Bacon Onion Jam Recipes

SIMPLE ONION AND BACON JAM

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until fat has rendered and bacon is evenly browned but not yet crisped, about 5 minutes.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add onions to the pan with the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until onions are soft and lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Lower heat to a simmer and add balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon water.
• Simmer until jam comes together, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining tablespoon water and remove from heat.

BACON-ONION JAM

Steps:

• Set a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is completely rendered and the bacon has started to crisp, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot, and add the onions, mustard seed, brown sugar, vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir to combine, then cover the pot, lower the heat and allow the mixture to cook undisturbed for 15 or 20 minutes. Remove the top, stir again and then partly cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cook until most of the liquid is gone and the onions have achieved a dark brown jamminess, approximately 60 to 70 minutes. (Add a little more water as needed.)
• Taste the jam, and add salt and pepper if necessary.
• Remove mixture from heat, and allow to cool slightly. Spoon the jam into a jar or bowl, then allow to cool completely. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH BACON-ONION JAM

Steps:

• For the bacon-onion jam: Heat the oil in a cast-iron pan on medium heat; add the onion and cook until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the bacon and thyme and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer the bacon and onion from the pan with a slotted spoon into a small saucepot. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan for cooking the tenderloin.
• Put the saucepot with the bacon-onion mixture over medium-low heat and add the brown sugar and coffee. Cook the mixture down to a thick consistency, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.
• For the pork tenderloin: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels, sprinkle with the garlic powder and season well with salt and pepper.
• Heat the reserved bacon grease in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and place the tenderloin in the hot fat. (This comes out even better if you use the same pan you made the jam in; you get all the flavor from the jam.) Sear on all sides, then transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking to an internal temperature of 135 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the bacon-onion jam.

CHEF JOHN'S BACON JAM

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat until bacon is crispy and the rendered fat is foaming, about 10 minutes. Pour bacon and rendered fat into a strainer placed over a bowl to drain fat. When fat is drained and bacon is cool enough to handle, remove bacon to a cutting board and finely chop.
• Return pot to medium heat; drizzle 2 teaspoons reserved bacon fat and butter in pan. Saute onions and 1 teaspoon salt until soft and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir brown sugar, sherry vinegar, 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, black pepper, and cayenne into onion mixture; add bacon. Stir water into bacon mixture and cook until jam is a brick-brown bacon color and has a jam consistency, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme into jam; stir until shiny and heated through.

CARAMELIZED ONION-BACON JAM

Steps:

• In 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon; set aside.
• Cook onions and shallots in bacon drippings over medium-low heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden brown and tender. Add brown sugar, vinegar, cider and thyme. Reduce heat to low; cook 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in bacon. Cool to room temperature. Store covered in refrigerator.

BACON JAM

Steps:

• Fry the bacon in a large non-stick pan for 5-10 mins mins until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
• Turn the heat to low and cook the onion in the bacon fat for 15-20 mins until soft and starting to brown. Stir in the garlic, sugar, cider vinegar, bourbon, maple syrup, coffee and the bacon.
• Cook slowly for 25-30 mins, stirring occasionally until thick and syrupy. Turn off the heat, leave to cool for a few mins, then carefully tip everything into a food processor. Pulse briefly to chop into small pieces, then leave the mixture to cool before packing it into two sterilised jars. Will keep for up to one month in the fridge.

SLOW-COOKER BACON JAM

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.
• Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.