By Winter solstice. Shortest day of the year. I noted it because one of the three-year-olds at daycare, a small serious child named Marcus, announced to the room that his dad told him the sun was going to disappear. I spent twenty minutes reassuring him that we get it back starting tomorrow and it keeps coming back more every day until summer. He accepted this and went back to his blocks. Kids are practical in a way I admire.
Christmas Eve is Thursday and I have been cooking in batches all week. Made the pecan pie Sunday. I use a touch of bourbon in the filling now, just a tablespoon, which deepens the flavor in a way that does not announce itself. Gloria said is that bourbon the first time I tried it and I braced for disapproval and she said good, your great-aunt Ruthie always put bourbon in hers. Another grandmother I never had.
I did most of my Christmas shopping online because COVID cases are the highest they have been. Gloria will get new slippers, a soft cardigan, and a jar of the expensive local honey from the farmer's market. James will get a new baseball cap, a mystery novel, and a framed photo print of Prattville from the 1970s that I think he will love.
For myself I bought nothing. My gifts this year are the Yule log cake and the pecan pie and the drive over Thursday morning and the kitchen that smells like cinnamon and James's football game in the background. That is everything I need.
The pecan pie was already cooling on the counter by Sunday evening, filling the kitchen with that warm, buttery, toasted-nut smell that I associate with every good thing about this time of year — and I found myself reaching for the pecans again, because once that smell is in the air, you don’t want it to stop. Pecan bacon has become part of the same batch-cooking week: it keeps well, it disappears fast, and it tastes like someone put real thought into breakfast even when you’re running on a short December day and a lot of gratitude. It felt right alongside everything else I was making for Gloria and James — not the centerpiece, just the small thing that makes the whole kitchen smell like you meant it.
Pecan Bacon
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 12 strips thick-cut bacon
- 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. Lightly grease the rack.
- Make the pecan coating. In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), and black pepper. Stir until the mixture is evenly moistened and holds together loosely.
- Coat the bacon. Lay the bacon strips in a single layer on the prepared rack. Press a generous layer of the pecan mixture onto the top surface of each strip, patting gently so it adheres.
- Bake. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the bacon is cooked through and the pecan topping is caramelized and deep golden brown. Watch closely in the last few minutes — the sugar can go from golden to burnt quickly.
- Cool before serving. Let the bacon rest on the rack for 5 minutes before removing. The coating will crisp as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 280 | Protein: 9g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 480mg