Question about Pig Candy

i believe that it is when you take bacon sprinkle it generously with brown sugar and the n add crushed red pepper and smoke i usually use cajun seasoning instead of red pepper but i have been known to use ground red pepper

That sounds mighty tasty!

try doing that to bacon and wrap it around a fatty

no problem. just remember the bacon will not get crunchy because of the sugar

Actually the sugar will set up if allowed to cool. The problem is that it is not around long enough to set.

A good ratio to start with is 1 cup brown sugar to 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Adjust to your taste. Also be aware that this will produce quite a bit of grease and it does not take a lot to burn even at the low temps.

Another version is 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup BBQ rub & 1/2 cup crushed red peppers. As always, adjust the pepper to taste ;>)

Just throwing this out since no one referenced how much bacon was being done. We just cook the bacon for about 1/2 hour first to soften it up. Then a nice layer of brown sugar with a light dusting of ceyanne pepper, if you want, then back on the smoker to crisp up the bacon. It may take a little time, just keep checking as the determining factor if the temp. Just get the bacon somewhat crisp. Adjust the pepper to your taste but this is a good starting point. Don't worry about measurements for pig candy, make it to your taste. Just trying to use some common sence here. Good luck bro and let us know what you decide to do and how it comes out.

Meat Burner said:

Just throwing this out since no one referenced how much bacon was being done. We just cook the bacon for about 1/2 hour first to soften it up. Then a nice layer of brown sugar with a light dusting of ceyanne pepper, if you want, then back on the smoker to crisp up the bacon. It may take a little time, just keep checking as the determining factor if the temp. Just get the bacon somewhat crisp. Adjust the pepper to your taste but this is a good starting point. Don't worry about measurements for pig candy, make it to your taste. Just trying to use some common sence here. Good luck bro and let us know what you decide to do and how it comes out.

Click to expand...

Sounds delicious! :-D

I use 1lb thick sliced bacon...1 cup brown sugar...1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Mix the cayenne with the sugar...lay out the bacon on a broiler pan and top each strip evenly with the brown sugar/cayenne rub. Smoke @ 275-300 until the sugar caramelizes and the bacon is cooked through.

Check out this thread for more info... http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41925&highlight=pig+candy

Here's another article from TVWBB... http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/bacon1.html

Pig Caandy?
Here ya go:

kickassbbq said:

Pig Caandy?
Here ya go:

Click to expand...

Now I have to dry out my keyboard from all the drool. :-D

I just take a pound of bacon. Put on the WSM at 225* for 1 1/2 hours. One lemon sized piece of Cherry and one of Hickory.

That's all it takes. The bacon lasts about an hour around my house.

Meat Burner said:

Just throwing this out since no one referenced how much bacon was being done. We just cook the bacon for about 1/2 hour first to soften it up. Then a nice layer of brown sugar with a light dusting of ceyanne pepper, if you want, then back on the smoker to crisp up the bacon. It may take a little time, just keep checking as the determining factor if the temp. Just get the bacon somewhat crisp. Adjust the pepper to your taste but this is a good starting point. Don't worry about measurements for pig candy, make it to your taste. Just trying to use some common sence here. Good luck bro and let us know what you decide to do and how it comes out.

Click to expand...

Yeah I wait until the turn before adding the spiced up sugar too.




When they are cooked flat they resemble jerky or the slices can be knotted and are called Pig Tails.

I think the standard ratio I follow is : (it doesent take much cayenne)

1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Set up your cooker for an indirect cook with a grate temp around 300° with a drip pan. Lay strips of bacon on the grate above the drip pan for 20 minutes, turn and rotate bacon as needed, season with the sugar mix, then cook around 20 minutes minutes more.

For making Pig Tails, remove the bacon from the cooker after 20 minutes, tie in a loose overhand knot, season with the sugar mix and return to the cooker to finish.

Monitor doneness after turning for your level of crispness. Don't sample right off of the pit, that sugar will be hot!! Remove to platter for cooling. Don't wait for the strips to be completely crisp before removing, as they will firm up during cooling.

Hmmm...I never thought to flip them then add the sugar...thanks for the tip guys...

Daaaaayum! I am sooooo making this when I get home!

I'm always asked to bring these to picnics. Once you taste em' you're hooked.

Okay I was a day late, but I was able to try this last night and it was probably the greatest culinary revelation I have had all year. :roll: Ok, 2009 included. lol.

Here is what I did. I tried to take a lot of what many already said without going back to the thread and do it on my own. I took about 2 cups of brown sugar and mixed it with about 2 or 3 tbls. of curshed red pepper and a Tbls. or so of Yardbird. I then took the bacon and dredged each piece in the mixture until it was coated then laid it out on a cooling rack on top of a half sheet pan covered in foil. Here is what that looked like:



You will ntoice how I overlapped each piece. This was done deliberately to account for shrinkage and to keep the melted sugar mixture on the top for as long as possible. It also gave me a nice surface for the next step--taking the leftover sugar mixture and spreading it over the sheet of bacon:



I then sprinkled about a tablespoon of Yardbird on top of that:



And in to the smoker it went at 275 for about 2-2.5 hours. And then you have this:



Daaaaaayuuum that was some good chit! I tried a piece right out of the smoker and it was good and then another piece after 5 mintues and had a chance to harden slightly on the outside, but was still gooey, melty, goodness on the inside--that was the best. I then let it sit for another hour and it hardened completely like candy brittle. I now have the leftover bacon brittle in a ziploc at home and I have been dreaming about it all morning. :-D

Thanks for the tips and revelation everyone!

I like layering mine with maple syrup or Hot Squeeze before sprinkling on the sugar and cayenne or chipotle