Smoked Bacon Jerky
Bacon jerky is a sweet, spicy, smokey and chewy snack! This easy to make bacon jerky recipe is so fun to make and eat.
Ingredients
- 10 slices thick cut bacon
Honey Sriracha:
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
Brown sugar heat:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
Maple cayenne:
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
Instructions
Smoker Method:
- Preheat smoker to 200f. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place an oven-safe wire mesh rack on top of the cookie sheet.
- Combine desired sweetener and spice in a small bowl.
- Lay the bacon strips on the mesh rack, and brush on the sauce with a silicone brush. Flip the bacon and brush the back side too.
- Cook in the smoker set at 200f for 2 hours. Flip the bacon, and continue to cook for another 1-1.5 hours, or until the bacon reaches desired texture. *A pellet grill with a circulating fan may cook the jerky more quickly due to convection - begin checking the bacon for doneness around 3 hours.
- Remove the bacon jerky from the smoker and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before enjoying or storing in the fridge.
Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 200f. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place an oven-safe wire mesh rack on top of the cookie sheet.
- Combine desired sweetener and spice in a small bowl.
- Lay the bacon strips on the mesh rack, and brush on the sauce with a silicone brush. Flip the bacon and brush the back side too.
- Bake in the oven at 200f for 2 hours. After 2 hours have elapsed, flip the bacon. Cook at 200f for a further 1-2 hours, or until the bacon reaches your desired texture.
- Preheat oven to 200f. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place an oven-safe wire mesh rack on top of the cookie sheet.
- Combine desired sweetener and spice in a small bowl. See recipe card below for recommended combinations and quantities.
- Lay the bacon strips on the mesh rack, and brush on the sauce with a silicone brush. Flip the bacon and brush the back side too.
- Bake in the oven at 200f for 2 hours. After 2 hours have elapsed, flip the bacon. Cook at 200f for a further 1-2 hours, or until the bacon reaches your desired texture.
- Remove the bacon jerky from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before enjoying or storing in the fridge.
Dehydrator Method:
- Preheat oven to 200f. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place an oven-safe wire mesh rack on top of the cookie sheet.
- Combine desired sweetener and spice in a small bowl.
- Lay the bacon strips on the mesh rack, and brush on the sauce with a silicone brush. Flip the bacon and brush the back side too.
- Cook the candied bacon jerky in the oven at 200f for 2 hours, after 2 hours, transfer the bacon to the dehydrator set at the highest setting and continue to cook for another 2-3 hours, or until bacon reaches desired texture.
- Remove the bacon jerky from the dehydrator and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before enjoying or storing in the fridge.
Notes
Batch:
The recipe as written yields 10 slices of delicious smoked bacon jerky. It can be scaled up or scaled down as desired.Storage:
Bacon jerky is a perishable product with a relatively short shelf life and while most of the moisture is removed during the cooking or smoking process, the jerky should be kept in the fridge and is best eaten within 3-4 days. It can be sealed in an air-tight container or Ziplock bag and frozen for up to 6 months.Variations + Substitutions
This basic recipe is just a guide! Use it as a springboard for your own wild flavor ideas! Don't be scared to try new things - just keep in mind that your marinade or glaze should be somewhat paste-like and you may need to add a smidge of liquid sweetener to help keep it brush-able. Try adding:- fresh cracked black pepper
- garlic powder
- herbs
- molasses
- applewood
- cherry wood
- maple wood
