The Extraordinary Bob Evan’s Candied Bacon Recipe

Bob Evans is an American restaurant chain founded in 1948 in New Albany, Ohio. The restaurant has come a long way since its early years. Today, it has more than 500 locations in 18 different states across the country.

Bob Evans specializes in homestyle comfort food and has a variety of delicious and unusual dishes, including the Pot Roast Hash, Double Blueberry Hotcakes, Farm Festival Bean Soup, and Grilled-to-Perfection Chicken.

One of its most popular menu items will forever be the Candied Bacon. It was first introduced in 2016 as a limited time offer. Despite its instant success, it is no longer available on the regular menu.

The dish was ridiculously delicious! Thus, it comes as no surprise that people have been craving the recipe for years. If you had the pleasure of experiencing the dish, you know what we are talking about. If you never tasted this bacon-y goodness, then you are in for a treat.

Below, we will share an easy recipe for all those die-hard candied bacon fans to replicate Bob Evans Restaurant’s dish at home:

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) thick-sliced bacon (We recommend the Bob Evans Thick Sliced Hickory Smoked Bacon.)
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar

Preparation

1. Start by lining two baking sheets with parchment paper (to make sure your bacon does not stick to the pan).
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Pour the light brown sugar into a shallow dish and set aside.
4. Grab a slice of bacon and run it lightly through the brown sugar. Make sure the slice is completely covered. If you need to, press the sugar onto the bacon to make sure it sticks (and you end up with an even coat on both sides).
5. Place the sugar-covered bacon on the baking sheet.
6. Repeat with all the remaining slices.
7. Place on the center of your oven’s first rack. Do not forget to turn the light on. It will allow you to monitor what is going on inside. Keep in mind that bacon burns quickly!
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the bacon turns golden brown and crispy.
9. Gently drain all the bacon grease from the pan, and remove the bacon slices.
10. Place your bacon slices on a cooling rack and let them sit for 10–15 minutes.
11. Enjoy!

There you have it, a simple yet delicious recipe to accompany your eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, hamburgers, or to enjoy alone as a snack!

If bacon is not your thing or if you are looking for other sweet recipes, let’s move on to our Chicken Negimaki.

What is Chicken Negimaki?

You might have come across the term Chicken Negimaki before—especially if you are a Japanese food enthusiast—but do you know what it stands for?

The name “Negimaki” originates from the Japanese words “Negi,” which means scallions and “Maki,” which means roll. As a result, “Negimaki” literally translates into Scallions Roll. The term describes a traditional Japanese dish from the Kanto region which includes broiled strips of beef marinated in teriyaki sauce and rolled with cooked scallions.

The delicious Chicken Negimaki we all love is a variation of the original recipe. The story says that the dish dates back to the 1960s and was first served at the Japanese restaurant, Restaurant Nippon, in New York City. Nobuyoshi Kuraoka, the chef behind the creation, decided to take a leap of faith by changing the original recipe and switching the beef for chicken.

Below, you will find a simplified version of Kuraoka’s recipe for you to try at home:

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup sweet Japanese rice wine
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 2 lightly crushed garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Salt
• 4 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts (preferably pounded to 1/8-inch thickness)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• 8 trimmed asparagus spears

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler
2. Place a piece of parchment paper on a wire rack.
3. Pour the soy sauce, rice wine, miso, garlic, and ginger into a small pan and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer briskly. Remember to stir often until the mixture thickens. It usually takes about 5–10 minutes.
5. Add the lemon juice and the sesame oil to the mixture and let it cool.
6. Transfer half of your sauce to a small bowl and set aside.
7. Cook the asparagus for three minutes in a large, deep skillet of salted boiling water until crisp-tender.
8. Once cooked, transfer the asparagus to a large bowl of ice water and let sit.
9. Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into two pieces and place them on a shallow plate.
10. Brush the top of the chicken with your sauce, making sure you cover the entire portion.
11. Mix 2 Tbsp. scallions and 1 tsp. sesame seeds to a small bowl.
12. Sprinkle the remaining scallions and sesame seeds evenly over your chicken.
13. Take your individual asparagus spears, drain and pat dry.
14. Place one asparagus spear lengthwise on top of each chicken piece. It is best if the asparagus spear and the chicken are the same lengths.
15. Tightly roll the meat around the asparagus.
16. Place bundles, seam side down, on the wire rack.
17. Brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining sauce.
18. Broil for 6–7 minutes until cooked through.
19. Transfer your “Negimaki” to a cutting board and slice into one-inch pieces.
20. Serve and enjoy!

You can decorate your plate by drizzling the remaining sauce and sprinkling any leftover sesame seeds on top of your chicken.

Negimaki vs. Teriyaki

Right about now, you might be confused as to the difference between the well-known “Teriyaki” and “Negimaki.” Though they may sound similar and they are both initially from Japan, they are two different things!

“Yakitori” means “skewered chicken” in Japanese. It is very popular across the world and is commonly prepared with a simple marinade. The term is sometimes used to refer to all skewered food in general. Nonetheless, the name “kushiyaki” formally encompasses skewers containing non-chicken ingredients.

“Negimaki,” as we learned before, is a cooking method that consists of rolling broiled beef (or chicken) in scallions.

So, whether you love candied bacon, Chicken Negimaki, or Chicken Teriyaki, there is always a new recipe or cooking method to make the foodie inside all of us happier!