It’s not hard to tell that it’s pig processing time around here.

We are actually nearing the end of it, with a few projects left to complete. I have 30 pounds of pork belly sitting in a maple brown sugar cure in the refrigerator as we speak, destined for the smoker in a couple of days.

And my first ever homemade prosciutto is on salt and will soon be spending the next year or so quietly aging. My exact words to my husband were “You do realize this could go terribly wrong, right?” Yes. Yes he gets it. But we had more pigs than we’d really truly planned to have this year, and so it was the year to experiment. So experiment we shall. And honestly, there was no room left in the freezer for this 16 pound beast of a ham.

I also got to slice up the first of the pancetta.

What I appreciate so much about cured products such as this, as well as dry cured bacon and guanciale, is you need just the smallest bit to accomplish what you need flavor-wise in your cooking. That is, if you can restrain yourself along the way.

Not that I would know.

Speaking of restraint, how about some candied bacon?

Yeah, I’ve got your attention now.

You thought I was just going to ramble on about OTHER stuff. Like the fact that I’m pretty pleased my fingernail is actually clean in this photo. A rare occurrence, I must admit.

I know why you’re here. Because of the candied bacon.

Don’t worry, that’s why I’m here too. Well, that and chocolate.

Good news is, we’re bringing the two of them together. In a stupidly time-consuming marriage that I promise you will in the end yield the sort of snack that will gain you friends, stalkers, and maybe even a husband (or wife).

If that is what you’re looking for, then you’re in the right place.

Who wouldn’t want a stalker of the bacon-and-chocolate-loving-kind?

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Chocolate Covered Pretzels with Candied Bacon

For the Candied Bacon:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar (follow the link to make your own)
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 1/2 pound bacon

For the Pretzels:

• 8 oz. bag of pretzel rods (I used Newman’s Own organic)
• 1 1/2 cups organic semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Lay your bacon slices on a cooling rack that is set on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, flipping the bacon half-way through.

Meanwhile, whisk together the brown sugar and maple syrup.

Remove the bacon from the oven and, using a pastry brush, baste both sides with the glaze.

Return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove, baste, and return for a total of 4 times (40 minutes all together).

In detail, this is what your basting/baking looks like start-to-finish:

• Baste, bake 10 minutes.
• Baste again, bake 10 minutes.
• Baste again, bake 10 minutes.
• Baste one last time, bake a final 10 minutes.

So with your 15 minutes of pre-baking the bacon and 40 minutes of basting/baking, that gives you 55 minutes total. (This is me trying very hard not to make this confusing for you. Tell me if I’ve failed).

Now, keep in mind the thickness of your bacon. My bacon is homemade and therefore medium to thick cut bacon. If you’re using the super thin flimsy stuff, you may get done 10 minutes sooner (or more). You can tell that it’s done when the glaze starts looking dark and the edges are firm and crystallizing. Don’t expect that the bacon will be super crisp. As it cools, it firms up and that candy coating hardens.

Allow to cool completely (you can go ahead and put it in the refrigerator if you’d like).

Once cooled, finely chop it up.

It’s now time to start working with the pretzels.

Put the chocolate chips into a small double boiler (if you don’t have a double boiler, find 2 small pots/saucepans- one that fits inside of the other- fill the bottom one with an inch of water and place the other on top). Put the chocolate chips in the top pot, bring water to a boil, then turn down to simmer.

Stir the chocolate frequently as it starts to melt.

Once smooth, it’s time to start dipping the pretzels. I found that using a small rubber spatula was helpful to “drag” the chocolate up the pretzel, covering it about 3/4 of the way. Shake off the excess. Then sprinkle (don’t roll!) the chopped candied bacon over one side. Lay that side down on some parchment paper, then sprinkle the other side. Some pieces will slide down and that’s okay- that is how the sides of the pretzel will get covered.

Cool completely and enjoy. With your new friends, stalker, and/or spouse.

Or all of them.

Makes about 3 dozen pretzels, depending on how much bacon snacking you do along the way.

Leftover chocolate? Pour into a foil pie tin, refrigerate, and then pop out when cool. Chop and use as you would chocolate chips in any recipe.

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