Ingredients

3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
16 slices thick-cut bacon

Chef notes

Throughout my travels on the East Coast, I would see candied bacon on menus so frequently that I was finally motivated to come up with my own. I love the way the herbal note of the rosemary works with the fat, juicy smokiness of the bacon, the kick of the black pepper, and the sweetness of the brown sugar.

It tastes like Christmas, no matter the time of year — and that's a good thing.

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the brown sugar, rosemary, and black pepper in a small bowl.

Line two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil; place a lightly greased wire rack in each. Arrange 8 bacon slices in a single layer on each rack.

Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pans and sprinkling the brown sugar mixture over the bacon halfway through. Continue to bake until the bacon is browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Consider cooking extra batches of this bacon and freezing them for future efficiency.