Bacon Jam

Yesterday I received an email that included a copy of the Chowhound at Home Digest. The article was titled Bacon you can Spread on Bread. This caused me to do a search for variations of Bacon Jam. I copied 6 but think below is the one I will try first. Has anyone made Bacon Jam? Do you have a tried and true recipe?

Bacon Jam

An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
I cooked it for two hours, watching the shade go from pink to a dark, glistening brown and then pulverised it in the food processor and tasted it. It was fabulous. I’ve developed this rather annoying habit of High Fiving people (which worries me somewhat as I wonder if it goes along with speaking about yourself in the third person) and if I were anyone else around I would have High Fived them. This was good stuff indeed. I don’t know how it compares with the Skillet Foods Bacon Jam as I’ve never tried it but this is good on it’s own and doesn’t need to be an imitation.
You can do this with regular bacon but smoked or double smoked bacon is best to convey the bacon flavour but it is by all definitions delicious. if you use regular bacon the addition of liquid smoke might be a good idea to replace the smokiness. Sweetish (it is after all a jam) and spicy (although the spiciness can be adjusted to your taste) the savoury goodness of it and the versatility meant that after 4 days, the jar of this bacony friend was depleted. During this past long weekend I asked Mr NQN what he wanted every day for breakfast and the answer was: “That Bacon Jam”.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you get obsessive about recipes or food items? If so, what food was your latest obsession?

* 500grams/1 pound smoked bacon (or use regular bacon and liquid smoke)
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 medium brown onion sliced
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* Tabasco sauce (according to taste)
* 1 cup coffee
* 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* Black pepper to taste
* extra water

1. In a non stick pan, fry the bacon in batches until lightly browned and beginning to crisp. Using a pair of scissors cut into 1 inch pieces.

2. Fry the onion and garlic in the rendered bacon fat on medium heat until translucent.

3. Transfer the bacon, onion and garlic into a heavy based cast iron pot and add the rest of the ingredients except for the water. Simmer for 2 hours adding 1/4 of a cup of water every 25-30 minutes or so and stirring.

4. When ready, cool for about 15-20 minutes and then place in a food processor. Pulse for 2-3 seconds so that you leave some texture to the “jam” or of course you could keep whizzing and make it a smoother and more paste like.

Bacon Jam – Your Wildest Dreams Come True!
October 8th, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella