Bacon Jam
Source of Recipe
kayb at eGullet
Recipe Introduction
I've been hearing about bacon jam for some time and was, of course, terribly intrigued. The idea of a warm, spicy bacon spread for biscuits and BLTs and hamburgers was irresistable. Kay at eGullet featured it on different posts a few times and then posted the recipe for me. I did make a couple of changes - Kay calls for bourbon, which I detest in even tiny amounts, so I used apple juice instead. I also used ancho chile powder in place of chipotle powder - I was afraid that the chipotle would make it too hot for me and I wanted to be SURE I could eat this! My notes are in brackets [ ].
Kay's notes: "I can buy Wright's thick-cut, smoked bacon (regional brand, good stuff), a three-pound box of ends and pieces, for way cheap, and that works just as well as the expensive trimmed-and-sliced stuff (about $8.99 per pound vs $5.99 for the ends-and-pieces three-pounder!), so I triple everything else as well and make a big Dutch oven full. I keep mine refrigerated, or frozen, in sealed plastic containers, but I suppose one could can it, if one wished. I've never had a problem with it going bad in the fridge -- y'know, it doesn't tend to stay there that long."
List of Ingredients
1 pound thick-cup applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch fresh grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon dry chipotle powder [I used ancho chile]
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup good quality bourbon [I used apple juice - cider would be better]
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Recipe
In a dutch oven or large skillet cook the bacon over medium high heat until it begins to crisp up at the edges - the pieces should still be soft in the center. Drain on paper towels and retain one tablespoon bacon grease in the pan.
Lower the heat to medium low and cook the onion and brown sugar until soft and caramelized (20 minutes or more). Add the garlic and spices and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add the liquid ingredients and the bacon to the pan. At medium heat bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and barely simmer for about 2 hours. Check every 30 minutes to make sure that the mixture does not dry out. If it does, just add a few tablespoons water. The final mixture should be moist and sticky.
Let cool slightly and add to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it reaches the consistancy you like - slightly chunky to showcase the bacon or smoother.
Make 1 1/2 cups.
|
|
member logon
