Cooking Lesson #1027: Sweet & Spicy Bacon

…from the Perspectives’  Kitchen

How you doin’? I love all bacon, but not all bacon is created equal. We’ve seen coated bacon slices sell for 3 times what they were just 4 short years ago. So,  here is an inflation beater that everyone will go nuts about. I can eat this bacon all day long and this might very well be the original Man Candy.
 
Sweet & Spicy Bacon, also known as Millionaire’s Bacon, is a caramelized bacon that originated at San Francisco’s Sweet Maple restaurant. It is coated in a mixture of brown sugar, cayenne pepper and other spices before being baked. My sweet and spicy treat is a fabulous addition to any party.
 
Eating just one slice will make you feel like you won the lottery.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Cool time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound thick-cut bacon, center cut preferred
3 tablespoons maple syrup
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. To make the seasoned sugar use a shallow dish wide enough to fit the bacon, whisk the brown sugar, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne and ginger until well blended.
4. Brush one piece of bacon with maple syrup on both sides.
5. Press one side of the bacon into the brown sugar mixture, then flip it over to coat the other side.
6. Transfer the coated bacon to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Repeat brushing and dipping with the remaining bacon slices. Try not to let the bacon slices touch or overlap on the baking sheet or they will stick together.
8. Bake the coated bacon for 15 minutes.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip the bacon over, and return it to the oven.
10. Bake until the bacon starts to caramelize on the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
11. While the bacon is cooking, line another sheet pan with parchment paper.
12.  While the bacon is still hot from the oven, use tongs to carefully transfer each piece of bacon to the clean parchment paper. Do not put the bacon on paper towels; it will stick to it.
13. Serve once the bacon has cooled and hardened on the clean parchment paper.

ChefSecret:  Don’t stress if the sugar on the parchment paper looks black and burnt, but keep an eye on the bacon itself, as it will go from caramelized brown to burnt black fairly fast.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What color is the best cooked Sweet & Spicy Bacon?
A. Ma-hog-any.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
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                                                         ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

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