Glazed Bacon: An Introduction

A few words on how to glaze bacon, by special request.

First, I have to give credit to Adam Ried, whose article, "Bacon Improvement," in the cooking section of The Boston Globe on the 23rd of September sparked my now three month-long dalliance with this candied meat.

Second, and I believe this to be true about bacon preparation in general: put aside that frying pan! Baking is the key to perfect bacon, especially when glazing is involved. While it takes longer than frying, baking ensures flat, evenly cooked bacon every time. Also, when preparing big breakfasts for many people, cooking the bacon in the oven frees up valuable space on the stovetop.

Read Ried's article for his insight. My method differs in a few areas, but here's how I've been glazing my bacon recently:

The Bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
3. Lay the bacon strips out on the rack and insert into the oven when it is heated. I recommend using decent bacon - I've had success with Boar's Head and Oscar Meyer.
   
4. Depending upon how you like your bacon, cook for 10-15 minutes. You're going to cook it further and glaze both sides, so take it out when it's slightly less done than you prefer.
5. Remove the bacon and brush half of the glaze onto each piece. Put back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes.
6. Remove the bacon after time has elapsed, or after the pieces have acquired a sheen. Flip over each piece and brush them with the remaining glaze.
7. Cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the second side glistens. Remove and indulge in the marriage of sweet and savory.

The Glaze

Ried recommends 3 Tbsp brown sugar and 2 Tbsp orange juice for glazing a pound of bacon. I generally cook 4-5 strips if I'm just making it for myself, and I eyeball the measurement. The first time I made this I used too much OJ and the glaze was far too liquid. It didn't adhere to the bacon as well and the lower sugar content resulted in a less than satisfactory glaze.

In recent incarnations I've upped the sugar-to-OJ ratio. High sugar content will produce a thick, glistening lacquer.

Maple syrup on its own also works fabulously as a glaze. Use the real stuff.

I haven't tried any of Ried's variations yet, but I'd like to. Experiment with whatever suits you. I think apple cider would do wonders. The sky's the limit, really - just remember that the sugar content in your glaze has to be cavity-inducing to produce the kind of lustrous sheen desirable in lacquered bacon.

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Glazed bacon is an improvement on perfection, make no mistake. That first taste of sweetness followed by the salty, meaty essence of a quality piece of bacon will make you a believer. If you are ever lucky enough to be served breakfast Chez MRhé, there's a very good chance glazed bacon will make an appearance.

Happy glazing!