Kick Ass Bacon Jam

What is bacon jam?

Jam on its own is a preserve usually made with fruit. What makes it different from jelly is that it includes the pieces of fruit; whereas jelly doesn’t.

While we usually think of fruits like strawberries and boysenberries when we think of jam, jams can also be made using vegetables and even meats. Sometimes these types of preserved jars of goodness are called chutneys.

Honestly, the terms jam, jelly and chutney are mixed up a lot in everyday conversations. I make an amazing red pepper jelly, but technically, it should probably be called a jam, since it includes processed red pepper.

Bacon jam is a condiment that includes cooked bacon and onions that are preserved with sugar and vinegar. It’s delicious with crackers and smoked garlic cream cheese and it goes great on burgers.

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• Bacon: This recipe starts with the bacon. You can use any type of bacon, but I recommend sticking to a traditional thickness. If you choose thick-cut bacon, your jam will be a little too chunky.
• Red Onion: The red onion is the primary vegetable that adds wonderful flavor and natural sweetness to the bacon jam.
• Brown Sugar: In order for the jam to thicken, you need to add a lot of brown sugar. This also helps sweeten the jam. I prefer dark brown sugar because it has more molasses.
• Jalapeno: To counter the sweetness, use at least 1 jalapeno pepper.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Vinegar is also used to balance the sweetness. I like using red wine vinegar, but you can also use apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
• Beef Broth: Beef broth provides an elevated level or richness to this jam.
• Soy Sauce: In addition to the beef broth, the soy sauce adds umami to the bacon jam.
• Whiskey or Bourbon: Finally, what makes this bacon jam kick ass is the tablespoon of whiskey or bourbon. It’s completely optional but so good!

See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.

1. STEP ONE: Start by prepping all of your ingredients. Chop the bacon into pieces. Dice the onion and mince the jalapeno and garlic.

2. STEP TWO: Place a large sauce pot on the stovetop or grill over medium-high heat. Add the bacon to the pot and cook, until it’s brown and crispy.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy bacon from the pan, separating the drippings from the bacon itself. It’s okay if a few browned bits are still in the bottom of the pan.

Return 1 tablespoon of drippings to the pan and save the remaining tablespoons of bacon grease to use in other recipes.

3. STEP THREE: Reduce the burner to medium heat. Add the diced onion and diced jalapeno to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.

4. STEP FOUR: To the pot, add the brown sugar, beef broth, soy sauce, vinegar and whiskey. Let that cook down for about 15-20 minutes. You want the liquids to reduce and thicken.

5. STEP FIVE: Next, add the bacon crumbles to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.

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How to jar bacon jam

This bacon jam recipe makes 2 cups. I like to store the jam in 8-oz. jars. You’ll need two.

To make jarring the jam easier, use a wide-mouth canning funnel and a pitcher.

For even distribution, spoon the bacon and vegetables evenly into the jars. Then pour in the liquid and add the lids.

Let it cool to room temperature for about an hour before storing it in the refrigerator.

Storage

At this point, you can store the bacon jam in a sealed mason jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week. If you aren’t going to use it right away, you can freeze the jars for a few months. Thaw them in the refrigerator for best results.

As the jam cools, the bacon grease will start to harden on the surface. You can remove the top layer if you want, or just pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir the grease back into the jam.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation does not support canning cured meats like bacon using the boiling water method, so it’s best to make this in small batches.

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How to use bacon jam

Time to make all of those bacon lovers in your life happy.

• Give jars of bacon jam as food gifts. Add a little square of fabric under the jar ring to make it pretty or use double stick tape and strip cut from a brown paper bag to make a simple label. Just be sure to tell the receiver it needs to be stored in the fridge.
• The savory spread goes great on a cheese board, and you can serve it straight from the jar with a spoon.
• Use a jar of bacon jam on a pizza with some mozzarella and parmesan cheese or smear it on a grilled cheese sandwich.
• For a grown-up pub-style burger, top a patty with some bacon onion jam and blue cheese.

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