This, my friends, is not for the faint of heart.
First of all, you should know that I'm not a coffee person. And while this bacon isn't totally coffee-ed up, I could definitely taste it. It was enough to make me not really like it, but my dad loooooved it.
You know I'm a fan of candying bacon, and this isn't far from that. Buuut we're adding in a little coffee marinade to the mix, and it just makes things all sorts of intense.
Chewy, with a crunch, much bacon-ness, and a hint of spice, this is totally man bacon. But since Joy the Baker developed this recipe, it's absolutely for the ladies too. I wouldn't call it an ideal Mother's Day recipe, but right now, it's what I got :)
Shout out to my mom for being the awesome, classy lady that she is! I make her this cheesecake every year, because she deserves it. Happy mom's weekend y'all. Eat bacon.
Coffee Bacon
Yield: 8-12 slices
Ingredients:
- 8-12 slices uncooked bacon
- 1/4 cup freshly ground coffee
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon water
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions:
Lay cascading bacon slices atop one another so that the fat is on top, so the bacon slices are simply overlapping each other slightly in a row. Place bacon on top of a piece of plastic wrap or brown butcher paper.
In a small bowl, combine the coffee, chili powder, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, molasses, and water. Spread the mixture over the exposed, fatty part of the bacon slices, pressing in with the back of a spoon. Wrap in the plastic wrap or butcher paper and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wipe off most of the coffee grounds with a paper towel, but not all. The majority of the coffee will be on the top of the bacon slices. Lay the slices in a single layer on the parchment paper and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and freshly cracked pepper.
Bake until browned and crisp, about 14-17 minutes, or until bacon has reached your desired crispiness. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before serving.
