Recipe for Bacon Jam (2024)

Jump to Recipe

This Bacon Jam Recipe is a bacon lover's dream! This delicious bacon jam can transform so many things. I mean, bacon is one of my top joys in life... I know I am not alone on that, right??

Recipe for Bacon Jam (1)

When I was a kid growing up in Philly, I would often stay overnight at my Grammy's. When I woke she would give me all the bacon I could eat. ALL-the-bacon-I-could-eat!

As the oldest of 5 kids growing up in Philly, THAT was monumental!

At home, I could maybe snag 3 strips... if I was lucky! I still smile at the thought of those lazy weekend mornings at my Grammy's...and all of that glorious bacon. Food memories are some of my favorite memories!

Bacon makes everything better or so the saying goes. BUT this Bacon Jam Recipe...really, really does!

Table of Contents

Besides burgers, what do I put bacon jam on?

IF you can stop yourself from gobbling this up spoonful after spoonful... you will love it spread on:

  • hot biscuits
  • place atop a round or wedge of warmed Brie or Camembert cheese (so incredible)
  • toast
  • eggs
  • steamed or sautéed veggies
  • pancakes
  • BLT'S
  • grilled cheese sandwiches
  • burgers (I mean...OMG!!!)
  • pierogis and so much more!

The list can go on and on! Homemade Bacon Jam is a fantastic offering to put out for a Burger Bar at a BBQ.

Why you will love this recipe

Besides being a fabulous topping for burgers, vegetables, biscuits eggs and more. Homemade Bacon Jam is an amazing food gift during the holiday season (or any time of the year).

Make a batch for you and one for a friend, scrape it into a 4, 6 or 8 oz. jar, wrap some ribbon around it, attach the recipe and you will have a happy friend or loved one.

I'm all about food gifts. You can view my best homemade food gifts post for even more options.

I would totally be your BFF if you gifted me with a jar of Bacon Jam!

What bacon should I use to make Bacon Jam?

Of course, the number one ingredient is BACON. It's the most important ingredient and my favorite bacon to date is Hatfield bacon (AND they are local to me).

Hatfield is a 120-year-old business. Before the roads had cars on them, Hatfield was delivering meats to the doors of Pennsylvanians. Today, they produce quality meats for far more than just Pennsylvania.

Turn bacon into Bacon Jam.

Recipe for Bacon Jam (3)

Check out my 1 minute TikTok video on how to make this easy recipe for Bacon Jam

Ingredients for Bacon Jam

  • Bacon
  • Vidalia onion
  • Garlic
  • Brown sugar
  • Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Water(you could also add in a TBS or two of bourbon vs water)
  • Fresh thyme
  • Black pepper
  • Optional: Cayennered pepper / maple syrup
Recipe for Bacon Jam (4)

Bacon Jam is not one of those things you can walk away from as it cooks. Taste as you go and adjust to your liking. Once you make this a couple of times, it's a piece of cake. Soon it'll be a signature dish or food gift of yours.

Tips

  • If you want a more sticky gooey jam, add in a ½ cup to 1 cup of fig jam after you remove what you made from the heat, just stir until its mixed in. It complements the bacon perfectly. I have made this both with and without.
  • The addition of the fig jam makes the Bacon Jam sweeter. You can counter that (if you wish) by adding in some Cayenne pepper, which I do in the written recipe. I typically like some heat.
  • The trick to making it is having your ingredients prepped and organized and then as the mixture cooks down into jam that you pay attention to taste and texture. You don't want it to burn.

Storage

Store in a mason Jar for up to a week. I like to gently reheat this before using.

Love Bacon as much as I do? Try one of my top 6 Bacon dishes:

  1. Bacon Cheese Jalapeno Quick Bread!
  2. Glazed Bacon Wrapped Sausage Bites
  3. Grilled Bacon Wrapped Chicken Skewers
  4. Steamed Green Beans With Bacon Jam
  5. Sriracha Candied Bacon (Pig Candy)
  6. Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle Glaze

This recipe originally published on December 13, 2016. Updated April 26, 2022, to reflect changes in the recipe which I think make it better and easier.

If you make this, show me 🙂 Tag me on Instagram or Facebook @sb15admin

Enjoy! -Colleen

Recipe for Bacon Jam (6)

Recipe for Bacon Jam

Colleen Kennedy

This Bacon Jam recipe makes an amazing food gift. use it as an appetizer and top a baked Brie or crostini. Spread onto toast. avocado toast or add a dollop to your fried eggs or avocado toast. I also love it atop green beans and burgers! So many uses.

4.74 from 19 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 12 oz

Calories 398 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Bacon
  • 1 ½ cups of chopped Vidalia onion
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced or 3 TBS garlic paste
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup water (you could also add in a TBS or two of bourbon vs water)
  • 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Black pepper
  • Optional: a couple of dashes Cayenne red pepper IF you like heat and sometimes I add in 2 TBS of maple syrup towards the end

Instructions

  • Chop your bacon and cook until almost crisp, stirring it around often.

  • Drain all but ½ TBS or so of the bacon grease out.

  • Add in the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes.

  • Next, add in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring the whole time.

  • Add in brown sugar, vinegars and water. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

  • Add in Thyme sprigs and pepper and continue simmering another few minutes, stirring often, being careful not to burn.

  • Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference if necessary.

  • Remove Thyme sprigs and allow the mixture to cool.

  • You can then pulse the jam a few times in your food processor for a finer jam or leave it as is. Up to you.

  • Once completely cool, store in airtight jars in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

  • Heat it up a bit to enjoy on whatever you like. If you need to after reheating adding a TBS or so of water if the jam is too thick.

Notes

You can tinker withy the flavors in the easy to make condiment. Add in some minced jalapenos if you enjoy spicy. Add in a TBS or two of Bourbon (in place of part of the water) for a different flavor.

Swap out shallots for onions, change up the type of vinegar you use etc. Make it your own.

Nutrition

Serving: 12gCalories: 398kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 10gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 508mgPotassium: 212mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 28IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Bacon Jam, How to make bacon jam

Follow me on Tik Tok for 1 minute videos

Enjoy!!

Since I am not a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionist, I use a WordPress plug-in to calculate the nutritional information provided in the recipe card.

Recipe for Bacon Jam (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.

What is bacon jam made of? ›

Crisp salty bacon is simmered for hours with onions, maple syrup, brown sugar, and a couple of secret ingredients to create a soft, spreadable jam that's divine on crackers, toast, crostini or bruschetta, fresh vegetables, pita bread, new potatoes... the list goes on and on!

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 do you eat bacon jam with? ›

This recipe can be used for spooning on Granny's old-fashion biscuits, or put a dollop on fluffy scrambled eggs. On a toasted slice of a crusty bread or good crackers it would be divine. Whatever you use this for, it will work beautifully, because everything is better with bacon!

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.

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.

Where is bacon jam popular? ›

The Bacon Jams, a gourmet food producer in the Philadelphia area, which sells at festivals and nationwide online.

Why does homemade jam taste better? ›

You cook in small batches.

When cooking in small batches, the water is evaporated quicker than a large batch, so the fruit can set into jam. Less cooking time preserves the quality of the fruit.

Why put butter in jam making? ›

Add the butter, which will help disperse any foam which is a natural part of jam making. The butter helps minimise this, and disperses any foam back into the jam. Bring to a rapid, rolling boil for four minutes. Don't be afraid of the rolling boil, this is crucial to producing a jam that will set.

Does lemon juice thicken jam? ›

Lemon is crucial to balancing those sweet flavors, but it also helps the pectin to firm up the jam. It can be added at the start of the cooking process or towards the end, but what must be taken into account is that adding liquids to the jam mixture will inevitably require the jam to cook for longer.

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.

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.

Who invented bacon jam? ›

Martin and Suzie Cowley have invented bacon jam and it's flying off the shelves. Yes, BACON jam.

Does bacon jam taste good? ›

Depending on which bacon you use, it may taste like barbecue sauce. But it's usually a little sweeter. The taste of bacon jam is fantastic because, although it is salty, it is also sweet at the same time. It can even feel like maple syrup.

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? ›

Salad please!? I like to store my bacon bits in a old spice jar but a ziplock works fine. Your bacon bits will be good in the fridge for 4-6 weeks!

How long does homemade bacon last in the fridge? ›

Cooked bacon, however, only lasts four to five days in the fridge. If you can't eat it up that quickly, the USDA says you can freeze it for up to a month.

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.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Maia Crooks Jr

Last Updated:

Views: 6382

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (63 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Maia Crooks Jr

Birthday: 1997-09-21

Address: 93119 Joseph Street, Peggyfurt, NC 11582

Phone: +2983088926881

Job: Principal Design Liaison

Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy

Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.