Brown Sugar Bacon

From Julia Reed's South: Spirited Entertaining and High-Style Fun All Year Long by Julia Reed, Rizzoli New York, © 2016. Photography by © Paul Costello. Published with permission.

• Servings: 6 to 8.

From the recipe's introduction, by Julia Reed:  "This addictive bacon is best—and crispiest—when made with a regular, thin-sliced variety. Sometimes I cut the pieces in half (after baking, before the final 5 minutes of cooling) and serve them as hors d’oeuvres with drinks."

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 pound sliced bacon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a rack over the foil.
3. Combine the sugar, black pepper, dry mustard, and a healthy pinch of cayenne in a large bowl. Toss the bacon in the mixture, making sure it is completely coated.
4. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack over the baking sheet.
5. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the sugar has melted and the bacon is brown and shiny, 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Cool on the rack for about 5 minutes, then loosen the slices from the rack with a metal spatula and place on a serving platter. Continue to cool for another 5 minutes before serving. The bacon will crisp more as it cools.