I made it just to try a piece.
Just one. For a burger. For a photo. For no reason at all.
But then I stood by the oven and ate three slices off the rack like I was possessed by the ghost of brunches past.
This isn’t bacon.
This is candy with edge.
This is the kind of thing you make for someone else but eat yourself—hot, crispy, sweet, and slightly unhinged.
What the Original Looked Like
Martha gives you three things: bacon, brown sugar, cayenne.
That’s it. No glaze. No maple. No smoke. Just heat and sweetness and a sheet pan.
She lays the bacon on a rack so it crisps from all sides. She tells you to flip it once. She tells you to trust the sugar.
And she’s right.
It comes out glossy, sticky, burnished with caramel and heat. The ends go dark, and the middle stays just a little chewy.
What I Did Differently
Used thick-cut bacon. Probably too thick. Took longer to crisp but held its shape.
Doubled the cayenne, because I like my snacks to bite back.
Didn’t let it cool all the way. Burned my tongue a little. Worth it.
The Way It Happened in My Kitchen
The brown sugar stuck to my fingertips before I even turned on the oven.
I lined the tray with foil, set the rack, and felt too proud of myself for setting up like Martha would.
The cayenne hit the back of my throat as I sprinkled.
I liked that.
It reminded me of the hot honey popcorn I used to make when Mae was little.
The sugar bubbled. The bacon curled. The smell wrapped around the kitchen like Sunday morning in a house you loved once.
I stood by the oven, barefoot, and said “Just one more” four times.
A Few Things I Learned While It Baked
Sugar doesn’t wait for you.
Cayenne doesn’t care if you’re feeling fragile.
And bacon—when dressed like this—will make you forget who you made it for.
What I Did With the Extras
Chopped two slices into a salad Mae wouldn’t eat.
Crumpled one into a grilled cheese that didn’t need help, but got it anyway.
The rest? I won’t lie. I ate them in the car on the way to nowhere.
Would I Make It Again?
Yes.
But I shouldn’t.
But I will.
That’s As Much As I Remember
The wire rack was sticky. My fingers were shiny.
And the kitchen smelled like someone made bad choices on purpose.
If you want something less dangerous but still sweet, I made Martha’s glazed carrots last week. Honest. Harmless. Not this.
FAQs
yes. it crisps differently, but still holds the sugar well. plant-based works too if you let it dry longer.
depends. do you like a little chaos? if yes, keep it. if not, skip it.
yes. it keeps for a few days in the fridge. just don’t stack it—it sticks to itself like regret.
yes. dangerously so. like eating the idea of brunch, but better.
350°F oven, 5–7 minutes on a rack. it crisps again. it becomes itself again.
Martha Stewart’s Candied Bacon – Nell’s Version
Description
Hot, sweet, and just a little wrong. Like a secret you swore you wouldn’t tell.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). line a baking sheet with foil. place a wire rack on top. this is the stage.
- Lay out the bacon. place slices flat on the rack. no overlaps. they each need their own space.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes. the sugar will melt and start to gloss. don’t walk away. it moves fast.
- Flip and coat again. flip the bacon. if you want more sugar, add it. if you don’t—still do it.
- Bake another 10–12 minutes. until it’s crisp, golden, and dangerous-looking. some edges will go dark. good.
- Cool on the rack. let it sit for a few minutes. it’ll firm up. you won’t want to wait. wait anyway.