Ingredients
- 5 cups butternut squash about 1 large cut in 3/4” cubes
- 8 slices nitrate free bacon
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cooking fat rendered bacon fat or other preferred cooking fat*
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- pinch black pepper
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet wth parchment paper (I double lined mine)
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If using bacon fat* to roast the squash (optional) cook the bacon first: heat a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and cook bacon until 2/3 of the way done, then remove to drain on paper towels and set aside.
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Toss butternut squash with 1 1/2 Tbsp of bacon fat (or other cooking fat) and the sea salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the parchment lined baking sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes - until softened but not yet browning.
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Meanwhile, cut or break the partially cooked bacon into pieces, then whisk together the maple syrup and cinnamon in a small bowl.
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After roasting squash 25 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle the bacon over the top. Drizzle the maple syrup/cinnamon mixture evenly over squash and bacon, then very gently stir to combine and rearrange squash and bacon in a single layer.
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Return to oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes, checking after 10 to make sure the bacon and maple syrup aren’t burning.
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Once the bacon is crisp and squash is golden brown, remove from oven. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Using your rendered bacon fat will add about 5 minutes to cooking time since you'll have to wait for the bacon to cook before roasting the squash.