The Best Bacon Jam Recipe (2024)

The Best Bacon Jam Recipe (1)

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This bacon jam recipe is easily the best in the world. Bacon, onions, brown sugar, coffee, and balsamic are slowly simmered until thick and jam-like. It's simple to make and perfect for serving as an appetizer to elevate cheese and crackers.

We love the sweet-savory taste of bacon in treats. If you do too, try our bourbon bacon peanut butter cookies, bacon bourbon caramel popcorn, or homemade bacon turtles!

The Best Bacon Jam Recipe (2)

Table of Contents hide

What is bacon jam?

Why you'll love it

Ingredients

Your bacon jam game plan

Is it safe to can jam?

Recipe FAQs

Ideas for using bacon jam

Popular bacon appetizer recipes

The Best Bacon Jam Recipe

This recipe was originally published in 2013. We've updated the post with some new photos and more information, but we've left the delicious recipe exactly the same.

Not to be dramatic, but this is the BEST bacon jam recipe in the world. We know that's a big statement, but we've been told it so many times that we have to believe it. There's something about the taste of sweet onions and smoky bacon that makes this jam totally irresistible.

The onions are sliced thick with chunks of chewy bacon throughout. All you have to do is simmer all the ingredients together in a pot on the stove. It will fill your home with amazing aromas, too.

If you're looking for compliments, bring this bacon jam to your next party. Your friends will love you for it!

What is bacon jam?

Bacon jam is a sweet condiment made with onions, bacon, brown sugar, and coffee. The ingredients are slowly simmered until they become a jam-like consistency. This popular condiment (also sometimes called bacon marmalade) has been popping up on menus everywhere in recent years.

Use it like jam and serve it with cheese and crackers or appetizers, slather it on burgers, or use it on grilled cheese for lots of bold and sweet bacon flavor.

Why is there coffee in here? While you don't taste any coffee flavor, it helps elevate and make the other flavors more pronounced. It's not a common bacon jam ingredient, and we think it's what makes our recipe so good.

Why you'll love it

There are so many reasons you'll love this bacon jam:

  • It's both savory and sweet
  • It's versatile – serve it on cheese boards or spread onto grilled sandwiches
  • It's easy to make
  • It can be prepared ahead of time
  • It stores well in the fridge for up to 3 weeks
  • It has bacon in it!
The Best Bacon Jam Recipe (3)

Ingredients

We've tried a few bacon jams before and while they've all been pretty darn tasty, we think this one is extraordinary. Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this bacon jam recipe:

  • Bacon – thick-cut bacon is best for this recipe.
  • Onions – sweet onions, quartered then sliced thick.
  • Brown sugar – adds a wonderful caramel taste and sweetness.
  • Water – is used so that the onions have extra time to soften and become jam-like.
  • Coffee – strong brewed coffee for maximum flavor.
  • Balsamic vinegar – for a mild acidity to balance out the flavors.

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Your bacon jam game plan

It's easy to make this bacon jam at home. Here's how to do it in a few simple steps:

  1. Start by slicing and cooking the bacon until just before it turns crispy. Remove it, along with some of the fat, from the pan and set it aside.
  2. Add the onions and cook until they're soft. Then, add the sugar and cook until the onions caramelize and turn dark brown.
  3. Add a splash of your leftover morning coffee (we're not joking!), some water, and the cooked bacon. Let everything simmer until it becomes thick and jam-like.
  4. Stir in a little balsamic, grab some cheese and crackers, and dig in!

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The Best Bacon Jam Recipe (4)

Is it safe to can jam?

Canning meat is often not recommended because of the risk of botulism in low acid foods. If you're thinking about canning some of this jam, it's best to do a little research to see if you're comfortable doing it. If you decide to can some of this bacon jam, using a pressure cooker is a must; boiling water won't do. Here are a few reputable publications on canning meat to get you started:

Recipe FAQs

How long does it keep?

It will keep in the fridge in a sealed jar or container for 2-3 weeks. When it's cold, some of the bacon fat will harden and turn white. Don't worry, as soon as it warms to room temperature it will look and taste amazing.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic?

Yes, you can. We like the dark color and the bit of sweetness that balsamic adds to this recipe. If you use apple cider instead, start with adding 1 teaspoon then adjust the amount to taste.

Should bacon jam be served hot or cold?

We like this jam best when it's served at room temperature. But we've also been known to eat it hot right after we make it or put it on crackers straight from the fridge.

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Ideas for using bacon jam

You might be wondering, what do you use bacon jam on? The real question is, what don't you use bacon jam on!

Of course, this jam is the perfect sweet condiment for pairing with crackers and cheese like brie or goat cheese. It's a staple on snack boards like our cheese board with pomegranate baked brie or our epic holiday cheese board.

We like to make little crostinis and serve them with other toppings like dried figs, rosemary, roasted cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or baby arugula. We even use it on bacon jam pizza!

It also adds incredible flavor to burgers and grilled sandwiches like this grilled cheese and apple recipe!

Give it as a gift! Tie a pretty ribbon around the lid of a glass jar and give it to someone you know who loves good food. Remember to let them know that it needs to go into their fridge after you give it to them – if they don't eat it all right away.

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The Best Bacon Jam Recipe (11)

The Best Bacon Jam Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Rate RecipePrint

This bacon jam recipe is easily the best in the world. Bacon, onions, brown sugar, coffee, and balsamic are slowly simmered until thick and jam-like. It's simple to make and perfect for serving as an appetizer to elevate cheese and crackers.

2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 lb thick cut bacon
  • 2 extra large sweet onions (quartered and thickly sliced)
  • ½ cup brown sugar (use coconut sugar for paleo)
  • ½ cup water
  • cup strong brewed coffee
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Cut the bacon into half-inch slices and add them to a large frying pan. Don't worry if the bacon pieces stick together, they will come apart as they cook. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the bacon is cooked but still quite chewy. A few crispy bits are ok. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan.

    1 lb thick cut bacon

  • Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Add the onions to the pan and cook for about 8-10 minutes then reduce the heat to low. Add the sugar and stir. Continue to cook until the onions have caramelized, about 20 minutes.

    2 extra large sweet onions, ½ cup brown sugar

  • Add the reserved bacon, coffee, and water and increase the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring about every five minutes, until the onions are thick and jam-like, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the balsamic. Taste for seasoning and salt if necessary.

    ½ cup water, ⅓ cup strong brewed coffee, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Bring back to room temperature before serving. There will be little spots of white fat when you take it out of the fridge. As the jam comes to room temperature, these will disappear.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2 tablespoons, Calories: 159kcal (8%), Carbohydrates: 10g (3%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 11g (17%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 19mg (6%), Sodium: 194mg (8%), Potassium: 118mg (3%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 9g (10%), Vitamin A: 11IU, Vitamin C: 2mg (2%), Calcium: 16mg (2%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

For more inspiration, check out all of our appetizer recipes!

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Kristen Stevens

Hi, I'm Kristen! I LOVE everything to do with food: making it, taking pictures of it, and (the best part) eating it. ♡♡♡

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Posted: 10/14/2013 Updated: 02/27/2024

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The Best Bacon Jam Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade bacon jam last? ›

Bacon jam can be safely refrigerated for two to four weeks. Any amount that you keep in the fridge will need to be used within that length of time. You can store bacon jam in any refrigerator-safe container. Many bacon jam enthusiasts choose to use mason jars for aesthetic reasons.

Why is my bacon jam not thickening? ›

To achieve a thick texture, all of the liquids need time to reduce. Make sure you're cooking your bacon jam without a lid over your Dutch oven, so your bacon jam can evaporate. If it's still not thick enough, it just needs more time.

What does bacon jam taste good on? ›

Our list of things we want to use this jam in is ever-growing. Here are just a few to get you started: warm potato salad, grilled asparagus, fresh tomatoes, panzanella, grilled cheese, crackers and goat cheese, spinach salad, a spoon, fresh garden peas, scrambled eggs, bagels and cream cheese...

Where did bacon jam originate? ›

The Bacon Jams, a gourmet food producer in the Philadelphia area, which sells at festivals and nationwide online. Martin and Suzie Cowley, who run a fine food business in Rhondda, South Wales, introduced a variant of bacon jam containing Jack Daniel's in 2015.

Do you refrigerate bacon jam after opening? ›

For safety, we strongly recommend that bacon jam be refrigerated for times suggested by the recipe (2-4 weeks) or that it be frozen for longer storage. Why is botulism such a big deal? Botulism is as serious as food poisoning gets.

Do you put homemade jam straight in the fridge? ›

Once your jam is done, you can simply store it in the refrigerator for a long time and not worry about it spoiling. I pour it into small jars, cover them with lids and let them cool to room temperature. Once the jam cools, you'll be able to see its final texture.

Does lemon juice thicken jam? ›

Lack of acidity: Acids like lemon juice help lower the jam mixture's pH, which reacts with the natural or added pectin to help thicken the jam. If a jam recipe doesn't call for lemon juice or lime juice, it could rely on another ingredient, like added pectin, to set the jam.

Can you put too much pectin in jam? ›

You will need approximately half the amount of pectin that is indicated by your recipe. Please be careful when adding pectin as too much will leave you with a set that is too solid and it is not possible to rectify this so always add less than you think is necessary and test the set and then add more if required.

What is a substitute for pectin? ›

Pectin Substitute

Cornstarch - Another plant-based thickening agent, cornstarch is a great substitute for pectin. Gelatin - For non-vegan menu items, you can substitute gelatin for pectin, but it will yield a different consistency.

How do you make jam taste better? ›

Feel free to experiment with acid sources: limes or sour oranges can add great flavor to some jams. You can also add neutral-flavored, water-free acids like powdered citric acid, or even malic or tartaric acid if you can find them, but those really pack a punch, so you have less margin of error.

What makes bacon taste better? ›

Fat = Flavor

Generally speaking, the more fat on a strip of bacon, the better it will taste after it's cooked because more fat improves the flavors of the bacon as it cooks.

Should you stir jam when cooking? ›

5. Do Not Stir Once Mixture Is Boiling. Once your jam/marmalade it has reached a rapid rolling boil do not stir it. Stirring it will alter the temperature of the jam/marmalade meaning it will take longer to reach the setting point.

What did bacon used to be called? ›

In the 16th Century, the word “bacoun” or bacon was used to refer to any kind of pork. It was only in the 17th Century that “bacon” was used to refer exclusively to the salted and smoked belly that we know today as bacon.

What is American jam called? ›

Why do Americans call jam jelly? In the US, there is often a difference between jam and jelly. Jam is made with the whole fruit, while jelly is made from just the juice. What the British and some others call jelly, we call gelatin or even call it all by the brand name Jello.

How long is homemade jam safe to eat? ›

Q: How long can I keep my homemade jams and jellies once I open them? A: Opened home-canned jams and jellies should be kept in the refrigerator at 40°F or lower. “Regular” – or pectin-added, full-sugar – cooked jams and jellies are best stored for 1 month in the refrigerator after opening.

How long do homemade bacon bits last in fridge? ›

Can homemade bacon bits be stored at room temperature? Homemade bacon bits should always be stored in the refrigerator or frozen for longer storage. Bacon bits will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container or up to 6 months in the freezer.

How do you preserve homemade jam for a long time? ›

Put the jam into containers and freeze: Pour the jam into clean freezer containers or canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. (Plastic freezer containers with tight-fitting lids work well for storing freezer jams and jellies.) Cover the containers and let stand for 24 hours, or until the jam has set and become firm.

How long does cooked candied bacon last in the fridge? ›

Much like traditional bacon, it is best to store candied bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While regular cooked bacon lasts only four to five days when stored in the fridge, candied bacon will last a little bit longer — up to three weeks.

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