Bacon jam combines sweet, savory, and salty in a delicious combination. This jam is a versatile condiment that has many uses.
How to Make Bacon Jam
The key ingredients in bacon jam are bacon and onions, as well as some type of sugar and a little bit of liquid. Use the finest quality bacon you can find for the best flavor.
Basic Bacon Jam
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds uncured bacon, diced in 1 inch pieces
- 2 sweet yellow onions, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup coffee, brewed
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (not maple flavor - pure maple syrup)
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
Method
- Over medium heat, cook bacon in a sauté pan until it is crisp and fat is rendered.
- Remove bacon from fat with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels.
- Remove all but two tablespoons of fat from skillet and return the skillet to medium-high heat.
- Add onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about five minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add vinegar, coffee, syrup, and brown sugar, and stir to combine. Return to a boil.
Stir cooked bacon into remaining ingredients. - Stir in bacon.
- Pour in a crockpot and turn crock on to high heat.
- Simmer in crockpot, uncovered, for three to four hours, until jam is thick and syrupy.
- Cool jam slightly and then pulse in a processor until spreadable, about 10 one-second pulses.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four weeks.
Alternatively, you can cook the ingredients (in the same order) in a large dutch oven. After you add the bacon back in, simmer in the dutch oven for 30 to 45 minutes until the jam is syrupy.
Spicy Bacon Jam
Ingredients
- 2 pounds smoked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 red onions, very thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 1 cup bourbon
- 1 cup coffee
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 3/4 cup ketchup
Method
- In a large dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until it starts to brown.
- Strain off all but 1/4 cup of bacon fat.
- Add onions to bacon and fat and cook until bacon is brown and onions are soft, eight to 10 minutes.
- Add brown sugar and cook for an additional five minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add garlic, cinnamon, cayenne, and nutmeg and cook for two more minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add bourbon, coffee, vinegar, and syrup. Bring to a boil, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, for about 35 minutes.
- Add ketchup and cook five more minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool.
- Pulse jam in a food processor until it has a spreadable consistency, about 10 one-second pulses.
- Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to four weeks.
Using Bacon Jam
Bacon jam has numerous delicious uses.
- Spread it atop steak or chicken.
- Use it as a spread for cornbread.
- Use a spoonful in the center of an omelet or in scrambled eggs.
- Add it to a grilled cheese sandwich.
- Use as a burger topping.
- Spread on toast and top with a poached egg.
- Spread on top of cream cheese and use as a dip for crackers.
- Spread in a quesadilla.
- Replace the bacon in a BLT with bacon jam.
- Spread on pancakes or waffles.
Give It a Try
Although it is a bit time-intensive, bacon jam is relatively simple to make. Once you get the basic idea behind it, it's easy to experiment with flavors variations and different spices. With such versatile goodness, bacon jam just may become your go-to condiment.
