Making jam doesn’t always involve cooking down seasonal fruit. Sometimes it involves caramelizing onions and shallots in bacon fat, maple syrup, and brown sugar for a sweet and savory spread that tastes incredible with cheese (and just about everything). You can probably find jarred artisanal bacon jam at a specialty store, but it’s crazy easy to make your own. Keep reading on below for everything you need to know:
What People Are Saying:
“Super easy and was a total hit. I had some leftover homemade bread and used the jam coupled with a Parmesan/Asiago cheese spread to make an awesome bruschetta. Now will be a mainstay!” – Puce
How To Make Bacon Jam
INGREDIENTS
- Bacon: I recommend chopping the bacon into 1” pieces before cooking so that it cooks faster. If you prefer turkey bacon over pork, that’s also fine.
- Onion & Shallot: I chose a yellow onion, but feel free to use what you have on hand. If you’re not a fan of onions, then omit them. You want both the onion and the shallots to be chopped very finely so that they cook and caramelize quickly in the pan.
- Garlic: Let’s be real—garlic makes everything better. I recommend not adding in the garlic until after the onions and shallots are caramelized so that it doesn’t burn.
- Brown Sugar & Maple Syrup: Brown sugar and maple syrup adds that necessary sweetness that contrasts the smoky bacon.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds some necessary acidity to this bacon jam. Switching up the vinegar is not a problem. Whether you choose white wine vinegar, balsamic, white balsamic, or sherry, make sure you adjust and balance sweetness.
- Chili Powder: A little bit of chili powder adds some spice that prevents this bacon jam from being too sweet; feel free to add more if you want more heat.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
After your bacon is chopped into 1″ pieces, add it to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook your bacon until crispy, but don’t go overboard—too-crispy bacon will make your jam taste burnt. Once done, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.
