You need to try this recipe
For today's recipe, we're sharing a personal favorite—bacon jam. If you've never had bacon jam before, you're in for a treat. This recipe is relatively simple to make, which makes it even better.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. Bacon
- 12 oz Onion
- 6 oz Jalapeno
- 1 oz Garlic
- 8 oz Cider Vinegar
- 16 oz Coffee
- 2 oz Molasses
- Hot Sauce
- 16 oz Brown Sugar
Time
1 hour total, 30 minutes active
Yield
4 lbs Bacon Jam
Equipment
Stove Top
A few notes about the recipe:
I've had Bacon Jam before and it was gross - is this any different?
YES. So much yes. You'll find bacon jam in some farmer's markets or higher end grocery stores as a "novelty" item for bacon lovers, but it ends up tasting like faux bacon rubber jam.
Our bacon jam recipe is all about a balance of sweet, savory, salty, and sour flavors for an extreme depth of flavor. Out of all of my recipes, this continues to be most people's favorite.
Why such a large quantity?
I've found that you can never have too much bacon jam because it's good spread on nearly anything. You can certainly make it in whatever size batch you'd like, but I would suggest doing no fewer than 2 lbs. of bacon because it will go fast!
But how does it transform a cheeseburger?
Seriously, it's the best bacon cheeseburger ever. I HATE that restaurants think slapping two strips of bacon in a criss-cross pattern counts as a good bacon burger.
Bacon jam allows you to spread bacon-y goodness in every bite and when you melt some cheese and top with pickles to help cut the richness, baby you've got a hell of a burger. See below for my recommended burger construction.
1. Fry the Bacon
- 4 lbs Bacon
Dice all 4 pounds of bacon into a 1/4-inch dice, and add to a large pot over medium heat to fry the bacon. When it's finished frying, drain the grease - be sure to keep a couple tbsp's to fry the veggies in.
2. Add the Vegetables to Sweat
- 12 oz Onion
- 6 oz Jalapeno
- 1 oz Garlic
Add about 2 tbsp leftover bacon grease to the same pot, set over medium heat. Add all of the vegetation and begin to sweat the vegetables until translucent.
3. Add the Liquids
- 8 oz Cider Vinegar
- 16 oz Coffee
Once the veggies are tender and translucent, add the liquids and allow to come to a simmer. Reduce for about 5-10 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
4. Add the Cooked Bacon Back into the Pot
Once the liquids have reduced, add the cooked bacon back into the pot and stir to combine.
5. Incorporate the Sugars
- 2 oz Molasses
- 16 oz Brown Sugar
First, stir in the molasses. Then, add half of the brown sugar. I like to work using the brown sugar in installments so I can allow it to caramelize and liquefy before adding the second half.
6. Reduce/Caramelize the Sugar
Once all of the sugar has been added, allow to simmer and reduce, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a thick, sticky, and jammy texture.
I like my jam to still be a bit chunky and rough, so I get a nice bite/texture when I spread it out. If you're looking for a smoother consistency, you can certainly transfer the jam to a food processor and blend to your desired texture.
7. Serve!
My personal favorite is making the best damn bacon cheeseburger - getting bacon-y goodness in each and every bite. The best part is, you don't have to over-do it with toppings - the burger shown here is my all time favorite: American cheese, tomato, lettuce, my "Special Sauce", and a toasted brioche bun.
It's simple but the simplicity is key - too often people are trying to build the most outrageous burgers that they forget about the eating experience.
P.S.
My special sauce recipe is as follows:
- 8 oz Mayonnaise
- 4 oz Yellow Mustard
- 4 oz Ketchup
- 1 oz Cider Vinegar
- 2 oz Pickles, diced
- 1 oz Pickled Jalapenos, diced
- Lemon Zest, to taste
- Hot Sauce, to taste
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
Combine all the ingredients and stir to incorporate - it will keep as long as you want it to in the fridge, but it won't take that long to eat.