On its own, bacon has an almost cult-like following. Some restaurants dedicate whole weeks – or even menus! – to a bacon-centric fair to celebrate the salty cut of pork.
One such way bacon is being used is through bacon jam, a relish that involves slow cooking the bacon along with onions, vinegar, brown sugar and spices, before mixing in a food processor.
How is it Made?
Making jam can feel daunting to people who are not familiar with the process. It often involves cooking down fruit for a long period of time, and some look at jams as luxury culinary buys. In reality, it’s quite easy to make it at home.
To start, chop your bacon of choice up and fry it until it’s crispy. Add to the pan finely chopped onions and shallots so it all can caramelize in about 15 minutes.
Add to the skillet apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic, and cook until the liquid has reduced and thickened. The whole process should take only a half hour.
A Plethora of Flavors
To this base mixture, you can add many other things to make varieties of bacon jam. If you like spice, consider throwing in habanero peppers or jalapenos.
You can add some maple syrup or agave nectar for a unique taste.
Substitute balsamic vinegar for apple cider vinegar.
Use coconut sugar in place of brown sugar.
The Many Ways It Can Be Used
Bacon jam ramps up any recipe it’s added to.
Using it at breakfast can entail slathering it on toast, making it part of a bagel sandwich, or even tossing it into your scrambled eggs. Likewise, you can put it on French toast or pancakes and top it with maple syrup for a sweet and savory combination.
Bacon jam layers on flavors when combined with other meats. Mix it into ground meats that will be used for patties or meatballs, or add it to sauce being made for marinating chicken.
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a classic, and adding bacon jam will elevate it to take it out of the normal flavor profile.
Salads can be boring. However, if you infuse a homemade dressing with bacon jam it can make the salad feel more like a treat than a healthy option for lunch or dinner.
How To Store It
Though jams and jellies bring to mind the canning process, this is not something that is usable when it comes to bacon jam.
Bacon jam should be refrigerated and used within a week or two of when it’s initially cooked. Be sure to bring it up to room temperature before serving.
You may notice white flecks of fat in the jam, but those will disappear as the jam warms.
If you want to freeze it for a longer life, store the jam in straight shouldered mason jars and leave one inch of headspace. It should stay for up to 6 months in your freezer. Simply place it on the counter and let it thaw to use it.
