Sweet Piggy Peckers
A great appetizer for your party and is easy to make. I always do two or three packages as everyone seems to devour them quickly.
A great appetizer for your party and is easy to make. I always do two or three packages as everyone seems to devour them quickly.
- Carbohydrate 0.118272 g
- Cholesterol 25.088 mg
- Fat 12.825344 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 4.782848 g
- Saturated Fat 4.2629888 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (36g)
- Sodium 263.2448 mg
- Sugar 0.118272 g
- Trans Fat 1.3131776 g
- Calories 137 calories
Step-by-step
- PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREES
- DIVIDE THE BACON INTO THIRDS
- WRAP INDIVIDUAL WEINERS WITH A SLICE OF BACON
- STICK WITH A TOOTHPICK TO HOLD BACON TOGETHER
- PLACE IN SHALLOW BAKING DISH
- AFTER ALL ARE ASSEMBLED SPRINKLE LIGHT BROWN SUGAR OVER THE TOP EVENLY AND ABOUT 1/8" THICK
- PLACE IN OVEN AND BAKE FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE BROWN SUGAR IS MELTED ON TOP OF THE WEINERS.
- REMOVE AND THEY ARE READY TO SERVE.
Skimping on the toothpick quality leads to structural failure when the bacon shrinks and tightens during baking. Standard thin round wood picks often burn or snap under heat, so selecting thick flat picks prevents splitting. Baking these appetizers requires a rimmed baking sheet lined with heavy-duty foil because the melting sugar turns into a sticky, carbonized varnish at 325 degrees that ruins unprotected pans.
Originating from the mid-century cocktail party circuit, this style of wrapped meat appetizer relies on the classic thermodynamic reaction between curing salts in pork and dry heat. Smoked cocktail links wrapped in cured belly slices underwent a massive surge in popularity during the 1950s when processed canned and packaged meats dominated American hostessing. Culinary historians trace the method to regional potluck traditions across the American Midwest, where wrapping small proteins in cured pork and encasing them in unrefined cane sugar became a staple format for large gatherings.
Rendering the fat safely demands precise control over the bacon thickness. Standard-cut bacon works significantly better than thick-cut varieties because thick slices fail to crisp before the interior sausage overheats and splits open. Slicing each raw strip strictly into thirds ensures equal coverage around the miniature sausages without overlapping layers that trap raw fat.
Allowing the tray to rest for five minutes after the forty-five-minute baking window lets the liquefied sucrose cool into a stable, shatter-crisp glaze. Transferring the pieces immediately to a separate parchment-lined platter prevents them from cementing permanently to the cooling pan as the sugar hardens.
