March 2nd, 2014

Rehoboth Beach Eats, Sweet Southern Bacon Bites, Sweet and Salty, Oscar Worthy Bites, Delaware Beaches, Southern Delaware

The combination of flavors is amazing….bacon, salt with a mixture of sugars and spices, giving them a kick.   These bites are, definitely Oscar worthy.  You can enjoy them dressed up with some bubbly or dressed down with your favorite brew.

Even though they take about 2 hours in the oven if you follow the recipe…you can accelerate the process by using a convection oven like I did.

This recipe is not my own by any means.  I give credit to finding it in the cookbook by Millie LaRue & Mummy; Cooking with Friends.  Website?  http://www.millielarue.net.

SWEET SOUTHERN BACON BITES

1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper (if you are daring 1 tablespoon would be great too)

2 cups light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 pound thick-sliced bacon

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees.

Mix cayenne pepper, brown sugar and cinnamon on a cookie sheet.  I used 1/2 tablespoon and a mixture of sugars: raw sugar cane, and, a brown sugar blend.

Separate sliced bacon and press each slice firmly into the mixture until coated on both sides.  Place coated bacon strips on a hot grill or rack of a smoker.  I placed them on a roasting rack in my roaster.  The recipe said to cook for about 2 hours.  I started them on 250 degrees for about 45 minutes, then I changed the oven to convention cooking and raised the temperature to 325 degrees for another 35 minutes or so.  You just have to play with the recipe if you need the oven for something else you might be wanting to cook.  That’s what happened to me.  Otherwise, I would have followed the directions.

I did not turn them over after an hour since the convention oven was doing the job.

When the slices are firm and turn a dark brown color, but not burned, they are done!!  Cool them on the wire rack for just a minute or two.  Please note that I only prepared 8 slices instead of the whole pound of bacon.  And, that was a good thing, becaused we would have eaten them all….and that would not have been good.

Lift them carefully from the rack and cut in bite size pieces.  Serve them on your favorite dish or bowl….they won’t last long.  Enjoy!