Spicy Marinated Bacon Food

SWEET AND SPICY CANDIED BACON (MILLIONAIRE'S BACON)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place a wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet. Arrange the bacon on the wire rack and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Lightly pat the brown sugar on top of the bacon to create a thin layer.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the brown sugar has melted and the bacon is crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the bacon to a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

BROWN SUGAR BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Position racks in the top and bottom of the oven. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil and set cooling racks into the baking sheets.
• Using your fingers, crumble together the brown sugar, smoked paprika and several grinds of black pepper on a plate. Dredge the bacon on both sides in the brown sugar mixture, rubbing so the sugar adheres. Arrange the slices on the racks without touching.
• Bake until the bacon is crisp and caramelized, flipping the slices and rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through, about 20 minutes total. Let the slices cool on the racks, turning once or twice so they don't stick.

HONEY-BOURBON GLAZED BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the honey and bourbon in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Lay the bacon on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Brush with some of the honey-bourbon syrup. Continue roasting until deeply caramelized and crispy, another 10 to 15 minutes--the bacon will really crisp as it cools. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and serve.

SPICY CANDIED BACON

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 1/2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) and spread on a plate. Coat one 12-ounce package thick-cut bacon in the sugar mixture, pressing each slice on both sides to adhere.
• Lay the bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 325˚ F, rotating the pan and flipping the bacon halfway through, until the bacon is dark brown and caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds on both sides, then let cool completely to harden.

SWEET AND SPICY BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Stir together brown sugar, cayenne, and black pepper in a small bowl.
• Arrange bacon slices in l layer on a large broiler pan and bake in middle of oven (or upper third of oven if baking with eggs) 20 minutes. Turn slices over and sprinkle evenly with spiced sugar. Continue baking until bacon is crisp and brown, 15 to 20 minutes more, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

CANDIED BACON BITES

Steps:

• Put the bacon in a container so it lays flat. Pour over the cola to cover. Refrigerate and let soak 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a cooling rack over top and spray with cooking spray.
• Drain the bacon from the cola, place on the cooling rack and pat dry. Combine the brown sugar, paprika and black pepper in a bowl and toss to combine and loosen up the brown sugar. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on both sides of the bacon, pressing and patting so it adheres. Place the slices on the cooling rack; they can be close to one another but shouldn't touch.
• Bake until the bacon is deeply caramelized but still pliable (it will crisp as it cools), about 20 minutes. Flip the bacon occasionally as it cools to crisp on both sides. Let cool completely.

HOMEMADE BACON

Steps:

• Rinse the pork belly and pat dry. Transfer to a resealable 2-gallon plastic bag. To make the spice rub, mix the kosher salt, pink salt, brown sugar, honey, red pepper flakes, paprika and cumin in a bowl. Coat the pork belly all over with the mixture.
• Close the bag and refrigerate 7 to 10 days, flipping once a day, until the pork belly feels firm. It should take 7 days for a thin belly that is about 11/2 inches thick, longer for a belly that's 2 to 3 inches thick.
• Remove the pork belly from the bag, rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Refrigerate the belly on a rack, uncovered, 48 hours.
• Set up your smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions using applewood chips, and set to 200 degrees F. Smoke the pork belly 3 hours, or until the bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F.
• Remove the rind (optional), then slice and cook as desired. To store, wrap the bacon in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 2 months.
• Pink curing salt is a mix of salt and sodium nitrite. It keeps the meat pink and protects it from bacteria. You can find it at specialty food stores or online.

SPICY CANDIED BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Mix the chili powder and brown sugar in a shallow bowl.
• Fit a sheet of parchment paper onto a jelly-roll pan.
• Bury each slice of bacon in the chili and sugar mixture; rub both sides to assure the mixture adheres.
• Lay the bacon strips on the prepared pan.
• The bacon strips may be left flat or twisted two or three times by holding each end to make a candied "stick".
• Bake for 30 minutes without turning.
• Always transfer candied bacon using tongs; the hot sugar can easily burn your fingers.

SPICY BACON-WRAPPED SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, lemon juice, oil and seasonings. Pour 1/4 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add shrimp. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting., In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp. Drain on paper towels. Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade. Wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick., Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill bacon-wrapped shrimp, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, turning and basting with reserved marinade.