Bread Booze Bacon: Whiskey Candied Bacon

I've long wanted to make some candied bacon (I mean, who doesn't??), but I wanted something a little more interesting than just the usual brown sugar/red pepper flake combo.  Something really fun.  Luckily I ran across this recipe when I was looking at some roast beef sliders (these are definitely on the list to try), and the blog author actually puts them on top of mac and cheese, also.  Now I'm thinking of all sorts of ways to use these strips of glory, because I'm definitely making this again.

Whiskey Candied Bacon
Adapted from Bread Booze Bacon blog

8 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon
½ cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, or whiskey of your choice
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, bring whiskey to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Remove from heat.

On a plate, combine brown sugar and cayenne. Dip bacon into reduced Jack Daniels and then press each side into brown sugar mixture to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 7 minutes, then flip and bake for about 7 minutes more. If bacon is not quite done yet, flip and back for a few additional minutes, watching the bacon so it doesn't burn. The sugar will run all over the pan, and the bacon with have a shiny lacquered look.

Remove the bacon to a plate coated with non-stick cooking spray to cool completely.