Pig Candy
Quick Bite
Wyoming Pig Candy is thick-cut bacon coated with sugar and spices, then baked low and slow until sweet, smoky, sticky, and crisp. It is bacon dressed up like dessert and somehow still perfectly acceptable before noon.
History
Pig candy, more broadly known as candied bacon, exists in many places, but Wyoming’s best-known version is tied to Cafe Genevieve in Jackson. Their Pig Candy is made with thick applewood-smoked bacon, coated in sugars and spices, and baked until it becomes a sweet-savory bite that is part breakfast side, part snack, part souvenir.
Cafe Genevieve helped make the dish famous beyond Jackson Hole through national food coverage, including appearances tied to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and The Today Show. That gave Pig Candy the kind of cult status that makes people order it at brunch, take it home, and then wonder why more bacon does not come glazed.
The appeal is simple: bacon already has salt, smoke, fat, and crunch. Add brown sugar, spice, and slow oven heat, and it becomes glossy, chewy-crisp, and dangerously snackable. The sugar caramelizes, the bacon firms up, and the whole thing lands somewhere between barbecue, breakfast, and candy counter.
A good Pig Candy should not be limp or burnt. It should have crisp edges, a little chew, a sweet crust, and enough pepper or spice to keep it from tasting like bacon dipped in syrup by accident.
Fun Facts
- Cafe Genevieve’s Pig Candy is one of Jackson Hole’s most famous bites.
- Thick-cut bacon works best because it can handle the sugar glaze without disappearing.
- Pig Candy can be served with brunch, on burgers, crumbled into salads, or eaten straight like a snack because self-control is optional.
Where to Try
The essential Wyoming Pig Candy stop, known for thick applewood-smoked bacon baked with sugars and spices.
Pig Candy is also sold as a take-home or shipped item through the restaurant’s shop.
Pig Candy-style candied bacon sometimes appears as a topping, side, or special in the area, but Cafe Genevieve is the main name tied to the Wyoming version.
About the Game
This recipe is part of Van Life Challenge, a travel-themed board game from Gray Dog Games where players explore the United States, discover regional foods, and collect memorable experiences along the way.
Each featured food celebrates a real place, a local flavor, and the kind of delicious roadside discovery that makes every trip feel like an adventure.
Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 325°F.
- Prepare the pan: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
- Arrange the bacon: Arrange the bacon strips on the rack in a single layer.
- Mix the sugar coating: Mix brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne if using, and smoked paprika if using.
- Brush with syrup: Brush bacon lightly with maple syrup.
- Add sugar: Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the bacon.
- Bake: Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the bacon is deeply browned, glossy, and crisp at the edges.
- Cool: Cool on the rack for 5 to 10 minutes. It will firm as it cools.
- Serve: Serve warm or room temperature.
