Beer-Carmelized Bacon

Bananas may be called the perfect food, but bacon is the most awesome, often called the food that makes all other food worth eating.  There's entire websites devoted to the devotion of it (iheartbacon.com and bacontoday.com. There's also a site called theoracleofbacon.org, but that one's about Kevin Bacon). Metallica and the Foo Fighters put a requirement for bacon in their concert riders and Dave Grohl refers to it as "God's currency". Jim Gaffigan professed his love for bacon is his stand-up routine. I even found a new product called Bacon Salt that they pimp by saying "everything should taste like bacon". 

How could bacon be any more awesome? Get beer in there with it.  This recipe can be made ahead of time and reheated or held at room temp.  If you use thick slices it may be more difficult to get it crispy without burning the brown sugar.  You can also twist it when it comes out of the oven if you want to add some flair.

10 slices bacon
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup dark Belgian beer such as Westmalle Dubbel, New Belgium Abbey or North Coast Brother Thelonious
1 Tbls pepper
1/2 Tsp Cayenne (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a sheet pan with a double layer of parchment paper.  In a saucepan, mix the brown sugar, beer, pepper and cayenne until the sugar dissolves.  Let cool 5 minutes. Dip the bacon slices in the sauce and lay out on sheet pan. Bake 8 minutes on each side, remove to a plate and allow to cool before annihilating. 

You're welcome.