Pepper Jelly Candied Bacon

Prep time: 20 minutes            Cook time: 25 minutes          
Total time: 45 minutes

Servings: 16 Bacon strips

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of your favorite style of bacon (I like the extra thick slices)
• 2 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 c. brown sugar
• ½ jar Student-Made Pepper Jelly

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.
3. Place the bacon in a single layer side by side. Lightly sprinkle with cayenne pepper and cover evenly with brown sugar, making sure to rub it into each strip of bacon.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. As the bacon is in the oven, mix the Student-Made Pepper Jelly in a bowl until it is soft and spreadable. If you need to, add about 1 Tbsp. hot water to help it be a little thinner. Set this aside until later.
5. When the timer goes off, remove the bacon from the oven and flip the bacon over. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
6. Take the bacon out of the oven once more and brush with the pepper jelly. Return to the oven for about 5 more minutes or until the bacon is fully cooked and the pepper jelly is melted into the bacon.
7. When bacon is done, remove it from the oven and immediately transfer the bacon to a cooling rack. Once cool, store it in an airtight container for up to 1 week.