This homemade bacon jerky recipe is the best! Slightly sweet and a little smoky it's made with maple syrup, brown sugar and soy sauce. I've included options to make maple bacon jerky, sriracha bacon jerky and smoked bacon jerky too. It's so easy to make and you can make this jerky in the oven, smoker or dehydrator.
Table of Contents
What is bacon jerky?
Bacon jerky is bacon that has been cooked at a low temperature for many hours to give it a chewy texture, similar to that of beef jerky.
The terms bacon jerky and candied bacon are often used interchangeably, however, they are not the same. Bacon jerky has more of a chewy texture and is typically cooked at a lower temperature, for longer, compared to candied bacon. Candied bacon is made using a faster cook time and produces a more crispy texture.
Why you will love this recipe:
- The flavour! This maple bacon jerky is slightly sweet, a little salty, and a little smoky. The combination of maple syrup, brown sugar and soy sauce blend perfectly to give it the best taste.
- Even though it's homemade it's so quick and easy to make and only requires a few minutes of hands on time to prepare.
- You can make this jerky recipe in the oven, dehydrator or smoker and I've included directions for all three methods.
- You can easily change the flavours of this jerky recipe to create different versions such as sriracha bacon jerky, bbq bacon jerky or spicy bacon jerky. I've included directions for all of these options later in the post.
- Because you get to control the ingredients this jerky is healthier than most store bought bacon jerkies and is made without refined sugars or preservatives.
- It makes the perfect snack and it's a great grab-and-go option. It's also perfect for meal prep so that you have snacks on hand for the week.
If you love bacon you will also love making bacon in the Instant Pot.
Ingredients and substitutions:
You should be able to find all of these simple ingredients at your local grocery store. For the exact measurements refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Bacon - the key ingredient for this recipe. I recommend using thick-cut bacon or thickly-sliced bacon if possible, and sugar free, nitrate free bacon if you can find it. Otherwise any brand of bacon will do.
- Maple syrup - to create the perfect maple bacon flavour.
- Brown sugar - to help give the bacon jerky that perfect candied coating. You can use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar if you want to keep this jerky recipe refined sugar free. You can also use dark brown sugar for a more bold, smokey flavor.
- Soy sauce - to add the perfect amount of saltiness and unagi flavour. You can swap this for coconut aminos, tamari or gluten free soy sauce too.
Step-by-step directions:
To make in the oven:
Step one:
First, preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step two:
Next, in a bowl, combine the sugar, maple syrup and soy sauce and stir until smooth.
Step three:
Then place a baking rack or cooling rack on top of a baking sheet or cookie sheet, and piece by piece, coat the bacon slices in the sugar soy sauce mixture and then transfer it to the baking rack.
Step four:
Now place the baking sheet in the oven and cook the bacon for 3.5-4 hours, until it has the texture you prefer.
To make in a dehydrator:
Step one:
First, prepare the sugar and soy sauce according to the oven method directions.
Step two:
Then coat each piece of bacon in the sauce and place the coated bacon into your dehydrator. Leave a little space between each slice.
Step three:
Then dehydrate the bacon for 4-6 hours, until the jerky has the consistency you prefer.
To make in a smoker:
Step one:
First, prepare the sauce and bacon according to the oven method.
Step two:
Now keep the temperature of your smoker at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and place the coated bacon strips into the smoker.
Step three:
Then smoke the bacon for 3-4 hours, until the jerky reaches the texture you prefer.
Top Tips:
- For best results I recommend using thick cut bacon rather than regular cut bacon if you can.
- This jerky turns out best using the oven method or smoker method. The dehydrator doesn't get it as chewy so the texture isn't as good.
- This jerky needs to be cooked at a low temperature for best results.
- To keep this recipe as healthy as possible I recommend using sugar free, nitrate free bacon if you can find it.
- When cooking the bacon, try to leave a little space between each slice to allow it to cook more evenly and get even more chewy.
Variations and add ins:
- Take this recipe to the next level and turn this into sriracha jerky by swapping some or all of the soy sauce with sriracha sauce or hot sauce.
- To turn this into bbq jerky: use bbq sauce instead of soy sauce.
- Feel free to add some spices to give it a different flavour such as garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cinnamon powder, mesquite powder, chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- To make this jerky gluten free: use coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce.
- To make this jerky paleo: use coconut aminos and coconut sugar instead of soy sauce and brown sugar.
- Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you are serving a crowd or want more leftovers.
How to serve:
Bacon jerky can be eaten as a snack and is a great way to get some extra protein in. It's also a great option to bring on hikes, camping, bike rides or picnics because it transports really easily.
How to store:
Store any leftover jerky in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that it is best if eaten within the first 3-4 days. Unlike beef jerky which stores well for a long time, bacon jerky is higher in fat and doesn't stay fresh for as long.
If you want bacon jerky to last longer you can freeze it for months, or vacuum seal it and store it in the fridge for 2-4 weeks.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes!
It is not recommended to cook bacon in an air fryer given the amount of grease it produces and the smoking hazard. Because of this I do not recommend making bacon jerky in an air fryer. As such I have not included air fryer directions for this recipe.
This will depend on your taste preference. Bacon jerky tastes different than regular jerky as it is made with different meat and often seasoned with different spices.
Yes! Bacon jerky is made with real bacon that has been cooked at a low temperature for many hours to turn it into jerky.
No, bacon jerky has a consistency similar to that of beef jerky so it's more chewy rather than crispy.
Other recipes you'll love:
- Instant pot bacon
- Honey lemon pepper wings
- Bacon and vegetable egg casserole
- Baked oats for one
- Sweet curry cashews and almonds
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Recipe
Bacon Jerky
Ingredients
- 10 pieces bacon
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
Instructions
Oven Method
- Preheat your oven to 200F.
- In a bowl, combine the sugar, maple syrup and soy sauce and stir until smooth.
- Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet, and piece by piece, coat the bacon in the sugar soy sauce and then transfer it to the baking rack.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook the bacon for 3.5-4 hours, until it has the texture you prefer.
Dehydrator Method
- Prepare the sugar and soy sauce according to the oven method directions.
- Coat each piece of bacon in the sauce and place the coated bacon into your food dehydrator. Leave a little space between each slice.
- Dehydrate the bacon for 4-6 hours, until the jerky has the consistency you prefer.
Smoker Method
- Prepare the sauce and bacon according to the oven method.
- Keep the temperature of your smoker at 200F, and place the coated bacon strips into the smoker.
- Smoke the bacon for 3-4 hours, until the jerky reaches the texture you prefer.
Notes
- I recommend using thick sliced bacon for this recipe if you can.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
- When cooking the bacon, try to leave a little space between each slice to allow it to cook more evenly.
- Store this recipe in the fridge after it has finished cooking. Store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It is best eaten within the first 3 days.
Brenda
This recipe is totally to die for… I made a double batch . I used 1/3 cup Brn sugar and 1/3 cup of coconut sugar along with 1/3 cup of maple syrup and 1/3 cup of sweet chili sauce. Then I followed the directions using the dehydrator directions. . It seriously is amazing. Definitely a keeper. Thx for sharing
Erin Carter
Oh I am so glad you loved it! Thanks for commenting!