Do you like burnt ends? Is your mantra, “Everything’s better with bacon?” Then you will love this recipe. It’s a sticky, tasty appetizer. Or, if you wish, put it over rice or pasta for a main meal. Take it to your next tailgate party!
Shopping for Bacon
The two best choices for this recipe are applewood-smoked bacon or maple brown sugar bacon. Plain bacon works, too, but these improve the flavor tremendously. You’ll want to get your meat at a butcher shop. You’re looking for a thick cut with decent marbling. Overly fatty bacon won’t work; you’ll just end up with a blob of sticky fat.
Some cooks prefer to use a slab of bacon rather than pre-cut. The slab gives you a perfect media from which to make 1” thick cubes.
Sticky Bacon
Do you like burnt ends? Is your mantra, “Everything’s better with bacon?” Then you will love this recipe. It’s a sticky, tasty appetizer. Or, if you wish, put it over rice or pasta for a main meal. Take it to your next tailgate party!Shopping for BaconThe two best choices for this recipe are applewood-smoked bacon or maple brown sugar bacon. Plain bacon works, too, but these improve the flavor tremendously. You’ll want to get your meat at a butcher shop. You’re looking for a thick cut with decent marbling. Overly fatty bacon won’t work; you’ll just end up with a blob of sticky fat.Some cooks prefer to use a slab of bacon rather than pre-cut. The slab gives you a perfect media from which to make 1” thick cubes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound smoked bacon
- 1 tablespoon Maple Sugar barbecue rub (or Maple Bourbon)
- 3 tablespoons Strawberry applesauce (Alternatively crushed pineapple or mandarin orange pieces)
- 3 tablespoons Real maple syrup
- ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Caribbean hot sauce (or Thai Chili Sauce)
- ½ cup Tomato jam (or ketchup)
- ¼ cup Molasses
Instructions
- Set the smoker to 275 before you start prep work.
- Cut the bacon into 1” pieces
- Coat the pieces evenly with your chosen barbecue rub
- Put the bacon on a tray with the fat side up
- Place in the smoker
- While they cook, put the remaining ingredients into a pan
- Bring them to a rolling boil
- Reduce the heat; simmer for 15 minutes
- Set aside
- Turn the bacon over for even cooking after one hour
- Continue smoking for another hour
- Transfer the bacon into a disposable aluminum pan (makes short work for clean up)
- Add the sauce to the pan, stirring until all the pieces are evenly coated.
- Put the aluminum pan into the smoker for 30 minutes. During this time, the blend will caramelize
- Cool for 5 minutes before serving. They will be HOT.
Notes
For a leaner finished product, use ham instead.