3714. CHILI BACON JAM

makes two cups


600 grams (1 1/2 lb) good quality smoked rasher bacon
4 eschallots (brown shallots), thinly sliced
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup (6 fl oz) whisky (substitute with brandy, or just water if preferred)
2/3 cup (7 fl oz) strong brewed coffee
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cut your bacon rashers into one inch pieces, then fry them in a large pot with a splash of oil until the meat is crisped and the fat has rendered out. Remove with a slotted spoon, then drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pot. Add in your shallots and garlic over medium heat, and cook until the shallots are translucent. Add in the spices, brown sugar, chosen alcohol (if using) and a pinch of salt, cook for 3-4 minutes before adding in your other liquid ingredients: vinegar, coffee and maple syrup. Bring to the boil, then allow the liquid to reduce slightly for about five minutes.

Add in your reserved bacon, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes before stirring and allowing the mixture to evaporate. Cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the mixture is darkened, syrupy and fragrant.

Once at the desired consistency, allow the mixture to cool. Skim any oil off the surface with a spoon, and discard it alongside the bay leaves.

Transfer your cooled mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Process until it reaches the consistency of a chunky jam; you should still be able to see crunchy, crisp little bits of bacon amongst the syrupy, boozy spiced shallots. Taste, and add extra salt or pepper as required.


bacon recipe source: Laura's Mess, August 12, 2012

3583. BARBACOA SLIDERS with BACON JAM

makes 24 sliders


2 dozen slider buns
2 tablespoons butter, melted
bacon jam (recipe below)
braised beef cheeks (recipe below)
pickled onion (recipe below)
1 bunch cilantro leaves
½ cup cotija cheese, grated
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced with stems removed
salt, to taste

For the braised beef cheeks:
5 lbs. beef cheeks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 carrot, sliced into ½” rounds
1 stick celery, sliced into ½” slices
1 medium onion, sliced
½ tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Ancho chile powder
1 bottle red wine
2 cups demi glace
1 small stick cinnamon
1 clove
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chipotle en adobo

For the pickled onion:
1 red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the bacon jam:
1 red onion, sliced
8 garlic cloves, crushed lightly
2 large tomatoes, diced large
1 lb. bacon, cooked until crisp, with fat drained
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
salt, paprika and black pepper to taste

For the braised beef cheeks: Heat a large saucepan, over high heat. Pour in the vegetable oil and sear the cheeks to a nice brown. Add the vegetables and cook until lightly coloured. Add the cumin and ancho chile powder and toast for about a minutes. Deglaze with red wine, then add all of the remaining ingredients.

For the pickled onion: In a small bowl, season the sliced onion heavily with salt. Let sit for about 15 minutes then rinse the salt off with water. Strain the onion. Pour cider vinegar over the onions, and toss. Let sit for another 15 minutes then strain. Add a little vegetable oil and toss until shiny. Reserve.

For the bacon jam: Add all ingredients to a large pot and cook for about 30 to 45 minutes at a gentle simmer. Pour into the bowl of a food processor and blend until only small chunks remain. Serve on top of our as a side with beef sliders.

To assemble, slice slider buns in half and brush each side with melted butter. Toast until lightly golden. Warm beef cheeks in a saucepan, with a little of the braising jus. Season to taste with salt. Spread a spoonful of the bacon jam onto the bottom bun and place a little of the beef cheeks on top. Top with pickled onion slices, cilantro leaves and sprinkle with cotija cheese. Cover with the top bun, and place a thin slice of jalapeno on top.


bacon recipe source: TRIO (@TRIOAustin), 98 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78701 

3481. ROASTED HALIBUT with RHUBARB-BACON JAM

makes four servings 


500 grams halibut (in 4 pieces)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon hot-red-chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
500 grams asparagus, trimmed (about 1 bunch)
1 teaspoon olive oil
fresh pepper
4 bacon slices, finely chopped
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon butter 

Preheat oven to 450F. Spray a large baking sheet with oil. Pat halibut dry with paper towels. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with hot-red-chili flakes and salt. Arrange skin-side down on 1 side of prepared sheet. Toss a bunch trimmed asparagus with olive oil on other side of baking sheet. Season with fresh pepper. Roast in center of oven until a knife tip inserted into thickest part of fish and held for 10 seconds feels warm, about 10 minutes.

Cook bacon slices in a medium frying pan over medium-high, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Drain and discard fat. Return pan to medium. Add chopped fresh rhubarb, brown sugar and red-wine vinegar. Cook until rhubarb starts to break down and sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Stir in butter and bacon and gently boil until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes. Drizzle sauce over halibut.


bacon recipe source: Chatelaine (@Chatelaine), One Mount Pleasant Rd, 8th Floor, Toronto, ON M4Y 2Y5 Canada, June 4, 2014

3474. TOBAGO PEPPER and BACON JAM

1.5 lbs. Tobago peppers
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
2 yellow onions, diced small
2 cups white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 oz. peeled ginger
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 lb. sliced bacon

Wash and clean the Tobago peppers. Keep the seeds. Chop peppers in a food processor or by hand if time permits. Combine white balsamic vinegar and the peppers. Add the whole grain mustard, diced onions, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey, cider vinegar, orange and pineapple juice, and let marinate for 24 hours.

The next day, slice the bacon in 1/2-inch sections, and sautee until almost crispy. Dump marinated pepper ingredients over the sauteed bacon. Simmer slowly until the liquid is reduced by half and the ingredients have a syrup-like consistency.

Remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate for future use. Use this jam as a marinade for meat or for adding a little something extra to an appetizer.


bacon recipe source: Chef Serge Falcoz-Vigne, 518 West, 518 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27603; Kaitlyn Goforth, Deep South Magazine, October 8, 2014

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

3056. HONEY MAPLE BRIOCHE with BACON JAM

12 oz bread flour

4 oz all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground clove
1.5 teaspoon table salt
1 oz dark brown sugar
1/2 oz honey
1/2 oz maple syrup (plus more for glaze)
1 large egg
2 1/4 oz package instant/rapid rise yeast
7 oz whole milk
1.5 oz unsalted butter, room temperature, cut in small pieces
bacon jam (recipe below)
powdered sugar
bourbon


Bacon jam
1.5 lbs uncooked bacon, cut into pieces (about 1-inch)
1 teaspoon (plus more to taste) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (plus more to taste) chile powder
1 teaspoon (plus more to taste) dried thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2–3 cloves of garlic, smashed
4 tablespoons (plus more) dark brown sugar
8 oz bourbon
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons (plus more) maple syrup
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons (plus more) sriracha
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon coffee extract (or 2 tablespoons brewed coffee)
olive oil (as needed)

Place uncooked bacon in a medium sized pot or small dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with paprika, chile powder and dried thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp. (Add a little olive oil if the bacon begins to stick to bottom of pot before it is crisp.) Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels, keeping all bacon fat in pot. Add the butter to the pot with the bacon fat and let it melt, swirling it around. Add the sliced onions, shallots, smashed garlic cloves and the dark brown sugar. Stir to combine. Over medium heat, let the mixture begin to caramelize. This should take about 10 minutes. Pour in the bourbon, stir and cook for about 5 minutes—until the alcohol smell goes away. Stir in the remaining ingredients to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until most of the liquid is evaporated and it is thick and syrupy. Throughout the simmering, be sure to stir occasionally and taste. Add in more bourbon, maple syrup, brown sugar, sriracha to taste while it simmers away. Once the mixture is thick, transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until it is finely chopped, if you have a lot in the pot, you can use an immersion blender. (If the mixture is hot, puree in small batches. Use a kitchen towel instead of the lid if you’re using a blender.) Let the mixture cool. You can spread the jam into a quarter-inch layer on a sheet pan and cover with parchment paper.

Brioche
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Add the salt, sugar, honey, maple syrup and egg to one side of the bowl. On the other side, add the yeast.

Turn the mixer on low and add the milk in a steady stream. Once all the milk has been added, turn the mixer up to medium and knead until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl (about 10 minutes). If the dough looks dry, add a little more milk. If it looks wet, add a little more bread flour.

Add the butter to the dough (while the mixer is still going) in small increments, waiting for the butter to be incorporated before adding any more. Once all the butter has been incorporated, knead for about 5 minutes until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and it makes a slapping sound in the mixer. Remove the dough and place in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic and place in the fridge to ferment overnight (at least 8 hours).

Remove dough from fridge and punch down. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cut the dough in half and cover the unused half so that it doesn’t dry out. With the remaining half, roll it out into a square using a rolling pin slightly larger than the longest side of your loaf pan. (Try rolling it out first WITHOUT adding flour to the surface first. If you find that it sticks, then use a small amount of flour.)

Spread the bacon jam in an even layer all over the dough; go right up to the edges. Then tightly roll up the dough working from one end to the other, slighly pinching so that the dough seals as you go. Once it is all rolled up, pinch the seam and apply a little pressure to make sure that it stays together. With a VERY sharp knife, cut the roll in half (lengthwise) so you end up with two long half circles.

Lie the two halves next to each other with the cut sides facing up. Starting in the middle, have one halve cross over the other. Alternate the twists twice above the middle and twice below the middle. You will have twisted the two haves together, alternating over each other. Place into a greased loaf pan, cutside up. Repeat with remaining dough half. Cover and proof for about an hour, or until doubled inside.

Bake in oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Be sure to rotate pans halfway through. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing and letting cool completely on a rack.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chris Falman, Baker By Design

3034. CHARRED OKRA with BACON JAM

makes four servings


For the bacon jam: 
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces 
1/4 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock 
1 tablespoon honey 
1/2 teaspoon ground piment d’Espelette 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the okra: 
12 ounces fresh okra 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the bacon jam:

Place the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is starting to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and stir to combine.

Add 1 cup of the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add 1 more cup of the broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the remaining cup of broth, honey, Espelette, measured salt, and black pepper and stir to combine.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and reserve the pot. Blend until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the lid from popping off).

Return the mixture to the reserved pot, place over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter; set aside. (At this point, the bacon jam can be cooled to room temperature and then refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Rewarm before using.)

For the okra:

Trim the stems from the okra and cut each pod in half lengthwise. Place in a large bowl, add the salt, and toss to combine; set aside.

Heat a large, well-seasoned or enameled cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes. Working in 2 to 3 batches so as not to crowd the pan, add the okra, cut-side down in a single layer, and sear undisturbed until charred on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the okra and cook until crisp-tender, about 30 seconds more. Remove to a medium bowl.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the okra in the bowl and 1/2 cup of the bacon jam to the pan (reserve the remaining bacon jam for another use), and stir to combine. Immediately transfer to a serving dish.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Fire in My Belly: Real Cooking by Kevin Gillespie, with David Joachim; Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012

3027. RHUBARB BACON JAM

400 grams good-quality bacon, chopped into lardons
200 grams fresh rhubarb, finely chopped
200 grams of onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup strong espresso
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1-2 tablespoon(s) grainy mustard

Fry bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, but not overdone(fat will be rendered); transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat, if you have too much; add rhubarb and onions to bacon fat and sauté until onions are translucent and rhubarb begins to soften (no more than 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds; stir in brown sugar, espresso, syrup, vinegar, and add bacon back into the pan; bring to a simmering boil and cook, uncovered 30 to 45 minutes until reduced to a thick jam-like texture. Add grainy mustard to taste (complement the flavour balance with the mustard, as needed: start small). Store in jar(s) in the fridge or freezer and use as desired: great hot, or cold.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Valerie Lugonja, A Canadian Foodie, June 21, 2013

2707. BACON JAM and GUACAMOLE QUESADILLA with FRIED EGG with BACON JAM VINAIGRETTE DRIZZLE

makes one serving


1 (10 inch) tortilla
1/2 cup cheese such and cheddar and/or jack, shredded
2 tablespoons bacon jam (recipe below)
2 tablespoons guacamole
1 egg
1 teaspoon bacon jam vinaigrette (recipe below)

Maple Bourbon Bacon Jam (makes 1-2 cups)

 1 pound thick smoked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup coffee (brewed)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup bourbon

2 chipotle chilis in adobo, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

pepper to taste

Cook the bacon in a large sauce pan an over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon starts to get crispy and set aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of the grease in the pan. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan. Add the coffee, brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, bacon, chipotle chilies, cumin and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 1-2 hours. Process the jam in a food processor to smooth it out a bit but not too much as you want to have the texture of the bacon. If you do not finish it all in one sitting, store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

Bacon Jam Vinaigrette (makes 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons bacon jam
2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

 

Mix everything well.

Place the tortilla in the pan, sprinkle half of the cheese over half of the tortilla, top with the bacon jam and guacamole and the remaining cheese. Fold the tortilla in half coving the filling and cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side. Fry the egg and serve on top of the quesadilla with a drizzle of bacon jam vinaigrette.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kevin Lynch, Closet Cooking, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 6, 2012

1641. ESCARGOT FRICASSEE with MUSHROOMS, BRUSSEL SPROUTS and CANDIED BACON JAM

yields two servings


14 snails, cleaned, purged, fully cooked
1/8 lb butter, unsalted
1 cup Brussels sprouts, leaves only
1 cup chanterelles, cleaned and quartered
6 cipollini onions, quartered and peeled
½ lemon
salt, pepper, cayenne or espelette pepper

For Bacon Jam:
1 cup bacon, cut into 2” X 1” X 1/2” pieces
¼ cup yellow onions, julienned
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

For Parsley Puree:
2 bunches fresh parsley
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 tablespoon orange oil
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

For Bacon Jam: Render bacon in a heavy sauté pan in hot 500-degree F oven until bacon is crispy. Pull from oven and remove bacon. Cook julienned onions in the remaining bacon fat, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan until onions are dark golden. Add brown sugar and stir to coat. Add a third of the chicken stock and place pan back in the oven to simmer. Reduce mixture until thick, almost au sec (approx 5-15 minutes). Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn. Add half of the remaining stock and reduce again until thick. Add all of the remaining stock and remove pan from the oven. Season with salt, pepper, and espelette to taste. Pour contents into a blender and puree until fairly smooth. Pour contents back into sauté pan and stir in honey to combine. Put pan back into oven and cook stirring frequently until deep brick red color is reached. Re-season and mount with butter. Allow to cool to warm temperature. Reserve.

For Parsley Puree: Blanch, shock, and drain parsley with stems in tact. Puree in blender with oils and a pinch of salt until smooth. Reserve.

For Snails: Melt butter in sauté pan. Add cipollini onions and cook in 500-degree F oven until golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Add chanterelles to pan and place back in oven. Cook until caramelized. Add Brussels sprout leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add snails and cook until heated through. Season and add juice and zest of ½ a lemon. Add a few splashed of cold water to emulsify sauce. Reserve.

To Serve: Spoon a tablespoon of bacon jam onto the plate. Using spoon, stretch the jam to make an elongated shape. Drain fricassee on towels and spoon onto plate slightly overlapping bacon jam. Sprinkle lightly with espelette. Drizzle a small spoonful of parsley puree in front of both components.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Kevin Gillespie, Quickfire Challenge Winner, Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 4

1601. BACON JAM

2 pounds bacon, preferably smoked and cured
4 small to medium yellow onions, julienned
smoked paprika, or sweet Hungarian
freshly ground celery seed
freshly ground cumin
freshly ground black pepper
1-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup maple syrup

Cut bacon into quarter length strips. Place in dutch oven or heavy deep skillet, and render on the lowest heat possible until bacon is browned but not too crisp. Stir occasionally. About 1 hour.

Remove bacon with slotted spoon, reserve in bowl.

Place onions in bacon grease on lowest flame. Stirring every 15 minutes, keep going low and slow until onions are caramelized most of the way through and very sweet. About 3 to 5 hours.

When you are getting close to removing the onions, add paprika, ground celery seed and ground cumin to pot, to taste. About a healthy pinch or three of each. Freshly crack some black pepper to taste, then remove onions with slotted spoon (taking some bacon grease with you), and place into a blender.

Place reserved bacon into blender along with a tablespoon or three of apple cider vinegar, and about a 1/3 cup of real maple syrup. Blitz in blender until a rough puree forms. Keep it rustic unless you want a fine smooth texture.

Taste, adjust syrup, salt, and other seasonings to taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: My Lucky Crouton