Millionaire’s Bacon

Bringing sweet and heat to the meat

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Cooling Time: 10 mins

Total: 65 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Yield: 8 to 11 pieces bacon

Bacon is breakfast royalty. All eyes turn and noses loyally follow its intoxicating scent. We praise its delightfully fatty crunch and salty savoriness that seems to curb just about any hangover. But I’m here to say it gets even better. Millionaire’s Bacon bathes thick-cut bacon in a brown sugar sauce that creates a crackly crust for a brunch journey unlike any other. Our version packs a little sweet, a hint of heat, and a touch of floral to balance it all out.

What Is Millionaire’s Bacon?

The origin story of this snack is a bit of a debate, but most evidence points to San Francisco’s Sweet Maple restaurant. Similar to candied bacon, the big difference boils down to the added spices in this variation. Other names may include Pig Candy or Man Candy.

How Do You Make Millionaire’s Bacon?

This recipe is as simple as stirring together a few ingredients, spooning them over the bacon, baking, and dreaming about your next meal while you wait. We give the bacon a head start on cooking so that it can crisp up by the end of the recipe without burning the sugar.

Typically, cooking the bacon on a wire rack set over a baking sheet allows the air to flow around the bacon as it roasts for the best crunch. I forgo the wire rack here so that the bacon cooks in the brown sugar sauce.

I use gochujang for my sauce as it brings the heat we want, while imparting a deeply savory and slightly funky flavor. This serves as a flavor bridge between the sweetness of the sugar and the saltiness of the bacon.

The sauce will pool a bit around the bacon, especially as it bakes and this is OK. The final brown sugar topping is the cherry on top with orange zest to add brightness that naturally pairs with the tang of gochujang.

How To Use Millionaire’s Bacon

This isn’t just your new go-to brunch side. Pile it high on burgers or a BLT, stick it in a Bloody Mary, chop it up and sprinkle over a salad, serve as a butternut squash soup topper, or churn it into a salty-sweet ice cream concoction. Personally, I want to snack on this all day at my next tailgate with a cold beer in my hand.

Tips for Making Millionaire’s Bacon

Use thick cut bacon — Thick-cut bacon is best for this recipe because it gives a texture similar to jerky. You want good structure for the bacon that will hold up to all the sugar and flavors we layer on. Plus, it keeps a nice chew!
Yes, it has to be light brown sugar — Granulated sugar does not caramelize like brown sugar, but dark brown sugar contains too much molasses for this specific recipe, so make sure to use light brown sugar.
No need to use a wire rack for the bacon — You want the bacon to bathe in the sugar bath as it cooks, letting the sugar caramelize onto it.
Don’t flip out — It’s not the end of the world if you forget to the flip the bacon before the final bake. This is just an extra step to evenly coat it in the mixture.
Get all that orange flavor — Don’t skip rubbing the orange zest into the brown sugar with your fingers. You want to make sure you release the essential oils from the zest, so that it really shines next to the bold flavor of gochujang.

«This Millionaire’s Bacon is dangerously delicious. The texture really is similar to jerky, and the salty-sweet-spicy flavors are simply addictive. I’ll definitely be making this again.» —Diana Andrews

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 pound thick-cut bacon
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup gochujang
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon orange zest, from 1 large orange

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Lay 1 pound bacon slices on the prepared baking sheet, placing it in a single layer without overlapping. Cook the bacon for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup gochujang, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl, whisking until smooth.
Spoon and spread the mixture all over the bacon so that it is completely covered. Bake for 10 more minutes
Combine the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon orange zest in a small bowl. Work the zest into the sugar with your fingers to release its essential oils (all the flavor!).
Flip the bacon, then spoon the sugar mixture all over top (it’s ok to mount it on top of the bacon in small piles).
Bake until the bacon is caramelized and looks crispy, not limp, 20 to 25 minutes more.
Let the bacon cool on the baking sheet just until the sugar is slightly set, about 1 minute. Transfer the bacon to a clean piece of parchment paper and set aside until the sugar is fully set and the bacon is like jerky, 5 to 10 minutes more. You can drizzle any remaining sauce from the baking sheet over the bacon to set as it cools, if desired.

How To Store Millionaire’s Bacon

Store leftover millionaire’s bacon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat in the microwave in 15 second spurts, in a skillet over low heat, or in an oven at 250 F.

Recipe Variations

Crispy vs. chewy—If you prefer crispier bacon to chewy, you can use classic strip bacon versus thick-cut. Reduce your cooking time by about 10 minutes.
Other flavors—You could add a variety of flavors from sriracha to honey, herbs, chili crisp, and various spices.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	380
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g	26%
Saturated Fat 7g	34%
Cholesterol 56mg	19%
Sodium 1408mg	61%
Total Carbohydrate 30g	11%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 3mg	15%
Calcium 34mg	3%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 342mg	7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.