Maple Bacon Jerky

Ok, so now that I’ve posted a few fruit and vegetable based dehydrator recipes, let’s get back to MEAT!

Today’s recipe is one for the bacon lover in your life: homemade bacon jerky!

Did you know that you can marinate and dehydrate thick cut bacon, to make delicious snacks?

This maple bacon jerky recipe isn’t quite bacon candy - the maple is part of the marinade, giving a subtle sweetness and maple flavour to the jerky.

That being the case, the drying process doesn’t caramelize or “candy” the bacon, in the way that you get with candied bacon.

Bacon jerky is fun in its own right, though.

The texture is completely different from regular beef jerky, and you can dry it anywhere from a chewy texture, right down to a very crunchy bacon jerky with SNAP.

When I started, I thought that dehydrating the bacon at a relatively low temperature for a long time would render the fat off - that wasn’t the case.

The fat actually dehydrates down to an almost crystalline texture!

I’ve got a few different flavors of bacon jerky recipes coming, but for now... let’s take a look at what you’ll need for a batch of basic maple bacon jerky.

Equipment

There’s only one specialized piece of equipment you’ll need for this bacon jerky recipe, beyond basics like spoons, bowls, and measuring cups:

A Food Dehydrator

While you can apparently make homemade maple bacon jerky in a regular home oven, I’m not a fan of running one for hours on end.

I’ve had food dehydrators before - the basic kinds with no time or temperature controls, - and I’d always been too nervous to try making jerky in them. I need more control over - and knowledge of - the drying process, when meat is concerned.

I’ve since upgraded to a Cosori 6 Tray Food Dehydrator, and LOVE it.

It was only like $200 Canadian, and it’s paid for itself MANY times over, between all the Maple Cinnamon Apple Chips and jerkies I’ve been making!

Think of it this way - The same size of jerky that I tend to make goes for about $4 in a gas station. (Really, more for bacon jerky!)

I get about 10-15 strips out of an average batch of beef jerky (varying by recipe) - let’s average that out to 12. That’s $48 worth of jerky, for $8 or less. Make 5 batches, that’s your $200 in savings!

Anyway, we’re using a dehydrator a LOT more, now that we have a nice one. Having the control over the temperature really opens up the possibilities.

Ingredients

The few ingredients in this maple bacon jerky recipe are super simple - you probably even have them on hand! If not, you won’t have any trouble finding them in pretty much any grocery store.

Some notes for you:

Thick-Cut Bacon

Thick cut is going to be the best bacon for this recipe - regular cut bacon will be annoying to work with, and can dry TOO thin.

This maple bacon jerky recipe is specifically designed to be used with cured bacon. Because bacon is already cured - with sodium nitrate, usually - it negates the need for curing salt.

If you use uncured bacon, this recipe will not inhibit bacteria growth.

Anyway, beyond that, I usually go with bacon that has a natural applewood smoke flavor. The maple marinade isn’t super in-your-face, so I recommend staying away from peppered bacon, etc.

I’ve only ever used real bacon with this recipe, but someday I’ll try it with one of the vegetarian bacon substitutes, and will report back!

Liquid Smoke

While bacon has a natural smoke flavor, I like to use a bit of Liquid Smoke to boost that smoky flavor a bit.

As with all of my jerkies, just remember - a little goes a lot way!

I only use a small amount in this Maple Bacon Jerky recipe, to give it a traditional “jerky” flavour - it’s not at all overpowering, just an accent.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Coconut Aminos, Soy Sauce, or Tamari
Maple Syrup

Nothing really to add there, aside from “Use REAL maple syrup - the boiled down sap of a maple tree - NOT pancake syrup!”.

How to Make Maple Bacon Jerky

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:

Marinate the Bacon

Separate all the bacon slices, place in a large plastic Ziplock bag.

In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients, then add to the bag of bacon slices.

Push out excess air before sealing the baggie, gently massage to distribute the maple marinade over the bacon strips. Chill for at least 8 - and up to 24 - hours.

Dehydrate the Marinated Bacon

Once the marinating time is done, drain the maple bacon slices - do not rinse.

Arrange on food dehydrator trays, dehydrate at 165 F for 3 hours.

Once two hours has passed, blot any beaded fat with a paper towel. Flip each slice over, blot excess grease again, and rotate the location of the trays.

Continue dehydrating at 165 F for another 3-5 hours - Blotting and flipping every couple of hours or so - or until you suspect it’s done. The fat won’t completely render off, it dries to an almost crystalline texture.

Actual time will depend on the thickness of the bacon strips. Regular cut usually takes between 4-6 hours, expect more like 6-8 hours for thick-cut slices.

To test for doneness, remove a piece of bacon jerky from the dehydrator and let it cool to room temperature.

It should feel dry to the touch, but also be somewhat pliable - you should be able to bend it to 90 degrees without it snapping. (Though, if you want really crunchy bacon jerky... you can definitely take it to the point where it will snap when bent!)

A piece held upright should have a slight bend to it, but not actually flop over. (Note: They will usually flop over before they cool, though!)

Once jerky is all fully dehydrated, allow to cool to room temperature before packing and storing.

Maple Bacon Jerky Storage

Allow jerky to cool COMPLETELY to room temperature before packaging.

Maple bacon jerky will keep at room temperature (in a cool dark place) for a week or so - I try to eat it within 3-4 days - or 2-4 weeks in the fridge.

If sealed into an airtight container WITHOUT OXYGEN, it should be good for a month or so in a cool dark place, a couple months in the fridge, and 6 months or so in the freezer.

Once you open your vacuum sealed bag of bacon jerky, it should be eaten within a couple days - or a week, if put in the fridge after opening.

More Homemade Jerky Recipes

Are you someone who loves to bring jerky on road trips, hiking trails, and when camping? Me too! Here are some of my go-to recipes for homemade jerkies!

Basic Ground Beef Jerky
Blueberry Bison Jerky
Chipotle Chicken Jerky
Ginger Beef Jerky
Ground Venison Jerky
Homemade Salmon Jerky
Honey Garlic Chicken Jerky
Jalapeno Chicken Jerky
Jerk Chicken Jerky
Lingonberry Elk Jerky
Mango Habanero Chicken Jerky
Mushroom Jerky, 2 Ways
Pumpkin Spice Chicken Jerky
Rosemary & Blueberry Beef Jerky
Spicy Garlic Chicken Jerky
Sriracha Chicken Jerky
Tofu Jerky, 2 Ways
Pepperoni Jerky