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Sweet and Spicy Bacon

Can’t believe that bacon could get any better? Brown sugar and a pinch of cayenne add both sweet and hot components to the meat’s smoky flavor. As the bacon sizzles in the oven, the spicy mixture forms a glaze over each strip, packing even more flavor and crunch. Serve this traditionally, with scrambled eggs and an English muffin, or go rogue and pile this crispy treat onto a club sandwich with turkey and avocado for an extra-special lunch break.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound thick-cut bacon (about 12 slices; see Cook’s Note)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Step 2

    Stir together the brown sugar, cayenne, and black pepper in a small bowl.

    Step 3

    Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer (not overlapping) on the rack of a large broiler pan or baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Turn the slices over and sprinkle evenly with the spiced sugar. Continue baking until the bacon is crisp and deep golden, 20 to 35 minutes more (check bacon every 5 minutes). Transfer to paper towels to drain.

  2. cook’s note

    Step 4

    If thick-cut BACON is not available, regular packaged bacon can be used but will need to be cooked in batches with slightly shorter cooking times.

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