Maple–Black Pepper Bacon Jerky (Oven-Dried)

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Thick-cut bacon slowly dried in a low oven until it bends like jerky instead of shattering like a chip, then lacquered with maple, soy and coarse black pepper. It fills the smoky-sweet meat-snack slot better than anything in a gas station bag, and it needs nothing but a sheet pan, a wire rack and patience.

Ingredients

• 1 lb thick-cut bacon (about 1/8 inch thick, 12–14 slices)

• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper, plus more for finishing
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 250°F with racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and set an oven-safe wire rack inside each. Lightly oil or spray the racks so the glaze doesn't weld the bacon down.
2. Whisk the maple syrup, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and salt in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3. Separate the bacon slices and pat both sides very dry with paper towels — surface moisture slows the drying. Lay the slices on the racks without touching, cutting long slices in half if needed to fit.
4. Bake for 60 minutes, then rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. The bacon will have shrunk, released a lot of fat, and gone from pink to dull rose.
5. Brush the top of each slice with a thin coat of glaze — about half of it total, no puddles. Return to the oven for 45 minutes.
6. Flip every slice with tongs, brush the second side with the remaining glaze, and bake 30 to 45 minutes more, checking every 10 minutes near the end. The jerky is ready when it is deep mahogany, dry to the touch, and bends about 45 degrees with a slight crackle before it wants to snap. Total time is usually 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes depending on thickness.
7. Slide the racks off the pans onto a cooling surface (or straight onto the counter) and let the jerky cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. It firms up dramatically as it cools — judge doneness only after cooling, never straight from the oven.
8. Blot away any beaded fat with a paper towel, crack a little extra black pepper over the top, and cut or tear into snack-size pieces. Serve at room temperature.
9. Store in a paper-towel-lined airtight container: 3 days at cool room temperature, or up to 2 weeks refrigerated. Re-crisp chilled pieces in a 250°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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