Bacon BBQ Trail Mix {a.k.a. Trail Mix for Carnivores}
Author: adapted from Chef Edward Lee's recipe
Ingredients
  • 12 slices bacon
  • 3 Tbs maple syrup
  • 1⁄2 cup cashews
  • 1⁄2 cup pecans
  • 1⁄2 cup sesame sticks
  • 1⁄4 cup almonds {Marcona, if you prefer}
  • 1⁄4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1⁄4 tsp. cayenne
  • 1⁄4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1⁄4 tsp. cumin
  • 3 Tbs barbecue sauce
  • 6 dried apricots, thinly sliced
  • 3 dried figs, thinly sliced
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 250°.
  2. Lay bacon on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Brush bacon with maple syrup; bake until the fat has rendered and the bacon is dry like jerky, 1–1 1⁄2 hours. Let bacon cool and chop into 1⁄2″ pieces; set aside.
  3. Heat oven to 300°.
  4. Heat a 12″ skillet over medium; toast cashews, pecans, sesame sticks, almonds, and pumpkin seeds until fragrant and beginning to color, 3–5 minutes. Add butter, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, and cumin; toss to melt butter. Remove from heat and stir in barbecue sauce; spread evenly onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  5. Bake, stirring occasionally, until mixture is dry and toasted, about 25 minutes. Stir in reserved bacon, the apricots, and figs; bake 15 minutes more. Let trail mix cool completely before serving.
  6. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.
Recipe by Raisin & Fig at https://www.raisinandfig.com/bacon-bbq-trail-mix-a-k-a-trail-mix-for-carnivores/