Make Bacon Jerky – High Protein, Low Fat

Are You A Big Fan Of Bacon?

When I say I absolutely love bacon, I know I’m not alone…

I mean, I adore bacon. It’s just one of those things that appear to be widely liked…

…and delicious in almost any situation.

Bacon is great on its own, as well as in many of our favorite recipes.

If you like bacon as much as I do, bacon jerky is a must-try snack!

You’ve come to the right article if you want to learn…

…how to cook bacon jerky. I’ll explain a variety of cooking techniques…

…including using the oven, a food dehydrator, or a smoker.

After all, you’ll know everything there is to know about bacon jerky…

…including how to create it at home.

Before we go any further…

There’s a story about Daniel and his favorite breakfast companion.

The journey of Daniel and bacon jerky….

Bella is the most ardent bacon fan I’ve ever encountered.

Until I met her, I believed I was a bacon enthusiast.

We used to joke around when we first started dating…

…and one of her was about the time he ate a pound of bacon every day for a week.

With her newfound freedom, she dashed to the nearest market…

…for her favorite pleasure, behold…

…that notorious week where she ate nothing but bacon.

I’m delighted to say that her blood pressure…

…and cholesterol numbers are normal, but…

…we still have our heated weekend breakfasts of bacon, eggs…

…and pancakes every Saturday morning.

I make her favorite bacon jerky now and then.

You must try this bacon jerky if you are even half as big a bacon fan as Bella.

It not only allows you to have bacon at any time of day…

…but it can also be crunchy and chewy, smokey and meaty, sweet…

…and salty with a kick of spice all at the same time.

For a crispier bacon-chip experience, I like the regular cut…

…but the thicker kind is better suited for a more tender, meatier bacon candy.

What an amazing story from Daniel and his partner!

“Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.”

DOUG LARSON, A COLUMNIST.

Do you interest to know more about the sticky bacon jerky?

Bear with me, because I’m going to show you…

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What Is A Bacon Jerky?

Jerky is a term used to describe lean trimmed meat that has been chopped…

…into strips and dried. The drying procedure preserves…

…the meat and keeps it from spoiling over time. Jerky has a far longer shelf life…

…than cooked meat.

The word “jerky” originates from the Quechua word ch’arki…

…which means “dried, salted beef”.

Before the dehydration process is complete…

…seasonings – most commonly salt – are usually added. This helps to make…

…the jerky safe to eat by preventing microbial growth.

Most importantly…

One of the most enjoyable parts of bacon jerky is…

…the ability to create your own flavors. Because bacon pairs nicely…

…with so many distinct flavors, there are a plethora of options when it comes…

…to making homemade bacon jerky. But we’ll get to that later!

Now consider this way…

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A Few Things Before We Cook The Bacon Jerky

We want to cook bacon jerky low and slow from a high level.

Depending on the equipment you have, you can accomplish this…

…in the oven or in a smoker. It’s a little easier to make bacon jerky in the oven…

…and it’s a set it and forget it a method of cooking.

On the other hand, a smoker is a more complicated method…

…owing to the fact that you’ll need to start a fire…

…and regulate the temperature of your smoker during…

…the process of making bacon jerky.

But, the best part…

The advantage of using a smoker is that after you’re finished…

…your bacon jerky will have an extra layer of great smokey flavor!

You’ll need cookie sheets and a cooling rack that fits inside…

…the cookie sheet to make bacon jerky. The bacon cooks on the rack…

…while the sheet collects drippings and adds flavor to your jerky.

Time to choose the bacon…

The Differences Of Thick Cut and Regular Bacon

To produce bacon jerky, you can use either thick-cut or standard-cut bacon.

Cooking times and results will vary slightly depending…

…on the type of bacon used. If you want a crispier…

…almost chip-like texture in your finished product, use normal sliced bacon.

The results will be crunchier and more brittle if you use regular cut bacon.

Another way, if you want your jerky to be more leathery…

…and similar to other varieties of jerky, use thick-cut bacon. Bacon jerky made with…

… thick-cut bacon will be more soft, fuller, and candy-like.

Do you want to know the secret?

Seasonings Ingredients

If you already prepare the bacon and your cook equipment, now…

…time to add some seasonings ingredients to make…

…the perfect results of bacon jerky.

Brown Sugar: This recipe can be made with either light or dark brown sugar. A deeper molasses flavor can be achieved by using dark brown sugar.

Sriracha Spicy Sauce (Optional): Sriracha or any other hot sauce of your choosing can be used. This is adaptable. If you don’t like spicy, use 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup for the Sriracha. The brown sugar adheres to the bacon thanks to the sticky texture. You can still coat with brown sugar if you don’t have these options.

Cayenne Pepper (Optional): This is an optional ingredient, but if you like things hot, it gives a nice kick. If you want to add some extra heat, hurried red pepper can be used instead.

Let’s get started…

Make Bacon Jerky From Oven!

Here’s a step by step guide for how to make bacon jerky in the oven:

• First of all, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. For jerky, keep in mind that we want to cook it low and slow.
• Go to the next step, arrange the bacon slices on a baking rack with a cookie sheet below to catch drippings. Make sure each slice of bacon has at least a quarter-inch of space between them.
• Season both sides of your bacon with your favorite dry rub ingredients. Lightly dust each slice with sirrarcha spicy sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt for a simple, basic dish.
• Time to bake the rack and cookie sheet with the seasoned bacon. Bake for 2-3 hours, blotting away any fat that begins to pool on any of the bacon slices.
• What’s more, remove the bacon from the oven and season with any additional seasonings or marinades specified in your recipe.
• Finally, remove your food from the oven once it has reached the appropriate texture and set it aside to cool fully. Blot any residual grease with a paper towel. Any bits you’re keeping for later should be stored in an airtight plastic bag or a food-safe container.

Is it a hard method for you?

Hang on, I’m going to show you another method…

Make Bacon Jerky With Food Dehydrator

It looks like easier steps to do, let’s dive in!

• To begin with, prepare the sauce and bacon according to the instructions for the oven technique.
• Next, in a food dehydrator, place the bacon that has been coated in brown sugar. Between slices, leave at least 1/2 inch of space.
• To top it off, cook in a food dehydrator for 4-6 hours, or until desired consistency is reached. I suggest turning halfway through and sprinkling with a little more brown sugar. If you skip this step, the bacon jerky will still be excellent.

Any bits you want to save for later should be stored in a food-safe container.

Looking For Best Food Dehydrator?

Let’s take a look our recommendations for food dehydrator, if you are looking for the best one.

But you know what else? There’s still a method for you…

How To Make Bacon Jerky On A Smoker

But, one thing’s for sure…

Cooking bacon jerky this way produces some fairly fantastic results…

…if you don’t mind a little more labor or prefer using a smoker. Bacon jerky…

…that has been properly smoked has a delightful smokey layer of taste…

…that is rich and mouthwatering.

Sounds easy enough but…

Let me show you the steps:

• First of all, in your smoker, light a fire. The idea is to light your fire and maintain a temperature of 190-200°F in your smoker’s cooking chamber, whether you’re using charcoal, wood, or lump charcoal as your fuel of choice.
• Also, make sure your fire is built on the opposite side of your cooking chamber or away from the area where your bacon will be cooked. I assure you don’t want grease spilling into your fire.
• To capture grease drippings, arrange your bacon slices on a baking rack with a cookie sheet underneath. Make sure each slice of bacon has at least a quarter-inch of space between them.
• Moreover, season both sides of your bacon with your favorite dry rub ingredients. A light dusting of fresh coarse black pepper, brown sugar, and a tiny sprinkle of salt on each slice, similar to our advise above, is a terrific, simple dish.
• Place a rack and a cookie sheet with seasoned bacon on the primary cooking surface of your smoker. The bacon should be cooked for around 2 hours in the smoker. Make sure your bacon jerky is getting even, consistent heat in the 190-200°F range by keeping an eye on the temperature.

Take a note, check your grease every 30 minutes to ensure that it does not overflow from your cookie sheet. If grease appears to be an issue, remove it and dispose of it as soon as possible.

Blot any residual grease with a paper towel. Any bits you’re keeping for…

…later should be stored in an airtight plastic bag.

You can save the bacon jerky for later and I’m sure your bacon will be alright.

But how?

Store Bacon Jerky For Later

I know what you think, one of the biggest benefits of this snack is…

… you can make a large quantity, enjoy some right now, and preserve the rest for later.

Cooking bacon jerky in batches saves time in the long run…

…because you don’t have to spend half a day making it every time you want some.

It’s quite easy to store bacon jerky properly. All you need to do now is…

…make sure your bacon is absolutely grease-free.

And, you are good to go!

To Sum Up

A decent rule of thumb for your mixture is that if it’s excellent on its own…

…it’ll be good on bacon. Make sure the thickness is sufficient to coat your bacon.

If it’s thinner, baste it once or twice during the cooking phase.

Once you’ve nailed one, you are set!

Conclusion

You should feel free to try new things with your bacon jerky…

…trying out new things is half of the joy. There are limitless alternatives…

…to test at home, from which components you use to which wood you use for smoking.

Have you tried our recipe yet? How did it turn out?

Please share your thoughts in the comments box below.