Bacon Jerky

This homemade bacon jerky recipe is the best! Slightly sweet and a little salty 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. 

Why you will love this recipe:

• The flavour! This maple bacon jerky is sweet yet salty and the combination of maple syrup, brown sugar and soy sauce blend perfectly to make the best jerky. 
• It’s so easy to make and only requires a few minutes of hands on time to prepare.  
• You can make this jerky in the oven, dehydrator or smoker. 
• You can easily change the flavours of this jerky recipe to create versions like sriracha bacon jerky, bbq bacon jerky or spicy bacon jerky. I’ve included directions for all of these options later in the post. 

Ingredients and substitutions: 

• Bacon – the key ingredient for this recipe. I recommend using thick 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! Maple syrup adds the perfect amount of sweetness to this recipe. 
• Brown sugar – to help give the bacon jerky that perfect candied coating. You can use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar if you like. 
• 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. 

How to make this recipe:

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 on top of a baking sheet, and piece by piece, coat the bacon 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.

Chef’s tips: 

• I recommend using thick sliced bacon for this recipe if you can. 
• To keep this recipe as healthy as possible I recommend using sugar free, nitrate free bacon. 
• When cooking the bacon, try to leave a little space between each slice to allow it to cook more evenly. 
• Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you are serving a crowd. 
• How to store: store it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It is best eaten within the first 3 days. 

Variations and add ins: 

• To turn this into sriracha jerky: swap some or all of the soy sauce with sriracha. 
• 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, 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 recipe paleo: use coconut aminos and coconut sugar instead of soy sauce and brown sugar. 

How to store: 

Store any leftover jerky in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that it is best if eaten within the first 3 days. 

Frequently asked questions: 

Can you put bacon in a dehydrator? 

Yes!  

Can you make bacon jerky in an air fryer? 

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 jerky recipe. 

Is bacon jerky better than jerky?

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. 

Is bacon jerky real bacon?

Yes! Bacon jerky is made with real bacon that has been cooked at a low temperature for many hours to turn it into jerky. 

What is the difference between bacon jerky and candied bacon?

The terms bacon jerky and candied bacon are often used interchangeably. However, bacon jerky generally has more of a chewy texture and is typically cooked at a lower temperature and for longer compared to candied bacon. Candied bacon often uses a faster cook time and produces a more crispy texture. 

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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