In honor of the first full day of spring we’ve always enjoyed hosting a little shindig to celebrate lengthening days, warming temperatures and upcoming spring hatches on our favorite freestones, even in those years when it looks as much like winter in late March as it did in late January.
Just about every time we issue an invitation to one of these gathering we get the same damned question: ‘Are you gonna have that Brown Sugar Bacon again?’
It’s become something of a traditional (in part due to Ed) but more so because this is probably one of if not the best appetizer | snack foods, particularly when enjoyed with a cold beer, ever conceived by man, woman or child.
What’s not to like? The crispy, crunchy genius of thick-sliced, hardwood smoked artisanal bacon, kissed with a hint of salt, combined with the sweet heat of pepper (or coffee) infused brown sugar.
We’ve done these a dozen different ways – using different chile powders, standard multi-spice chili powder, ground coffee, espresso powder and with different nuts – but we keep coming back to the chipotle powder and brown sugar combination. Upon the advice of a trusted chef friend, we’ve even painted the partially roasted strips with molasses before dusting with the sugar mixture – try it on a batch sometime.
It’s time to celebrate. Hello Spring, welcome back.
1 lb. bacon, thick-cut, use the good stuff
3-4 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1-2 tsp. chipotle powder OR
1 tsp. finely ground espresso power
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 450.
Set it up. Line a large rimmed baking pan with foil, place a roasting rack on the foil. Lay the bacon strips out on the rack (not overlapping). Mix the brown sugar and chipotle / espresso powder and pecans in a small bowel.
Turn the oven down to 400 and cook the bacon for 10 to 15 minutes until it’s beginning to turn a delectable golden brown.
Now the good stuff. Pull the bacon from the oven and sprinkle each slice with the sugar / spice / pecan mixture. Aim for an even, thin layer though work quickly, this ain’t an art project.
Return to the oven for another 5-8 minutes; watch carefully, the sugar will melt and caramelize fairly quickly. Remove, drain on paper towels for a few minutes.
We never get past the appetizer stage with these and have had more than one fight in the kitchen over the last piece. For high brow guests (we had some once) you might even thread onto skewers, though that’s never as much fun.
Enjoy.
