Mmmmmm, bacon jam.
My love for bacon jam started back in 2010 when I went to Salem, MA, for Halloween. I may have overindulged in the spirit world to the point where I had a day-long hangover the next day. To help the headache pass, I made my way to this cute little waterside restaurant with an outdoor deck. Once seated, I proceeded to order baked goat cheese, a cheeseburger (covered with bacon jam) and fries, and a side of mashed potatoes. There *may* have been more food, but I don't fully remember.
Anyway, bacon jam ...
Probably one of the most versatile "toppings" you can make. Need something to go with gooey, melty brie? Bacon jam. Want to spice up your traditional bacon cheeseburger? You guessed it. Trying to impress friends or family with a "grown up" BLT? Bingo. See where I'm going with this? You really can't lose when you top something with bacon jam.
Side note: bacon jam also goes REALLY well on top of buttery mashed potatoes. Promise.
Ingredients for bacon jam:
- 1 package of bacon
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ water
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- Pepper, to taste
Directions:
Chop your bacon into small, ¼" pieces and cook in large skillet until crispy. Remove bacon and let drain on paper towels. Depending on how much grease is left in the pan, discard all but about 2 tablespoons. Add the diced shallots and cook until soft. Once your shallots are starting to caramelize, add the minced garlic and stir for about a minute. Next, add the brown sugar, water, apple cider vinegar, and pepper to the shallot/garlic mixture and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let the mixture start to simmer and then reduce the heat to about medium. After about 5-10 minutes, the mixture should be reduced slightly and thickened. At this point, add the bacon pieces into the skillet, stir until combined, and cook together for a minute or two. Then serve!
Serving ideas:
1. Heat a wheel of brie in the oven for about 10 minutes, remove, and then top with the jam.
2. Slice a sourdough baguette into ½" slices and toast. Top each slice with about ½ tsp stone ground mustard and ½ tsp mayo. Then add a few pieces of lettuce or spinach, bacon jam, and sliced cherry tomatoes.
3. Take your ½ pound of raw burger meat and form a ball. Poke a hole about halfway into the ball and stretch it out slightly. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon jam and then close the hole. Carefully pat the ball to form a burger patty. Cook to desired temperature. Serve with cheese and other preferred toppings.
A few of the kitchen gadgets used to make this recipe are:
If you're looking for additional tomato recipes, check out our Whipped Burrata with pasta and tomatoes.