Pig Candy: Grilled Candied Bacon Recipe (2024)

There are few pleasures in life quite like pig candy. This sugar coated treat hits so many culinary high marks it's insane—smokey, salty, sugary, spicy, crispy, and (most important) meaty. Pig candy, otherwise known as candied bacon, first came into my life while helping out on the competition barbecue circuit, where more than one neighborly team cooked up a batch and shared a couple strips with me. So when I wanted to learn the ropes of pig candy myself, I turned to a favorite barbecue blog with solid roots in competition, Patio Daddio BBQ, where pitmaster John Dawson has amassed a treasure trove of great grilling recipes.

Pig Candy: Grilled Candied Bacon Recipe (1)

You can start your pig candy with regular or peppered bacon, but I recommend no matter which direction you go, using high-quality thick cut strips. There's going to be a lot of sugar introduced into this bacon, and with thick-cut, you ensure a better balance between meaty, salty, and sweet, along with a heftier final product that's sturdier compared to more brittle thin-cut strips.

Pig Candy: Grilled Candied Bacon Recipe (2)

So let's talk sugar now. When it comes to grilling and barbecue, dark brown sugar is almost always my number one choice for its molasses flavor, and it's perfect for pig candy. To add a little extra something, cayenne pepper is mixed in with the sugar, which adds the faintest heat that you may not detect in the end, but would miss if it weren't there.

Pig Candy: Grilled Candied Bacon Recipe (3)

To create flat, evenly cooked strips, I lay the bacon on a cooling rack set inside a rimmed sheet pan (lined with foil for easy clean-up). Two-thirds of the sugar and cayenne mixture is then sprinkled on top of the bacon. Don't worry about evenness too much here, the sugar will melt and coat the bacon pretty completely as it cooks.

Pig Candy: Grilled Candied Bacon Recipe (4)

Once the bacon starts to crisp around the edges, it's given a second coating of sweetness via a brushing of maple syrup. This is the most important tip I picked up from Patio Daddio BBQ, since this extra sugary layer adds a depth of flavor that's not found in a lot of pig candy I've had. Once the first side is brushed, the bacon is then flipped, brushed again, and sprinkled with the remaining sugar.

Pig Candy: Grilled Candied Bacon Recipe (5)

About fifteen minutes more, and this bacon comes out throughly crisp and candy coated. The caramelized sugar is amazing against salty and smokey bacon, creating a savory treat that's hard reconcile where it belongs within established meal categories—appetizer, side, snack, or dessert. It really cuts across all boundaries of flavor and designations, which is partly why it's so great—anytime is a good time for pig candy!

Published on Tue Dec 4, 2012 by Joshua Bousel

Print Recipe

Pig Candy

  • Yield 12-14 strips
  • Prep 5 Minutes
  • Cook 30 Minutes
  • Total 35 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb thick cut bacon
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Procedure

  1. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
  2. Lay bacon strips on a wire rack set inside a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle 2/3 of the brown sugar mixture on top of the bacon strips.
  3. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Place entire baking sheet with bacon on grill rack, cover, and cook until sugar starts to caramelize and bacon begins to crisp around the edges, about 15 minutes.
  4. Brush bacon slices with maple syrup, flip, and brush second side with syrup. Sprinkle on remaining brown sugar mixture, cover, and continue to cook until bacon fully crisps, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from grill, let cool, then serve.

Adapted from Patio Daddio BBQ

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Comments

  1. Chris That stuff always disappears quickly. Posted Wed, Dec 5 2012 1:16PM

  2. T can you use maple bacon to make this? or would it be to sweet?Posted Tue, Jan 8 2013 2:57PM

  3. Josh @T It might very on too sweet. If using maple bacon, leave out the syrup in this recipe--you already have the maple flavor and the extra sugar would probably throw it over the top on sweetness.Posted Tue, Jan 8 2013 2:59PM

  4. Marge McSorley This is one is for CharPosted Thu, Jul 4 2013 1:14AM

  5. Carole I have used this recipe for many years, only adding about 1 tablespoon of regular yellow mustard with 1 cup of brown sugar mixture AFTER 7 to 9 strips of maple bacon is partially fried in a skillet. Discard the grease. Then add the mustard sauce in the pan and continue to fry the bacon to the consistante you want. The secret to this recipe is the mustard!! I serve one strip of candied bacon on the side of a salad.. It is ALWAYS A HIT!!!!Posted Thu, Jul 4 2013 2:36AM

  6. Judy Z. Can Pig Bacon be made in the oven rather than a char grill?Posted Thu, Jul 4 2013 3:06PM

  7. Josh @Judy Z Yup, will work just as well in oven.Posted Fri, Jul 5 2013 8:45AM

  8. Alan Dont use on gas grill. BIG MISTAKE
    Posted Thu, Dec 24 2015 4:50PM

  9. Matt Read Hey! Wanted to tell you, we loved this, and have made something similar. We used a gas grill and it came out great.Posted Tue, Jul 23 2019 9:45PM

Pig Candy: Grilled Candied Bacon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long will candied bacon last? ›

You can store the cooked candied bacon in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Store it in an airtight container, such as a large zipper bag or plastic container with a lid. To reheat bacon in the microwave, place the bacon on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds.

What flavor is pig candy? ›

Thick-cut bacon stands up to the intense sweetness. Brown sugar and maple syrup layer the sweet notes. Cayenne adds a contrasting flavor.

What is candied bacon made of? ›

What is Candied Bacon. Also known as Pig Candy, Candied Bacon is made by coating thick sliced of bacon in something sweet such as brown sugar, maple syrup, or caramel before baking until caramelized. It's fantastic crumbled on a salad or just served alongside a pint of your favorite beer.

What is a candy piglet made of? ›

Pig candy is a dessert made by taking thick strips of smoked bacon and pecans and coating them in caramel or another type of sugar, notably brown sugar. Cayenne pepper can be added and it can be dipped in chocolate.

Does candied bacon freeze well? ›

When four days just won't cut it, freezing your candied bacon is an effective way to extend its shelf life to three months or longer. Immediately after cooling, wrap portions in plastic wrap and then in foil, ensuring a tight seal.

How do you store pig candy? ›

We recommend You store you Pig Candy in a cool place like a refrigerator or a freezer. How long does my Pig Candy Last? The Pig candy will last about 6 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Why does pig taste so good? ›

Pork in general is a fatty meat, the most flavorful cuts are rich in fat, the cheaper cuts as a rule, the shoulder, the “butt” the picnic are all good to slow cook and they taste oily or fatty and rich. The loin and tender loin are very lean and will be dry if not cooked properly.

Do I need to refrigerate candied bacon? ›

The best practice for storing candied bacon is to keep it in the refrigerator. Before storing, let the caramelized bacon cool to room temperature. This helps keep condensation at bay when the meat is stored in the fridge, ensuring your delectable bacon stays crisp and delicious.

What ingredient to avoid in bacon? ›

The health risk of bacon is largely to do with two food additives: potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre) and sodium nitrite. It is these that give salamis, bacons and cooked hams their alluring pink colour.

What is pig bacon called? ›

The main types of bacon include streaky bacon (also known as side bacon) from the pork belly, back bacon from the pig's back, cottage bacon from the shoulder, Canadian bacon made from the loin, and variations such as slab bacon (unsliced), rashers (slices), and thick-cut bacon.

Where did candied bacon originate? ›

Candied Bacon, also known as Pig Candy, originally gained popularity in Washington D.C. from what I can tell. It was served to patrons as an alternative bar food snack and from there the bacon spread.

Where does candied bacon come from? ›

Candied bacon is believed to have first gained popularity in Washington, D.C.'s party circuit. But, as the Thompson speculates, most likely, 'pig candy' was an import to the nation's capital brought from the kitchen of some unknown Southern hostess.

What is pork in candy called? ›

Candy. Numerous foods contain gelatin, a protein derived from the collagen in cow or pig bones, skin and connective tissues. It's often used as a thickening or stabilizing agent and can be found in a variety of candies, including Altoids, gummy candies and Starburst chews, among others.

How long can you keep candied bacon in the refrigerator? ›

Much like traditional bacon, it is best to store candied bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While regular cooked bacon lasts only four to five days when stored in the fridge, candied bacon will last a little bit longer — up to three weeks.

Can you store candied bacon? ›

The best practice for storing candied bacon is to keep it in the refrigerator. Before storing, let the caramelized bacon cool to room temperature. This helps keep condensation at bay when the meat is stored in the fridge, ensuring your delectable bacon stays crisp and delicious.

How long does sugar cured bacon last in the fridge? ›

Refrigerate immediately. Vacuum-packaged bacon will keep for 12 weeks in refrigerator, or up to 1 year in freezer. Once opened, use within 1 week.

How long does chocolate covered bacon last in the fridge? ›

To add an extra flavor boost, candy your bacon first, and then proceed to dip them in chocolate! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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