Discover the unbeatable flavor of homemade bacon jam! Top a burger, spread on cream cheese and crackers, or on a slice of pizza. You have to try this stuff!
So, a few years ago, I started making food items and giving them away as Christmas gifts. The one thing that I keep coming back to as my go-to gift is Bacon Jam. This stuff is great! Smokey, sweet, salty and packed with flavor. Terrific as a simple cracker topper, as well as in more complex dishes.
This year, we went to my cousin’s house for Christmas with my mom’s side of the family. The dinner menu was very simple with finger foods, charcuterie boards, and some soups. My contribution was the bacon jam. So, I whipped up a batch.
While the bacon jam was simmering away on the stove, I threw a few blocks of cream cheese in a baking dish, scored the top, and sprinkled with a little barbecue dry rub. But, I didn’t stop there. I fired up the pitboss pellet smoker to add a little smoke to the cream cheese. Cream cheese benefits a lot from smoke, however you want to keep it as cool as possible to keep a nice consistency. So, I set the temp as low as it would go, which is 180°.
After a couple hours, both the cream cheese and the bacon jam were ready to go. So, I let the bacon jam cool a bit and then spooned it all over the top of the cream cheese. You want a nice dip with the cream cheese buried beneath that bacon jam, but you don’t want it melt it. So, let that stuff cool off.
Anyway, the bacon jam was a big hit. So, let’s get into it.
How can I use Bacon Jam?
- Add to a charcuterie board to pair with cheese, crackers, fruit, and different meats.
- As a topping for cheese burgers.
- Drizzle on some pizza
- Put it on a biscuit
- Pour it over some cream cheese and make a dip for a party
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to use Bacon Jam. Use your imagination and let your tastebuds lead the way. Get creative!
What ingredients do I need?
- Bacon: I prefer to use the “uncured” type, but feel free to use your favorite brand. The smokier, the better!
- Onions: I’ve used both red and yellow onions and both work pretty well.
- Jalapenos
- Apple: I used Honeycrisp apples, but other apples will probably work just as well.
- Garlic
- Coffee: This is brewed coffee. Brew up a big batch and have it ready to go before getting started. Make a little extra for yourself. My friend Justin makes some great coffee over at Ghost Branch Coffee Company! Grab some HERE.
- Maple Syrup: Grab some HERE
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Grab some HERE
- Chipotle Chile Powder: This will add a bit of smokiness and a little heat. If you don’t want it, leave it out. It’ll still be great. Grab some HERE
Bacon Jam
Ingredients
- 1 pound Bacon, diced
- 2 ½ cups Yellow Onion, diced
- ⅓ cup Jalapeno, diced about 2 jalapenos
- 2/3 cup Honeycrisp Apple, diced about 1 whole apple, can substitute for other apple variety
- 1 ½ cup Fresh Brewed Coffee
- ½ cup Maple Syrup
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Chipotle Chile Powder
Instructions
- Dice the bacon into small pieces. Add to pan and cook over medium heat.
- Once bacon is crisp and brown, remove from pan. Reserve one tablespoon of grease in the pan.
- Add the onions, apples, jalapenos, and garlic to pan and cook until onions are tender. Making sure to scrape up any brown bits, left by the bacon, as you stir.
- Add the bacon back to the pan with the veggies.
- Add coffee, maple syrup, vinegar, and chipotle powder to pan and stir to combine.
- Cook over low heat for about 2 hours. If the jam seems too dry before the end of the cooking time, add more coffee or water, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Once jam has thickened, remove from heat. Add 2/3 of the jam to a food processor and pulse a few times. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to roughly puree part of the jam. Mix back together with the other 1/3 of the remaining mixture and stir to combine.
- Transfer to a jar with a lid. Store in fridge.
