Beth’s Recipe Test: Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon

Bacon and brown sugar, what's not to love? Sweet and savory has always been one of my favorite food combinations so when I saw the recipe for Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon, or Pig Candy as Jeff Mauro described it, on The Today Show, I had to try it.

With a pound of bacon in hand, the brown sugar container on the counter, and the baking sheet with cooking rack all set, I was ready to give this a go.

I pre-heated the oven to 275, while I put the brown sugar in a baking dish and opened the bacon. At this point, my husband came in the kitchen and seemed very excited about the prospect of bacon on a weeknight-it's typically Saturday morning food at our house. I thought it best not to mention the brown sugar to him at this point.  Now, you were only supposed to lightly coat the bacon in the brown sugar and not cover it so much that you couldn't tell what color it was. I tried to practice restraint.

This step went pretty quickly, although if I do it again I will have the cooking rack significantly closer to the brown sugar work station because I had to scrub the floor once the bacon went into the oven. I wasn't sure how close or far apart the pieces should be placed, so I guessed.

Into the oven they went at 275 for an hour. I waited patiently, every now and then turning the oven light on and checking the progress. When the timer went off after an hour, I checked and the bacon didn't seem cooked. Under cooked bacon is never a good idea, so back it went and after another 15-20 minutes, I felt it was done.

At this point, the house smelled like bacon heaven. One word of warning, these are crazy hot when they come out of the oven, you've got to let them cool. I tasted one and it was okay, but not as great as I thought it would be. So, since the original recipe was to use them on a grilled cheese sandwich, I tried one with a slice of cheddar cheese and it made all the difference.

My husband tried one and looked at me as if I had committed a crime against humanity. 'Why is this sweet?', he asked. I explained the process and all he could say was 'What a waste'. I tried to convince him to try it with the cheese, but the moment was over. He suggested I bring them into work.

Would I make this again? Probably, although I would use a thick-cut bacon and have the oven a little hotter, some recipes say 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Also, when they suggest that you spray the baking rack with non-stick spray, DO IT. I was still scrubbing that thing at 11 o'clock last night.

Have you ever made this? What did you think? Do you have any suggestions for me, or other kitchen hints? I'd love to read them.