Peppered Bacon Jerky

I’m sure most of the people reading this are huge bacon fans - aren’t we all?

Did you know, though, that your favorite breakfast meat can ALSO make some of the best jerky?

I’ve already posted my recipes for Back Bacon Jerky
Maple Bacon Jerky

You can marinade it with all kinds of different flavors, then let the drying process turn it into the PERFECT snack for any bacon lover!

Dehydrating bacon doesn’t give you the same chewy texture as my ground meat jerky recipes - it renders it down into a super crunchy texture.

The fat becomes almost crystalline - just a really interesting texture, and with a flavour your taste buds will love!

This crunchy bacon jerky recipe plays on one of the most classic jerky flavours, seasoning it up with abundant black pepper - enough for a good kick of flavour, but balanced enough to let the flavour of the bacon through.

The best part? These delicious snacks take almost no work at all - a couple minutes to make the marinade, then separate the bacon strips onto dehydrator trays.

It’s really mostly just waiting!

Anyway, let’s look at what you’ll need in order to take your bacon to the next level, with this Peppered Bacon Jerky recipe!

Equipment

The only specialized equipment you’ll need for this recipe is a food dehydrator.

Sure, you can apparently make homemade peppered bacon jerky in a regular home oven... but 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 something specialized, like bacon jerky!)

I get about 10-15 strips out of a batch (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

With only 1 exception, the ingredients in this black pepper 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.

As for those one, it may be specialty, but I use it in pretty much all of my jerky recipes. It’ll definitely get used, if you’re a jerky fan!

Some notes for you:

Thick-Cut Bacon

Thick cut is the best bacon for this recipe, as regular cut bacon tends to dry paper thin.

Beyond cut, feel free to use whatever you like - maple bacon, bacon with natural applewood smoke flavor and/or the addition of brown sugar, etc.

I can’t think of any kind of bacon I’ve seen in stores, that wouldn’t work well with the pepper jerky marinade.

One thing to note, though: This recipe was made for regular, cured bacon. This is bacon that’s been cured with sodium nitrate - or other curing salts - to halt and prevent bacteria growth.

If you’re using uncured bacon, you’re going to want to add ¼ teaspoon of Prague Powder to the marinade - see any of my non-bacon jerky posts for more info and a link to buy it, if needed!

Actually, one other note: I’ve only ever made this with real bacon, but it would probably work just as well - maybe even better - with turkey bacon or chicken bacon.

I’ll have to try it, some day. The lack of fat would likely make for a better texture, but you can’t really get it thick cut - as far as I’ve seen, anyway!

Liquid Smoke

As with all of my jerkies, you’ll need some Liquid Smoke.

This adds a bit of extra smoky flavor, to enhance and boost the natural smoke flavor of the bacon. It also helps to give it more of a traditional “jerky” flavour.

I don’t use a lot - a little goes a long way - so it’s not at all overpowering, just an accent.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Maple Syrup - NOT pancake syrup!
Coconut Aminos, Soy Sauce, or Tamari
Ground Black Pepper

As always, I don’t have anything to add, as far as these last few ingredients go. Pretty basic!

That said, you can always add some extra - light - seasoning, to compliment the natural flavors of this recipe. If you’d like to add a bit of heat, try some crushed chilis, AKA red pepper flakes.

A little bit of garlic powder also works well - I just try not to overdo it, because I like the black pepper flavour to take center stage in this bacon jerky recipe.

How to Make Peppered Bacon Jerky

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

Preparation

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 marinade over the bacon strips. Chill for at least 8 - and up to 24 - hours.

Dehydration

Once the marinating time is done, drain the 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. You should be able to rip it, without it shattering. A piece held upright should have a slight bend to it, but not actually flop over. (Note: They will DEFINITELY flop over before they cool, though!)

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

Peppered Bacon Jerky Storage

Allow jerky to cool COMPLETELY to room temperature before packaging.

Peppered 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!

Back Bacon Jerky
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