The Perks of Being Us

Appetizers

Easy Smoked Bacon Candy: Just Six Ingredients!

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.

Jump to Recipe

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

Applewood Smoked bacon

Smoked Bacon Candy

Infuse your bacon with a smoky flavor and make this Smoked Bacon Candy using Western apple wood chips!
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: applewood smoked bacon, bacon, bacon candy, smoked bacon
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 327kcal

Equipment

  • smoker
  • 4 quarter sheet pans
  • 4 grids for quarter sheet pans
  • 1 Bag Western Wood Apple Wood Chips

Ingredients

  • 20 Slices Thick cut Bacon

Spice blend to season bacon with

Instructions

  • Turn on electric smoker and bring up to 275 F. Once it is up to temp, add in apple chips, and allow to start to smoke.
  • Add the brown sugar to a small bowl. Add in the spices and mix with a fork till blended.
  • Place grids in the 4 quarter sheet pans and put 5 pieces of bacon on each grid.
  • Sprinkle the brown sugar spice blend over each slice, and gently rub to get the blend to stick.
  • Place the trays in the smoker. Set timer for 1.5 hours. Be sure to check and add addtional apple wood chips to smoker through out the process.
  • At 1.5 hours, pull the trays out, turn the bacon over using tongs, and season on the other side of the bacon. Return to smoker for another 1.5 hours.
  • Check bacon for doneness since smokers vary. Allow to cool.
  • Place bacon on a few sheets of paper towels to absorb the excess grease. I usually use 3 layers, and press another 3 layers on top.
  • At this point, you can place in mason jars for a snack, or bloody Mary, or wrap in foil to store in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 2slices | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 363IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments

  5. Andrea says

    5 stars
    Wow! This smoked bacon candy not only looks delicious it sounds amazing! Loving the smoked apple wood flavor. Yummy!

    Reply

  6. Maggie says

    We just bought a smoker. We haven’t used it yet. I think this recipe is simple enough for the first time. Can’t wait!

    Reply

    • Bruce and Dina MillerBruce and Dina Miller says

      Maggie,

      This will be a great way to kick start your smoker! The flavor is so good, and you will find yourself using this smoky bacon in so many things! Excited for your smoking recipes this summer!

      Thank you, Dina and Bruce

      Reply

  10. Elizabeth says

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness, this looks amazing! Adding a little chili powder and paprika is such a great idea. Definitely a recipe to try for our next special breakfast. In my house it would all be gobbled up in no time!

    Reply

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