February 25, 2022 Appetizers

Smoked Bacon Candy

Name: Smoked Bacon Candy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 195 min
Ingredients: 20 Slices Thick cut Bacon; 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar; 1 Tablespoon Garlic Granules; 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder; 1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper; 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

Smoked Bacon candy is tasty, easy to make, and so versitile! We love it for our Bloody Mary brunches! Perfect to top deviled eggs, and incredible in salads! Smoking bacon with apple wood chips is a great way to infuse it with rich, woodsy flavor. The smoky taste of Western Premium BBQ apple wood chips pairs perfectly with the savory taste of bacon. We’ll walk you through the process of smoking bacon in an electric smoker. The good thing about smoking your own bacon is you can get the flavor you want! We love the taste that our no sodium spice blend and brown sugar add to the bacon. You can also use half the amount of brown sugar and drizzle a little maple syrup over the bacon if you enjoy that flavor. Smoking bacon does take a little bit of time, but is totally worth it.

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This post is sponsored by Western Premium BBQ

Applewood Smoked bacon — SMOKED BACON CANDY

The smoke time for our bacon is about 3 hours on a Saturday. We use it the next day for our Bloody Mary bar! Smoked bacon adds a unique smoky flavor to a classic Bloody Mary. It can be used as a garnish, or even mixed into the drink itself. The salty, smoky flavor pairs well with the spiciness of the Bloody Mary and adds an extra layer of flavor. It’s a popular addition to the classic brunch cocktail and can be served with a crispy strip of bacon as a garnish. Speaking of brunch….Smoked bacon can be a great addition to spicy deviled eggs. The smoky flavor of the bacon pairs well with the heat from the spices in the deviled egg filling.

Let’s get started!

First, you’ll need to grab some Western Apple Wood Chips. What is great about using wood chips is that you do not need to use liquid smoke. You will get the smoke flavor by just using wood chips. We are using apple wood, but there are so many different wood chip varieties from Western Premium BBQ.

Smoked bacon candy with a bloody mary bar

What kind of bacon should I use?

Store-bought bacon is perfect for this. The thickness of the bacon does matter. Thin bacon slices just don’t hold up for this. Your favorite bacon brand is perfect as long as it is thick cut bacon. There are different types of bacon, including maple bacon, but we would stick with regular bacon, not flavored, so you can add the flavor you want. We like to use a simple recipe of brown sugar, black pepper and some other seasonings to get just the perfect flavor. If you are a maple bacon fan, you can drizzle a little over the bacon before you smoke it.

thick bacon on 4 1/4 sheet pans with seasoning

Prepare your smoker

Prepare your electric smoker using manufacturer’s instructions by setting the smoker to 275° degrees F, and let it preheat. You want to add a few cups of Western Wood BBQ apple wood chips to your smoking tray. Place the apple wood chips into the smoker 15 minutes before you are ready to put the bacon in.

Prepare the bacon for the smoker

Your gonna wanna get that thick cut bacon onto nonstick grill grates over a rimmed baking sheets. Quarter baking sheets are the size that fit into most electric smokers. Once the seasoning and brown sugar are rubbed over the surface of the meat you are ready to go!

7 things you need for smoked bacon candy. thick cut bacon, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, chili powder and garlic granules

thick cut bacon in pans on smoking grates with seasoning

Let’s get this smoking party started!

Place the bacon on the gill grates in the smoker, making sure to leave enough space between each piece for smoke to circulate. Close the door and let the bacon smoke for about 1.5 hours. Now it is time to pull the bacon out, turn over, and season the other side. Back it goes for another hour and a half for a full cook time of 3 hours.

smoked bacon half way thru the process with western wood bbq apple smoking chips

Keep an eye on the temperature

During the smoking process, you’ll need to keep an eye on the temperature and wood chips. Make sure the temperature stays around 275°F and add more apple wood chips as needed to keep the smoke going.

Drain off the extra grease

After 3 hours of smoking the bacon, remove it from the smoker and let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack. You will then want to place on paper towels to pull the rest of the excess grease out. Once cooled, take that first bite of smoky bacon. So good. What better way to top a burger or grilled chicken sandwich. You can slice bacon into smaller pieces and use on baked potatoes, salads, and so much more! You can also wrap it in aluminum foil and refrigerate it for later use.

Smoking bacon in an electric smoker with apple wood chips from Western Premium BBQ is a great way to add smoky bacon flavor to any meal. With a little bit of preparation and a little bit of patience, you can enjoy perfectly smoked delicious bacon at home. The first time you try smoked bacon, will not be your last! Give it a try and taste the difference! This will be the best bacon you will ever eat!