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A jar filled with bacon jam with bourbon - square
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Bacon Bourbon Jam

Bacon lovers, get ready to fall in love with this easy bacon bourbon jam recipe. Enjoy this savory and sweet bacon spread with brie, bread, and crackers for a mouthwatering treat!
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Keyword bacon bourbon jam, bacon jam, bourbon bacon jam
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Servings 1.75 cups
Calories 379kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bacon (depending on the thickness - 16 slices - cut in 1 inch squares)
  • 2 tablespoons bacon grease (reserved from cooking the bacon)
  • 3 shallots (chopped in smallish pieces)
  • 1 clove garlic (or two cloves - crushed)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (pure)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (light brown)
  • 1/3 cup bourbon
  • 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat a Dutch oven on medium heat, once it heats up, use a kitchen scissors to cut the bacon in 1 inch pieces.
    1 pound bacon
  • Sauté the bacon until it has all crisped up. You will be removing bacon grease from the pan as the meat cooks. Set aside 2 tablespoons worth for the shallots.
    Line a plate with paper towels and as the bacon becomes crispy, you will remove the pieces and set them on the towels. Blot all the grease off the bacon.
  • Meanwhile, after you get the 2 tablespoons of bacon grease for the shallots, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add bacon grease and once that heats up, add the chopped shallots. Sauté for 5 minutes.
    2 tablespoons bacon grease, 3 shallots
  • Add crushed garlic and cook for another minute.
    1 clove garlic
  • Add maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon and apple cider vinegar. Stir until the sugar has melted and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove all the browned bits.
    1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup bourbon, 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
  • Bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. You want it to thicken somewhat.
  • Blot the bacon again and chop it further to the size you prefer. I like a chunky bacon bourbon jam.
  • Add the bacon to the thickened onion mixture and stir until combined.
  • Transfer to a jar and allow it to cool before tightening on the lid and storing in the refrigerator. It keeps for up to 2 - 4 weeks.
  • Enjoy

Notes

Helpful tips
  • As you probably have noticed, bacon (mostly) doesn't come in pound packages anymore. The reason is that with inflation, the price increase would have been too drastic. So most packages either come in 10 or 12 ounces.
  • The number of slices to use to get to a pound, will depend on how thick your bacon is. For me it was 16 slices.
  • You may want to fry the bacon in batches unless you have a big enough skillet. I did it all in one batch but I removed excess bacon grease as it became crispy.
  • I use kitchen scissors to cut the raw bacon up in 1 inch pieces before I add it to the bottom of the pan.
  • When I'm frying a lot of bacon, I use a tall pan like a Dutch oven or stockpot to lessen any bacon fat splatter to the stovetop.
  • I use metal tongs to turn the bacon as it crisps and take out pieces when they are done. I place them on a large, paper toweled lined plate. Once all the bacon has crisped up, use another paper towel to blot the grease off the top.
  • You could also use a slotted spoon to scoop crisped bacon out of the pan. Make sure to let the grease drain from the bacon before placing it on the paper towel.
  • The bacon will need to be crisped up because when it is added to liquid, it will 'wilt' somewhat.
  • You will NOT be adding any salt to this recipe since bacon is salty enough as it is.
  • Want to add a kick to your bourbon bacon jam recipe? Add a few dashes of chili powder, chipotle powder, or cayenne powder.
  • I like my jam with large to medium sized chunks of bacon, but if you want it smaller, add the bacon to a food processor and pulse it a few times.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 119g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 52g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 1764mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 2mg