Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place bacon on top in a single layer. Sprinkle with brown sugar and some ground pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until crisped. Remove from oven and place bacon on a cutting board to cool slightly. Chop into small pieces and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, stir together flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Add in butter. Using your hands, break up butter and flour to resemble coarse corn meal. Dump in egg and buttermilk mixture, stirring until almost combined. Add in chopped bacon and stir until all the ingredients are combined.
Increase oven temperature to 425 degree F. Dump dough onto a floured surface. Flour your hands and pat dough down to about 1 inch thick. Cut into 1½ circles (or squares if you don't have a cutter). Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook in preheated oven about 9-12 minutes, until just beginning to become a golden brown on top. Serve warm.
Notes
For freezing: Once dough is cut out, freeze flat on a baking sheet until dough is frozen through, then place in a freezer bag to store. Let dough thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. Bake according to directions.