Five-Spice Glazed Bacon

I can’t believe I posted a recipe that I have never tried before.  99% of the time all recipes that I post are tried and true recipes that I make often at home.  This post is an exception.

Yesterday I received my Fine Cooking magazine.

STOP.

Before I go on I have to say if you are looking for a cooking magazine, this is the one.  I have subscribed to Fine Cooking for years.  I think it was a gift from my husband.  The magazine started coming to my home in June of 1994 it was their third magazine.  This magazine is numbered 122.  If only I can get my hands on the first and second magazines, I would have them all.

I’ll continue.  I was browsing quickly through the beautiful pictures and recipes when this particular one caught my eye.

Five-Spice Millionaire’s Bacon.

I have to admit that I’m not a bacon fan.  I think there are only two of us in the world.

I scanned down the ingredient list and the only thing on the list that I really didn’t love was the bacon.  Everything else was very appealing to me.

I really had to make this recipe and didn’t have an excuse to cook up a pound of bacon for me and the husband that rarely reads this blog.  The solution was to post the recipe.  So here we go.  This is the very first time I have made this recipe.  We are experimenting together.

I think it will be fun.

The ingredient list:

1 lb. Thick-cut  Bacon (if I’m going to eat bacon it HAS to be Applewood smoked)
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/4 teaspoon crust red pepper flakes

Position the rack of your oven in the middle and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

I am lining my baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.  I have made brown sugar glazed bacon before and I know that it can be a heck of a mess and you have to chisel the baked on brown sugar off.

I am taking a second step/precaution.  I love this product.  If you it’s available to you, buy it!  This is aluminum foil that has a non-stick surface on one side.

Place a layer of the non-stick on top of the heavy duty aluminum foil.

I know you are asking why didn’t I just line the entire pan with the non-stick?

Because it isn’t wide enough to cover the entire pan with one sheet.  I don’t want any oil or brown sugar leaking anywhere.

I have my reasons.

Insert:  Whoops, after reviewing the recipe I forgot to put a rack in the baking sheet and place the bacon on top of the rack.  I’m sorry.  Ugh…idiot. A rack would have been very helpful.   I would suggest you do that, if you want.  Or you could just follow me…I know what I’m doing????

Lay the bacon on the foil side by side.  I didn’t realize that you can really squeeze them in.  Just make sure you squeeze the entire pound of bacon on the sheet.  They will all fit.

Mix 1/4 teaspoon of the Chinese five-spice with the soy sauce.

Mix it up.

Brush the entire amount over the bacon strips.

Mix 1 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Sprinkle the entire mixture over the slices of bacon.

That’s s ton of brown sugar.

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.  Bake for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes rotate the pan.

Continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the bacon looks crisp.  Don’t over cook of the brown sugar will burn.

Remove from the oven and let cool.

DO NOT let the bacon cool too long or it will be very difficult to remove even with the non-stick foil.

If the bacon sticks, just reheat the bottom of the pan and the bacon will release as soon as the sugar heats up.

Be very careful because that sugar is HOT.

Just look at the gooey brown sugar glaze.  I’m pretty sure I’m going to love this.

• I wanted more heat.  I would add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
• I would probably add 1/4 cup LESS brown sugar.  I was afraid that I would pull out a crown with a few bites.  I think 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup would be plenty of brown sugar.
• Use the rack mentioned in the recipe that I neglected.
• I would never make this while alone in the house.  Too dangerous.  That salt sweet is addicting.
• Next time I ‘ll buy 2 lbs of bacon and double the amount.

5 from 1 vote

Print

Five-spice Millionaire's Bacon

Inspired by the candied "millionaire's bacon" at San Francisco's Sweet Maple restaurant, this version has even deep flavor thanks to soy sauce and Chinese five-spice powder.  It's like spicy bacon candy, great for breakfast, as an appetizer, chopped into a salad or even sprinkled over ice cream.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword how to make candied bacon, spicy candied bacon, spicy candied bacon recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 8 servings

Calories 342 kcal

Author Janet Barton

Ingredients

• 1 lb. thick-cut bacon
• 1 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 cup packed brown sugar light or dark
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Position rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a rack over the foil, leaving no space between slices.  (Oh whoops, missed the rack part, dang).
3. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and five-spice powder, and then brush the mixture over the bacon.
4. In another small bowl, combine the brown sugar and red pepper flakes.  Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the bacon, covering each slice completely.
5. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the sugar is melted and the bacon is brown and shiny, 30 - 40 minutes.  Let cool on the rack for about 5 minutes, then loosen the slices from the rack with a metal spatula,  continue to cool for another 5 minutes before serving; the bacon will crisp as it cools.

Recipe Notes

Recipe directly from Fine Cooking Magazine: Another tip:  I think I would spray the rack with a non-stick spray or you might have to chisel them bacon off the rack.

Nutrition Facts

Five-spice Millionaire's Bacon

Amount Per Serving

Calories 342 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Cholesterol 37mg12%

Sodium 450mg19%

Potassium 148mg4%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 40IU1%

Calcium 26mg3%

Iron 0.5mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.