Big Pig Bacon Bark

If you keep up with this sort of thing, you’re well aware that 99.9% of food blogs are currently churning out grub catered to:

1. the Superbowl
2. Valentine’s Day
3. Chinese New Year

I’m into multi tasking, so I’ve got numbers 1 & 2 totally covered with this one.

And as for #3, I don’t know jack diddley squat about Chinese New Year…some kind soul should hang around after class and explain it to me.

 

Now, I  generally try to avoid posting public disclaimers as well as tooting my own horn …both can come off a smidge obnoxious at times. Please try to let it slide today, I’m deeming it necessary..

You need to understand before even heading into this endeavor that the  final product is crazy addictive.

As in, you may initially think the recipe yields a pretty hefty amount…but you may very well change your mind when you can’t seem to put that big fat freezer bag full of the stuff down.

I should probably clue you in to exactly what we’re dealing with here. I’m talking chocolate…I’m talking toffee…Im talking sweet…I’m talking salty…I’m talking peanut butter…and I’m talking BACON.

If you’re anything like me, you’re salivating right now.

However, I’m sure there’s a good chunk of people who are a little bit squeamish on the bacon thing… my complete nepotism towards anything that includes bacon probably doesn’t help, but I’d like to at least try and console you because you need to make this stuff. Understand? You  need to.

Since we’re allowing a disclaimer, might as go all the way infomercial on ya’ll and provide some actual quotes from real live Big Pig Bacon Bark consumers…

“I think I just heard angels sing.”

“You should know that your choco-peanut butter bacon stuff was the only good thing about my day.”

“Love at first bite.”

“It’s just that perfect balance of salty & sweet…like when you dip french fries in your frosty…YES.”

“Get that stuff away from me…it’s too good, please just put it away.”

 

I honestly don’t see why people are so shocked…chocolate+peanut butter+toffee+salty smoky porky perfection= obviously great. Simple math. Duh.

Sorry, I keep referring to this salty-sweet oral oasis with vague pronouns. That’s so rude.

Originally, I was gonna title it by major components, as I would with most other recipes, but chocolate  toffee peanut butter swirl tater chip bacon bark just doesn’t flow nicely.

Then, crack bark sounded borderline questionable.

Finally, Big Pig Bacon Bark rang most appropriate.

 

Confession: This is actually just a spin on the basic Saltine Toffee Bark I posted a few weeks ago.

I’ve become so utterly infatuated with this recipe’s simplicity, insane adaptability, and dangerously drug-like addictiveness.

I will be turning out variations of it for the rest of my days. If I ever become morbidly obese, you’ll know why.

 

 

Going back to seasonal appropriateness, a heaping platter of Big Pig Bacon Bark would make a superb munchie treat to put out for the big game. Large burly manly men will love it, and cutsie tootsie little ladies will cautiously taste “just a teeny piece” to be polite, throw out some comment like “Oh, how interesting,” then keep discreetly grabbing “Only one more little sliver” for the rest of the evening.

You’re not fooling anyone. Embrace the big pig within.

For those of us who couldn’t give a flying flip about football, you should totally make a perdy tin of it for your sweetie pie on February 14th. I’m 99% positive you’ll win some form of  “Valentine of the Year” award…at least you would in my book if that counts. I can’t think of anything that says “I love you” like chocolate, peanut butter, and bacon.

And for those of us who lack both any sort of enthusiasm for football AND a romantic sweetheart, whip up a batch for yourself, go buy a bottle of wine, and be your own greatest Valentine ever.

Just throwing a possibility out there.

Not Pathetic.

You hush.

 

Big Pig Bacon Bark

• saltine crackers (about 1 & 1/2 sleeves)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 slices bacon (or more!)
• 1/4 cup crushed potato chips ( I used Lays classic)

Cook the bacon in a  skillet over medium heat until crisp, set aside on paper towels to cool and drain of grease.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil and spray with cooking spray. Line with one layer of saltines, leaving no space between crackers.

In a pot, add the butter and brown sugar and heat on medium-high heat until boiling. Once boiling, remove from heat and evenly pour over the saltines.

Bake for about 5 minutes until the toffee is boiling all over. In the meantime, you can crumble the cooled, drained bacon and set aside. Remove the baking sheet from oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee. Let them sit for a minute until they begin melting.

With a knife or heat-proof spatula, spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee. Drop the peanut butter by tablespoon over the warm chocolate and swirl throughout with a butter knife (or your finger) until the whole sheet is covered.

Even sprinkle the bacon bits and potato chip crumbs over the top and lightly press it into the chocolate.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Once set, break into pieces and store in an air tight container.

 

 

 

P.S. Check out some other awesome treats from throughout the week at Sweets for a Saturday!!