Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon

MAPLE BOURBON CARAMELIZED BACON

2/12/2022

Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon may be the king of bacon! Caramelized bacon is so irresistible – crispy, chewy, smoky, salty, and perfectly sweet and spicy! For my family, it’s hard to go wrong with bacon, but add brown sugar, bourbon whiskey and maple syrup and you’ve be sharing bacon bliss with everyone lucky enough to be around! Once the smell of the caramelized bacon starts wafting through the air, taste-testers will begin to show up and volunteer!

Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS FOR PERFECT CARAMELIZED BACON:

Thick sliced bacon works the best for this recipe – and will give you a perfectly firm crispness and more satisfying chew!
Dark brown sugar works the best for this recipe – but feel free to use light brown sugar if you need to
I love to use pure Crown Maple Syrup (Bourbon Barrel Aged) in this recipe – you can find this at Costco in the autumn!
If you use thinner sliced bacon, you will need to adjust your baking times (regular sliced bacon cooks up in about half the time)
Spraying your oven rack with nonstick cooking spray helps prevent the caramelized bacon from sticking to the rack; lining your baking sheet with foil makes clean-up a breeze!

RECIPE VARIATIONS:

Try pepper bacon for a flavor twist!
To make Maple Bourbon Caramelized Barbecue Bacon, add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika to your Maple Bourbon Glaze – SO GOOD!
For Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon with a little kick, add 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the Maple Bourbon Glaze, whisking well to combine.
For Spicy Maple Caramelized Bacon, add 1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder to the Maple Bourbon Glaze.
To make Smoked Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon, cook on your smoker or Traeger grill.

Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon

CARAMELIZED BACON SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Breakfast or Brunch
Serve as an appetizer or in Barbecue Chicken & Bacon Dip
Perfect for Charcuterie Boards!
Crumble up and sprinkle on Maple Glazed Donuts or Maple Buttercream frosted cupcakes
Roll caramelized bacon slices up immediately after removing from oven to make Caramelized Bacon Roses
Layer on sandwiches – cold or hot – wonderful in grilled cheese sandwiches!
Layer on burgers hot from the grill
Crumble and sprinkle on loaded stuffed baked potatoes
Crumble and sprinkle on Macaroni & Cheese, Baked Nacho Macaroni with Three Cheeses, Barbecue Chicken & Bacon Pasta & Cheese, or other casseroles
Chop and sprinkle on Classic Wedge Salad, Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Ranch & Balsamic Glaze, or your favorite garden salad
I have it on good authority that this is the best game day snack ever!

Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon

MAPLE BOURBON CRAMELIZED BACON

Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon may be the king of bacon! For my family, it’s hard to go wrong with bacon, but add brown sugar, bourbon whiskey and maple syrup and you’ve be sharing bacon bliss with everyone lucky enough to be around! Once the smell of the caramelized bacon starts wafting through the air, taste-testers will begin to show up and volunteer!

Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds hickory smoked bacon, thick cut
¾ cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup pure maple syrup or Crown Bourbon Pure Maple Syrup
¼ cup bourbon whiskey

HOW I MAKE THIS:

Preheat oven to 350° degrees and set the rack in middle of the oven.
Line baking sheet with foil; place wire baking rack on top and spray with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the caramelized bacon from sticking.
If your bacon slices are super long, you can cut them in half if you’d like.
Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack, with a slight space between each piece (they will shrink slightly as they bake). Bake for 10 minutes.
PREPARE MAPLE BOURBON GLAZE. Whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup and whiskey; set aside.
Remove bacon from oven and brush tops with half of the Maple Bourbon Glaze, using a small silicone brush or small spoon. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and using tongs, carefully flip bacon slices over. Brush the top of each bacon slice with remaining Maple Bourbon Glaze.
Return to oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes more. (The cooking time will depend on the brand of bacon you use, the thickness of the bacon, and how crispy you like it.) I recommend cooking it as long as possible, so that the Maple Bourbon Glaze thickens. You want the bacon to be starting to crisp up and the glaze golden, sticky and bubbling, and just starting to dry out. Watch closely the last 5 minutes, as the bacon and glaze can burn quickly.
Remove from oven, and using tongs, transfer the bacon to a piece of parchment paper or a platter in a single layer to prevent sticking. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Keep in mind that the caramelized bacon will harden slightly as it cools.
If not serving warm, store in an airtight container (with caramelized bacon in a single layer between parchment paper) in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

YIELD: 2 pounds

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS:

Thick sliced bacon works the best for this recipe – and will give you a perfectly firm crispness and more satisfying chew!
Dark brown sugar works the best for this recipe – but feel free to use light brown sugar if you need to
I love to use pure Crown Maple Syrup (Bourbon Barrel Aged) in this recipe – you can find this at Costco in the autumn!
If you use thinner sliced bacon, you will need to adjust your baking times (regular sliced bacon cooks up in about half the time)
Spraying your oven rack with nonstick cooking spray helps prevent the caramelized bacon from sticking to the rack; lining your baking sheet with foil makes clean-up a breeze!

RECIPE VARIATIONS:

Try pepper bacon for a flavor twist!
To make Maple Bourbon Caramelized Barbecue Bacon, add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika to your Maple Bourbon Glaze – SO GOOD!
For Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon with a little kick, add 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the Maple Bourbon Glaze, whisking well to combine.
For Spicy Maple Caramelized Bacon, add 1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder to the Maple Bourbon Glaze.
To make Smoked Maple Bourbon Caramelized Bacon, cook on your smoker or Traeger grill.

SERVE WITH:

Breakfast or Brunch
Serve as an appetizer or in Barbecue Chicken & Bacon Dip
Perfect for Charcuterie Boards!
Crumble up and sprinkle on Maple Glazed Donuts or Maple Buttercream frosted cupcakes
Roll caramelized bacon slices up immediately after removing from oven to make Caramelized Bacon Roses
Layer on sandwiches – cold or hot – wonderful in grilled cheese sandwiches!
Layer on burgers hot from the grill
Crumble and sprinkle on loaded stuffed baked potatoes
Crumble and sprinkle on Macaroni & Cheese, Baked Nacho Macaroni with Three Cheeses, Barbecue Chicken & Bacon Pasta & Cheese, or other casseroles
Chop and sprinkle on Classic Wedge Salad, Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Ranch & Balsamic Glaze, or your favorite garden salad
I have it on good authority that this is the best game day snack ever!

Original recipe created and posted June 2014; revised and reposted February 2022 by Snowflakes & Coffeecakes.

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