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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon

appetizer· breakfast· pork entrees· sides
June 18, 2020

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Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon – Oven-baked bacon is topped with bourbon and brown sugar to give you a yummy sweet and salty snack.

Oven-baked bacon is topped with bourbon and brown sugar

Earlier this week, I told you I’d have a double-dose of recipes that are perfect for Father’s Day this weekend. Because, well, father’s love breakfast too!

First, I gave you this incredible recipe for Pistachio Pancakes for a sweet and salty fix. And, what do ya know – I have another sweet and salty treat for you today.

This one is one of the easiest recipes you’ll find here at CPA but man, does it produce great results. It’s a recipe for my Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon and only uses 3 ingredients: bourbon, brown sugar, and bacon. The 3 B’s, as I call them.

Before we get into the details, let’s just take a moment to look at its beauty.

Three pieces of Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon
Glass with slices of Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon and brown sugar in the bottom
Slices of Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon stuck into a glass

Oven-cooked Bacon

Cooking bacon in the oven has changed my life. It’s not a new concept, by any means. But it’s one that I’ve only recently adopted because it’s (1) so easy, (2) virtually mess-free, and (3) produces a bacon that just melts in your mouth but also has a crisp to it.

I tried cooking bacon in the oven in the past but I think I was doing it wrong. First, I was broiling it, which meant I had to flip it halfway through so both sides would crisp. I was also using a rack to let the fat drip off which is probably healthier but made the bacon too dry and blah. It wasn’t until my brother-in-law’s girlfriend made us breakfast that I learned the RIGHT way to oven-cook bacon.

First, you only need to set the temperature to 350 degrees. Next, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil – multiple layers if you want little clean-up. Finally, just lay out the bacon flat and in one layer before baking for about 20 minutes. I rotate the baking sheet halfway through cooking but there’s definitely no need to flip it, too.

Once the bacon is done, it’s drained on paper towels and dabbed to remove excess fat.

Bourbon Brown Sugar Topping

To take oven-baked bacon to another level, it’s topped with a bourbon & brown sugar syrup AND more sprinkles of brown sugar. The result it almost candy-like, according to my husband. And I can’t disagree. The bacon turns shiny and slightly sticky and noticeably sweet.

To make the syrup, the bourbon and 1 cup of brown sugar are reduced over medium-low heat until it’s thickened up a little but, but not super syrupy like maple syrup. Then, it’s brushed over bacon before it goes in the oven. I do two coats for extra flavor.

Jar of brown sugar bourbon syrup with a brush dipped in it

Finally, the bacon get’s a sprinkling of more brown sugar for added texture and popped in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the bacon turns deep brown.

Tips & Tricks

  1. Make sure you cook the bourbon & brown sugar mixture on medium-low heat so that it doesn’t caramelize too fast and turn solid.
  2. I used regular bacon for this recipe. The thick-cut bacon just turned out too chewy for me. I wanted the bacon to be crispy and almost candy-like. So I insist you avoid thick bacon for this recipe.
  3. When sprinkling on the brown sugar, it’s much easier to use your fingers. I tried using a spoon and the sugar just clumps together. It’s much easier to do a sprinkling motion with my fingers and ensure the brown sugar spread evenly over the bacon.
  4. Bacon is done when it almost looks burnt. This was hard for me to accept that because, as a baker, I’ve been taught that food is done when it starts to brown. Not bacon! It’s done when it almost looks TOO done. Trust me.
Print Recipe

Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon

Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup bourbon whiskey
  • 1¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 pound uncooked bacon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bourbon and brown sugar in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Coat two large baking sheets with aluminum foil. Lay bacon flat on baking sheets, making sure they aren't touching. Brush tops of the bacon with bourbon brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle on remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar over the top of the bacon.
  • Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate baking sheets 180 degrees and bake until bacon is dark brown but not burned in the center (the ends might get a little darker but that's okay).
  • Remove bacon from oven and let them cool on baking sheets. Dab the tops with a paper towel to remove the excess fat collections. Serve once it's cooled down.

Pin for later:

Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon photo collage

More recipes you’ll love:

Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
 A breakfast casserole with eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, and potatoes.
Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole
Casserole dish with everything bagel chinks, bacon and eggs
Breakfast Pizza
Crispy puff pastry  loaded with eggs, two kinds of cheese, and bacon.

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10 Comments

« Pistachio Pancakes
Summer Fruit Bellini »

Comments

  1. Emily says

    June 24, 2020 at 12:14 pm

    A friend has made this for us. It is amazing and such a treat. It is a hit at parties.

    Reply
  2. kimberly k lewis says

    June 19, 2020 at 7:09 pm

    this looks so good! I want to lick my computer screen right now

    Reply
  3. Alex says

    June 19, 2020 at 8:10 am

    I love bacon – and this looks absolutely incredible! This is bacon perfection 🙂

    Reply
  4. Annissa says

    June 19, 2020 at 8:02 am

    I’m a bacon addict, so I’m really excited about this recipe. It takes bacon to a whole new level! Can’t wait to try.

    Reply
  5. Sue says

    June 19, 2020 at 7:46 am

    I’ve cooked my bacon in the oven for years…but with bourbon and brown sugar? Mind blown!!

    Reply
  6. Shashi says

    June 19, 2020 at 5:29 am

    Oh my word – this is such a heavenly combo of sweet and savory! Wow!

    Reply
  7. Monica says

    June 18, 2020 at 10:33 pm

    Totally drooling over this bacon! I need to try this.

    Reply
  8. traci says

    June 18, 2020 at 9:42 pm

    You had me at bourbon! Then you added bacon to the picture…even better! What a fun recipe…thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  9. Catherine says

    June 18, 2020 at 8:58 pm

    Crispy bacon is my absolute favorite! And I agree that cooking it in the oven is the best way to get that perfect texture. I haven’t tried it with syrup but it sounds incredible!

    Reply
  10. Amber Myers says

    June 18, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    I am drooling. I love bacon, so I am so excited to make this. It sounds incredible.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

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