Bacon Jam

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There have been plenty of times when I’ve bitten into a burger and thought, a slight touch of sweetness would take this to the next level. Allow me to introduce you to my Bacon Jam. The liquid gold for burgers.

I wanted to create a condiment that would be the ultimate burger topper. It’s sweet, smoky, packed with caramelized onions, and the perfect balance for a savory burger. One bite with this on top will have you asking yourself why you didn’t try it sooner.

But don't just stop with just a burger, treat is as your new favorite condiment. Throw on a some toast in the morning, add it into a grilled cheese (highly recommended), or even top some fried chicken with it. It will take almost anything to the next level with my bacon jam.

The Cooking Process

It's pretty straight forward but a quick outline below:

1. Render down your bacon.
2. Cook down onions and garlic.
3. Add the liquids and sugar.
4. Return bacon back to the pan and simmer.

One technique that helps this bacon jam develop the most flavor is rendering the bacon over a low flame. We want to slowly release that bacon fat so we can use it to cook the onions and add even more flavor to the jam.

The Shopping List

Most of the ingredients used to cook this bacon jam are easy to find, but two that really stand out are espresso and bourbon. And no, your bacon jam is not going to turn into a latte.

The espresso adds a slight bit of acidity, but more importantly, it brings a subtle bitterness that balance the sweetness of the maple syrup and brown sugar. It also cuts through the richness of the bacon, keeping the jam from tasting overly sweet or heavy. I used espresso, but strong coffee works too.

The bourbon adds a beautiful warmth and a slightly smoky depth that ties the entire jam together.

All in all, it's all about flavor building and this bacon jam recipe is a perfect example of that.

Recipe

Yield: About 2 to 2¼ cups

• 16-20 tablespoon sized servings