This browned butter and bacon bark is an excellent choice when you want a sweet and savory treat. When you brown butter the sugars in it get caramelized and you are left with a complex and rich flavor and when you match this with the savory flavor of bacon and top it off with course sea salt you have a combination that is truly a delight.
This recipe is also known as carnivore crack or carnivore candy has it’s roots in the keto and carnivore communities as a high-fat and low-carb snack that fits perfectly into both ketogenic and carnivore diets.
I like to use an air fryer to cook the bacon due to it’s speed and easy clean up but if you don’t have one don’t fret. You can cook the bacon in a skillet, on a griddle, or in the oven on a baking sheet.
Making browned butter is easy but it can quickly burn so you will need to pay close attention during the entire process. Using a light-colored pan like a stainless or white-colored bottom skillet, will help you monitor the color of the butter. Make sure to constantly stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to the butter heats evenly and the milk solids don’t burn. Once your butter is browned, make sure to remove it from the pan immediately, as the residual heat from the pan can burn the butter. Have your baking sheet with the bacon crumbles ready to go.
You want to get your bacon as crispy as possible so it will hold up when you add the butter. There is a thin line between perfectly crispy bacon and burnt bacon, so watch your bacon very closely towards the end of the cooking time to make sure you do not cross that line but still avoid soggy bacon.
You can make your bacon ahead of time if you like, and if you have leftover bacon that is not crispy enough, you can always cook it more.
This is a very basic recipe, if you want to add more depth to it try adding a handful of roughly chopped toasted nuts like pecans or almonds. You could also try adding in some crushed pork rinds for more crunch or even some vanilla extract and a dash of cinnamon for an added level of flavor.
You can store your bark in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
This is a very rich dish and this recipe makes fourteen servings, each serving is approximately four inches by four inches across, therefore if you break your bark up into two inch pieces, each serving would be two pieces. Eat is slowly and savor the delicious flavor of each bit to get the full experience.
Browned Butter and Bacon Bark
Difficulty Level: 3 Meatballs
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Servings: 14
- 1 pack or 12-16 ounces of bacon
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon of course sea salt
Cooking the Perfect Bacon
Pre heat air fryer to 400 degrees F
Prepare bacon by draping one peace of bacon over you index finger, grasp the bacon with your other hand and twist your finger around so the bacon becomes twisted around itself, and continue this method for the rest of the package.
When your air fryer is up to temperature throw all the bacon twists in the basket and spread them out evenly.
Air fry for 17 minutes flipping the bacon half way through cooking.
Continue cooking the bacon as needed until crispy.
When the bacon is done place it on a baking rack to cool.
Browning the Butter
Place a stainless steel sauté pan over low heat and add the butter.
Continually stir the butter for 5 to 10 minutes, until the butter has a chestnut brown color and a nutty aroma.
While the butter is browning, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and crumbled the cooled bacon onto it and spread the crumbles out evenly.
Putting it all together
Pour the browned butter over your bacon crumbles and sprinkle the salt evenly across the surface.
Put the backing sheet in the freezer until solidifies, about 2 hours.
Once the bark has hardened, break it up into 2-inch pieces and enjoy.
Nutritional Facts:
(Per Serving)
Calories 217
Protein 3g
Fat 22g
Total Carbohydrates 0.32g