Bacon Jam

Today I want to talk about a topic that I find very important and influential to our generation and has shaped our nation, good and bad. And that topic is…

BACON.

I’ve been in a pretty solid relationship with bacon going on 26 years now and I think we have things really figured out.  We recently decided to take things to the next level by delving into the world of bacon jam.

First things first for this recipe, get yourself a slow-cooker. I know most people probably have a slow-cooker already, but I’m not a big slow-cooker kind of person other than occasionally making pulled pork or something. But it’s perfect for making bacon jam.

For this delicious bacon jam you’ll need:

1 1/2 lbs sliced bacon, cut it crosswise into 1-inch pieces

2 medium yellow onions, diced small

3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 cup brewed coffee

Start by cutting your bacon up. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned.

Then, transfer the bacon to a plate with a paper towel to soak up some of the grease. You just need to keep about 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet. You can set the rest aside to use for something else if you want.

Next, dice your onions and smash your garlic. I really am not a person who should be giving you advice on how to dice an onion. If you are not training for Top Chef, head here for onion tips.

Add the onions and garlic to your pan and cook until onions are translucent, should take 5ish minutes. Next add in your vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee. Then bring that to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add your bacon back in to combine.

Transfer the whole mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until the liquid is syrupy. This should be about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Once your bacon jam is ready to enjoy, you can either throw it in the food processor and pulse until it’s coarsely chopped or you can leave it with bigger pieces of bacon and onions. I chose not to use a food processor because that was just more time between me eating that bacon jam.

You can serve this on pretty much anything because it’s bacon. I would primarily eat this on a burger because I just live life that way. I also love it straight up on a sliced baguette because that makes it the perfect snack.