.

Tip: If some bacon slices are thinner than others, take those out of the oven sooner so they don't burn before thicker slices are done.

You can make candied bacon with just brown sugar and maple syrup. But if a few more ingredients will add more flavor, why not use 'em? The dijon mustard becomes more subtle in flavor after the bacon cooks so it's like a secret ingredient. I used a tiny amount of cayenne pepper and didn't get any heat so I would definitely use more in the future.

My Rating (out of 5): 3.5