Maple candied bacon goes with just about anything. We really like it in David’s salad.
We all know that bacon makes everything better, right? Aside from eating it straight out of the pan, bacon is one of my favorite toppings for pizzas, sandwiches, and burgers. But then I discovered something even more amazing! Yes, that’s right. Something even more amazing than bacon. Maple Candied Bacon.
This little creation is super easy to make, and I can’t even begin to describe how tasty it is. One of my friends made a batch of candied bacon a few months back, and I literally could not walk through the kitchen without grabbing another piece.
It was a chewy, sugary, savory treat that I found quite addicting! Whenever I can manage to not eat it all first, I love using candied bacon as a topping for salads. I’m also imagining using it on top of these Maple Bacon Cupcakes in the near future.
In the warmer months, you pretty much can’t keep me away from the smoker and/or the grill. But now that it has turned cooler, I am confined indoors. One of my favorite pans in the kitchen is my large cast iron skillet.
I use it for everything from bacon in the morning to steaks and pork chops at night. Sure, cast iron is heavy and can be a bit harder to clean than a non-stick pan…but man, the results are totally worth it! Thanks to the fact that cast iron can get super hot, I find it to be the best way to get a delicious sear on meats.
For this Maple Candied Bacon, I actually used the cast iron skillet to cook the bacon, and then I used it again to candy the bacon. I’m all about having fewer dishes to clean! I find this Maple Candied Bacon to be a delicious snack all by itself, but one of my favorite ways to use it is on salads.
For instance, this salad was super easy to make. I chopped up one head of romaine lettuce, and then added crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts, pickled banana peppers, and dried cranberries. Then I added the crown jewel of this salad: the maple candied bacon. Finish the salad with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette, and you’ve got a gourmet salad that looks (and tastes) like something you would order at a restaurant!
We think David’s Maple Candied Bacon would also be great beside Erin’s protein pancakes recipe, don’t you?
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Bacon Blue Cheese Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce
- 2-3 tablespoons Maple Candied Bacon
- 2 tablespoons Dried Cranberries
- 2 tablespoons Blue Cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup Walnuts
- 8-10 rings Pickled Banana Peppers
- Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Instructions
- Place walnuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes, or until toasted.
- Chop romaine lettuce. Top with Maple Candied Bacon, dried cranberries, crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and banana pepper rings.
- Finish with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.
Nutrition
Maple Candied Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Bacon thick cut, cut into 3/4″ wide pieces
- 1 cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Place bacon in a cool cast iron skillet; turn heat to medium. Cook until bacon is crispy, but not burnt (about 10-12 minutes).
- Remove bacon from skillet and pat dry. Drain most of the bacon grease from skillet, leaving only about 1-2 tsp in skillet.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the maple syrup, black pepper, and brown sugar. Stir until combined. Add the cooked bacon and stir until bacon is well coated.
- Return the coated bacon pieces to the skillet and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes or until sugar has melted and begun to turn thick. (Note: you will need to stir the bacon pieces fairly often during this stage to prevent the sugar and maple mixture from burning.)
- Remove the bacon pieces from the skillet and spread them apart on a piece of parchment paper to dry (about 4-5 minutes).