Bacon Jam

The pork-lover's jam

This here is why I LOVE food blogging.  An interesting idea from an old friend took me on a culinary adventure, leading me to a new friend (and fellow food blogger), Not Quite Nigella.  She had posted her recipe and experience creating a Bacon Jam, which I needed as a base to create my own.  I have spent the past week collecting ingredients and striking conversations with, “I’m making Bacon Jam this weekend.”  Food blogging has transformed a lonely, frustrated homemaker into a project-driven, motivated creator, with an endless supply of conversation.  And people seem so willing to listen – especially if there’s a chance they’ll be tasting your bacon jam 🙂

Made this bacon-loving husband happy

I’m posting this because our outcome was delicious but I want you to know that I will be tackling this operation again, in hopes to perfect.  I feel I underestimated the sensitivity of the stewing process and added too much richness with a dark brown sugar instead of a light.  I used a stainless steel pot instead of cast iron causing a more direct heat and accidentally allowed the mixture to sit and brown a bit too long at one point of the stewing process.  That combined with the molasses-rich flavour of dark brown sugar caused the bacon to take a back seat to the dense caramelized flavour.  Next round, I’d like the bacon to be the shining star of this production, since his name is in the title and all.  Still, this is a very tasty spread and not one to disappoint the bacon-loving man of the house.   It reminds me of a slow-cooked pulled pork – in jam form.

Bacon Jam
Recipe from Not Quite Nigella.com
Makes enough to fill a medium sized mason jar
Ingredients

Spread on crostini, served with a tomato basil salad

• 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.

It's a beautiful thing

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