Filthy pigs: chocolate covered bacon

The ice cream is really unneccesary. Trust me.

When it comes to a potluck, I like to bring out the big guns. I'm not ashamed to admit it: when I bring a dish to a party, I'm actively trying to show up the host. And nothing stops the show like chocolate covered bacon.

There are, in fact, some awesome things that shouldn't be combined. I'm talking about roller coasters and drinking games, or hundred-dollar bills and fireworks. But chocolate covered bacon? That, my friends, is exponentially more awesome than bacon or chocolate will ever be alone.

You'll need:

6 strips of bacon
Just under 1/4 c brown sugar
About half a bag of chocolate chips
Baking sheet with a raised lip
Aluminum foil
Double boiler
Wax paper

Start by pre-heating your oven to 425. Cover the baking sheet with a single piece of aluminum foil. (If you're using the heavy-duty kind, you should be able to cover fully with one sheet; overlapping multiple pieces will lead to bacon grease all over the pan, and nobody likes that.)

Lay out your bacon flat, with some wiggle room in between the slices. I happen to like Applegate Farms Sunday Bacon for this particular recipe. It's nice and thick, uncured, and full of flavor. If you decide to go with a sweeter bacon (and why not?) feel free to skip the brown sugar step.

Sprinkle a healthy dose of brown sugar onto each slice. And I do mean healthy--done right, this method will result in a sticky glaze that will kill sensitive teeth but delight your soul.

Now pop those suckers in the oven for about six minutes, turn the pan once, and bake for another 4-6 minutes (or until they've hit your preferred level of doneness.)

Meanwhile, toss the chocolate chips in a double boiler over a gentle simmer (not a boil!) and stir until you have a nice velvety consistency. (Note: I don't actually own a double boiler, and you probably don't either. It's cool. You can also float a small mixing bowl in a larger pot of simmering water.) Here's one place where quality counts: you're going to get much, much better results using a higher quality dark chocolate. I recommend Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. A lesser brand, like your standard Tollhouse Semi-Sweet Morsels, just won't melt as easily or stay smooth and melted for as long, and the next step will be a lot tougher.

Once you've poured off the excess grease (and saved it, for heaven's sake--bacon fat is worth its weight in gold) and let the bacon cool a bit, tear or cut the slices into about one-inch pieces. Then immerse the pieces fully in the chocolate and set them aside on the wax paper. (This is easily the messiest thing I've made with bacon thus far, so consider yourself warned--for optimal coverage, you're just going to have to get chocolate all over your fingers.)

You'll want to chill the pieces for at least an hour, preferably in the freezer, until the chocolate is firm. While you may enjoy your Filthy Pigs as an ice cream topping, they're pretty decadent on their own. Just try not to rub it in too much when all the other potluck guests start the inevitable accolades.