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These delicious sweet and savory brown sugar pork chop bacon wraps are sure to be a family favorite! They are perfect for dinner, make a great appetizer, and they are game day favorite.
Bacon wrapped pork chops are one of my most requested dishes from both the family and friends. I came up with this recipe with the help of Man Thing after trying the Paula Dean chicken bacon wraps. He had the idea of trying pork chop strips instead of chicken, and they turned out amazing!
I had initially shared this recipe on my old blog, and it went viral and even won a few recipe awards. While I may be partial since we created the recipe, I still think it must be pretty darn good based on the old reviews and awards, but I’ll let you guys be the judge of that. Be sure to come back and rate it and follow up with a comment to let me know what you think about this recipe!
(Side note: my old blog was hijacked and the URL redirected to a shopping site. I lost several hundred posts, but that’s another story for another day, I’m just trying to get this recipe back out there to share with others so they too, can enjoy it.)
Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go over how to make this yummy brown sugar pork chop bacon wrap recipe! A.K.A. pork chop bacon wraps, bacon and pork chop wraps… well you get the idea… lots of names, same great recipe! You can also scroll own on down for a formal recipe card and printable instructions, but we will go step-by-step with photos first, so that it makes sense.
How Many Pork Chop Bacon Wraps Do You Need?
Ok – so this is an important part… To serve 3-4 people, you will need 4-6 pork chops that are about 3/4 – 1″ thick. Depending on how wide the pork chops are, each one will make 2-3 wraps/strips. I would suggest cooking a few extra because they really are that good, and because they reheat well and they are great for lunch/leftovers… And, because you will be snacking on them the rest of the night!
I have the recipe set for four servings, and that is correct depending on who you are serving… It’s plenty for two people, it’s enough for four people going by a standard portion, but I’m telling you, you will wish you had more! I would say use as many pork chops as you normally do when you cook any other pork chop meal. While the standard serving is one chop according to nutrition standards, let’s face it, many people eat two. If that’s the case, get two per person, or however many you normally cook. (Plus, any extras for leftovers!)
Don’t be afraid to do one and a half batches, or even double the recipe! If you double it be sure to have either a really large baking pan with the rack like this one that I use. I found it at Sam’s Club, but they also have them on Amazon. I love this pan! It’s 15″ x 21″ x 2″, and I use it for so many things from cookies, to crispy oven baked chicken thighs, and bacon pork chop wraps! You can also use two smaller baking pans with racks cook them in two batches.
Pork Chop Bacon Wraps Ingredients
- 4 Boneless Pork Chops cut 3/4 – 1″ thick (about 2 lbs) Look for lean chops!
- 2 cups Dark Brown Sugar (light will work, too!)
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic Salt (or less to taste) Preferably Lowry’s Garlic Salt with parsley and garlic granules. If you are trying to keep it lower sodium, you can use garlic powder and/or both. The Lowry’s just has a great blend of garlic granules and salt so that it isn’t too salty.
- 1 12 oz pkg Sliced Bacon Most bacon comes in 12-16 oz package. 12 oz should be fine for 4-6 chops. Ultimately, you will want one slice per one pork chop strip, so depending on the width, you will need 2-3 slices per pork chop. You may want to grab a second pack just incase! Use regular bacon – no thick cut and no market style.
Prepare Your Wrap & Roll Station
The first step in making these delicious pork chop bacon wraps is to get every thing set up. I know, that sounds like common sense, but you’ll want to do the meats last, so that they stay cool and don’t sweat.
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, I will say, if you need to alter the temperature a few degrees that is fine. One of my baking pans is safe for up to 450 degrees, but the rack that came with it is safe up to 400, so I have cooked them at 390 degrees when using that pan, and they turn out fine! Aim for 400 degrees, and if you need to go lower, you can, but try not to go too low as you want a nice hot oven to seal in juices and make the bacon a little more crispy. If the temp is too low, the moisture will cause all the brown sugar to drip off, and they won’t be near as good.
Cover your baking pan with aluminum foil, and then add the rack. Set the pan to the side on the counter where you will be preparing your pork chops. You will want the pan close so that you aren’t getting brown sugar everywhere. The foil is not required, but it will make clean up a lot easier. Trust me, you do not want to have to scrub bacon caramel off the bottom of the pan once it cools. Y’all don’t come at me sideway if you don’t use foil and have a messy pan to clean up.
Prepare the brown sugar mix. Mix two cups of brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of garlic salt (preferably Lowry’s), and 1 tablespoon of chili powder in a deep dish. I like to use a pie pan or a cake pan. Make sure it’s about 1-2″ deep so that you can mix the ingredients well and have plenty of room to coat the wraps without getting the sugar everywhere.
Prepare the porkchops by removing any excess fat, and then cutting them into strips. Depending on the width of the chops, You can usually get 2-3 strips per chop. Most come out to only two strips per chop, but the wide ones will yield 3 strips. Make sure they are somewhat uniform in size. You will get the occasional strip that has a narrower end, and that is fine. You will either tuck that into to the end of the wrap or wrap a little more bacon around that end so that it will cook evenly.
Layout the bacon in strips. Once you cut your pork chops in strips, count the number of strips it yielded, and then grab that many strips of bacon and set aside. Go ahead and add an extra strip or two. You will use the extra pieces as needed to cover longer strips. If your bacon is really thin, you may need to add more, and if the strips of bacon are really narrow, you may need more. It really depends on the width of the bacon, but start with one piece per strip, and toss in a few extras. (This will keep you from having to stop, wash your hands, and fumble with the bacon while you are in the middle of wrapping your strips. Or, you could be like me and just yell for Man Thing to come grab you a few more strips of bacon, if needed. Either works fine.)
Roll, Wrap, & Roll
Now that you have your pork chops stripped, your bacon pulled apart, your sugar mixture ready, and your pan prepared, it’s time to roll, wrap, and roll! Your three phases will look something like the image below…
Start by taking a pork chop strip and rolling it in the brown sugar, coating it well. Toss it to coat, but do not pack it on. And, don’t try to do multiple at one time. You really need to do them one at the time so that they don’t sweat and get too wet. Seriously, one at the time.
Next, take the sugarcoated chop strip and starting at one end of the strip, roll the bacon around the strip slightly overlapping it with each wrap. Pull it firmly so that it is nice and secure, but not tight enough to tear the bacon. If you have extra bacon at the end, simply wrap it around back towards the other end. (Extra bacon is rare, but it does happen on shorter strips.) If you have extra bacon on every strip, then you may not be overlapping it well. If you don’t have enough bacon to finish that strip, then grab another piece of bacon and add to it, then remove the excess and set aside for the next time you come up short. In general, you should be using one piece of bacon per chop – you will get the hang of the wrapping part.
After you wrap the pork chop in bacon, coat it with the brown sugar mixture, again, then place it on baking rack, and continue the process, spacing them at least one inch apart. For this part, you won’t be rolling it around in the mixture so much as simply coating it by packing the brown sugar on it. If you roll it too much, the bacon will come off. Coat it generously!(See photo below!) Don’t be afraid to over do it.
Make sure you space them at least an inch apart. The more space the better, so that they don’t steam themselves and become soggy.
The photo above doesn’t really show it, but this is a very large baking plan that measures 15″ x 21″. Prior to buying this pan, I used two broiler pans with racks and they worked fine. Really, any of these broiler pans will work, as long as the chops aren’t sitting in the juices as they cook. If they are, it won’t be the end of the world, but they are going to be more soggy, and the bacon caramel drippings may be a little overpowering for some. (Not me, I put the drippings in a bowl and dip my wraps and French fries in it, but the rest of the family says it’s too sweet that way.) Either way, just make sure you cook them on a rack so that they are raised up out of the drippings. If you don’t have a good broiler pan check out these on Amazon and these on Walmart.com.
Time to Cook those Yummy Pork Chop Bacon Wrap Masterpieces You Just Made!
Once you have all your pork chop bacon wraps prepared, on the baking pan, and spaced one inch apart, place them in the pre-heated oven and cook them about 17-20 minutes. The exact time will vary depending on your oven, the exact size of your chops, and other factors. You want to make sure that the bacon is done, and the brown sugar is starting to caramelize on top. Once you reach that point, the chops will be done.
Keep in mind, the bacon will not be crunchy, by any means, but it will be nice and firm and done like normal bacon – just not crispy, crunchy bacon dust. The brown sugar will have melted and still have a few bits of granules sparkling on top, which is perfectly fine and will add to the texture! (You will learn these are the best ones!)
Don’t be afraid to sneak one out of the oven, cut it in half, and make sure the chop is done. It should be nice and juicy, but not pink. If they are done, go ahead and take the pan out the oven and let them cool. They should look something like this. (These are plated for serving… they were not cooked in this dish!)
Look how yummy they look. You can see that some of the brown sugar did drip off while they were cooking, but there is still lots of amazing goodness in those little, savory strips of delight! Notice the bits of bubbly brown sugar and a few unmelted granules. That’s where it’s at, y’all!!!
While your pork chop bacon wraps are cooling, take the one you used to test the doneness, and eat it! Eat the whole thing. Enjoy it! I like to call it Mom Tax, or Chef’s Tax. Either way, enjoy the wholesome goodness of the sweet and savory pork chop wrap that you just mastered that the whole family is about to rave about! You deserve it!
So, what do you think? Sounds delicious, right? Well, that’s because it is!!!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please be sure to share it so that you don’t lose it, and so that your friends and family can enjoy it, too! You can hover over the left corner of this image (or any of these images on this recipe) and save them straight to your Pinterest Board.
Brown Sugar Pork Chop Bacon Wraps
Equipment
- 1 Baking Pan with Rack
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless Pork Chops (about 2 lbs) Look for lean chops that are 3/4-1 " thick
- 2 cups Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- ½ tbsp Garlic Salt (or less to taste)
- 1 12 oz pkg Sliced Bacon Regular bacon – no thick cut or market style
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cover a large baking pan with aluminum foil, and then place the baking rack inside the pan.
- Mix brown sugar, garlic salt, and chili powder together in a deep dish. (A pie pan and or cake pan works well.)
- Using a sharp knife, remove any excess fat from the the pork chops, and then cut into 3/4 – 1 inch strips. Keep the strips consistent but some variation is okay due to different widths of the chops. Each chop should make 2-3 strips depending on how wide the chops are.
- Remove the bacon from the package and separate the pieces. Count out enough slices of bacon for each pork chop strip, and then add one or two extra pieces incase you need a little extra for longer chops.
- Roll a single pork chop strip in the brown sugar mixture, then immediately wrap the strip in a piece of bacon. Wrap the bacon around tightly (without tearing the bacon), and slightly overlap the bacon with each wrap around the strip. Immediately after wrapping the pork chop strip in bacon, roll it in the brown sugar mixture again, and firmly pack the brown sugar onto the wrap, and then set it on the baking rack.Continue on with the next pork chop strip, and continue the process until they are all completed.Make sure the wraps are evenly spaced in the pan on the rack. Try to leave at least an 1-2" between each one. More space is better because this will allow them to cook more evenly and the bacon crisp while holding onto the brown sugar mixture. If they are too close, they will steam, the bacon will be very soggy, and the brown sugar mixture will all drip off while cooking.
- Place the pan in the pre-heated oven on the middle rack and bake 17-20 minutes until done. Don't overcook. They are usually ready when the bacon is done and the brown sugar is bubbly and starting to caramelize.Do not place on the bottom rack or else the drippings will burn and smoke up the oven.Keep in mind, the bacon will not be super crispy, but it won't be soggy, either. The brown sugar mixture should be starting to bubble slightly and have a nice caramelized appearance with a few crispy edges and some of the brown sugar that may not have caramelized.
- Once they are done, remove them from the oven, and allow the pork chop wraps to cool. They will be very hot! Serve as an appetizer or as the main meal with your favorite side dishes. These go great with fries, mac & cheese, and just about any other side dish that goes well with barbeque-like flavors.
Let Me Know What You Think?
Do you plan on trying it? Did you already try it? I love feedback, so be sure to let me know what you think about this Sweet & Savory Pork Chop Bacon Wraps Recipe! I’m open to any suggestions as well.
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Susan Sikes says
This sounds amazing! I pinned it for later. Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie says
Thanks, Susan!
Jennifer Wise says
I am not surprised that this recipe has won awards. It looks so delicious! Pinned! 🙂 Thank you for sharing this post at the Will Blog for Comments #23 linkup. Hope to see you there next week, too!
Jennifer Wise says
P.S. I couldn’t see a place to leave a comment on the other post you shared at Will Blog for Comments #23 linkup, the “Verity” book review. Sounds like a gripping novel. I really enjoy suspense as well. Thanks for sharing the post at the linkup!
barrie says
These would be a great hit at my house! They look delish~!
Stephanie says
They are! (Make extras cause they are amazing the next day, too!
Brittany Gilley says
looks amazing!
Terri Quick says
Looks interesting
Amy Yung says
Looks yummy thanks
Carrie says
Looks yum
heather says
Oh my goodness, I am so printing this recipe out. I am so going to make this one it sounds amazing.
Stephanie says
Thanks, Heather! I’m sure you guys will love it. Be sure to let me know how it turns out!
heather says
I commented but I don’t see my comment so I am commenting again. I am so making this one it sounds amazing and one the whole family will love.
dclow1949 says
Thank you for sharing. I will have to give this a try at one of our family dinner.
Stephanie says
I’m sure the family will love it. I know mine does (and anytime we have guests over and I cook this, they go crazy for it!)
EsmeSalon says
Amazing and so interesting
I visited you via Eclectic Red Barn: Valentine DIYs on Happiness Is Homemade
My links: 36+37. We will be so happy if you share your links (Monday to Saturday) with us at SeniorSalonPitStop. Link under BLOGGING.
Stephanie says
Thanks for the visit. I’ll be sure to check out the SeniorSalonPitStop.
EsmeSalon says
Awesome, hope to see you this week
@saleago says
They actually look really good. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
lisasvance says
These look delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’m looking forward to giving it a try.
dancndragn15 says
I forsee another diet coming on
Faythe A says
sounds yummy. saving for later.
Miz Helen says
Thanks so much for your awesome post. We have featured your post at Full Plate Thursday, 681. I sure hope you will come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Stephanie says
Thank you, so much! ❤️ That’s quite an honor!