How to Win Friends and Influence People: Candied Pecan Praline Bacon
Yes, this is candied pecan praline bacon. It’s not anywhere near as outrageous or over-the-top as it might sound – it’s really quite fantastic. Anyone who has allowed their bacon to be dunked into a pool of maple syrup will appreciate bacon baked with brown sugar and roughly chopped pecans – as it cooks the sugar melds with the bacon juices, creating a wonderfully salty-sweet topping. The toasted pecans add nuttiness and crunch – the sum of its parts is out of this world.
To make candied pecan praline bacon, start with the best quality bacon you can find. (Or not. It will revive sub-par bacon too.) Lay strips out on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or foil to help with clean-up.
Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes, until the bacon is almost cooked but still rubbery; sprinkle each strip generously with dark brown sugar and roughly chopped pecans. Bake for another 5 minutes, until the bacon is done, the sugar has melted and the pecans are pale golden.
Transfer to paper towels until cool enough to eat without burning your tongue. Share with those you love most, or keep it all to yourself, if you only have their health and well-being in mind. (Note: candied pecan praline bacon is a great way to make lifelong friends.)
Transferring candied bacon to paper towels has ended in disaster for me. Shreds of paper attach and need to be labouriously pulled off or (gulp) eaten by the unsuspecting. I now put the slices on an oiled metal rack with paper towel underneath. Everybody’s happy…and they become my kitchen slaves forever.
I love maple syrup on my bacon, so this is a home run for sure