Treat yourself this spooky season with Chef Tom's indulgent Candied Bacon recipe! Slow-cooked on the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill, this "Pig Candy" is guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds with its sweet and smoky flavors.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Laying the bacon on a rack over a foil-lined pan: Elevating the strips lets rendered fat drip away into the pan below instead of pooling underneath, so the bacon crisps rather than sitting in its own grease as it cooks.
- Brushing on sauce before the sugar and rub: Applying a thin layer of raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce first gives the sugar and rub something tacky to stick to, so they build up on the bacon instead of falling off during the long cook.
- Cooking low and slow at 275°F for over an hour: The extended time at a moderate temperature lets the sugar fully melt and caramelize into the bacon while the fat renders out gradually, rather than the sugar just burning under quick, high heat.
- Transferring the bacon to parchment while it's still hot: Moving each piece with pan spray while hot prevents the melted sugar coating from hardening onto the rack, which would otherwise tear the bacon or leave sugar stuck behind.
