3470. BACON JAM with BOURBON, MAPLE, and ESPRESSO

makes 3-4 cups of bacon jam


2 lb. extra thick cut bacon
2 extra large Spanish/red onions, quartered and sliced in thick strips
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 cup maple syrup
2 double-shots espresso (4 shots total)
1/4 cup bourbon (or whisky)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Cut bacon into small strips (about 1/5th an inch across).

Place all the bacon into a large pot and cook over medium-high, stirring often. Avoid crisping the bacon but cook until it gains color. Depending on your pot this could take 15-25 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon and remove the bacon from the pan/pot. Drain all fat into a bowl and turn heat to medium high. Add 2 tablespoons of bacon fat back into pot and wait a few minutes. Store extra fat in a jar and use it for frying and/or conditioning your cast iron pots.

Add onions and cayenne to pot, turn to medium and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.

Add maple syrup, espresso, bourbon and bacon to the pot and return temperature to medium-high.  simmer, stirring every few minutes until sauce reduces and turns into a thick sauce (enough to coat the bacon without dripping off the spoon).

Add balsamic at end, stir to incorporate.

Place in a jar and store in the fridge for up to a week.


bacon recipe source: Joel MacCharles, Well Preserved (@WellPreserved), April 30, 2014