Joan Emerson's Bacon Jam
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds
lean, thick-sliced bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces [about one-inch]
3 large sweet
onions, diced [use Vidalia onions if they are in season]
2 leeks, diced
4 large garlic
cloves, crushed
3/4 cup dark
brown sugar, packed
freshly ground
black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon
cayenne pepper [optional]
1/4 -1/2
teaspoon liquid smoke [optional]
1 cup
freshly-brewed coffee
1/3 cup
balsamic vinegar
Cook the diced bacon
over medium heat, stirring as needed, until the bacon just begins to
turn crispy, about fifteen minutes. Remove from pan.
Cook the onions,
leeks, and garlic in the bacon grease, stirring as needed, until they
soften, about five minutes.
Add the brown sugar;
return the cooked bacon to the pan; season with pepper, cayenne
pepper, liquid smoke.
Add the coffee,
balsamic vinegar, and half a cup of hot water. Bring to a boil.
Cook over low heat
for about one hour, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add a small
amount of water if mixture becomes too dry as it cooks.
When mixture is
thick and onions are caramelized, remove from heat.
Cool slightly; transfer to food processor. Pulse a time or two to
obtain a thick, chunky consistency, like a chutney or a tapenade.
Refrigerate the jam.
This recipe will
make approximately four cups of bacon jam
* * * * * * * * *
The above recipe is
the one I regularly use, but the recipe can be adapted to suit
individual tastes.
Substitute
shallots for the leeks OR substitute an onion for the leeks
Vary the amount
of garlic to taste
Adjust amount
of red pepper, liquid smoke to taste; omit the liquid smoke if you
prefer
Substitute
bourbon for the coffee, using 1/2 cup bourbon and 1/2 cup water
* * * * * * * * *
The uses for bacon
jam are as varied as your imagination:
Warm some jam
in the microwave; spread on buttered toast or English muffins
Top burgers
with jam
Add jam to
grilled cheese
Add a scoop of
jam to scrambled eggs
Mix jam with
softened cream cheese to make a dip, serve with crackers
Add jam to a
bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich
Top a baked
potato
Thanks, Joan! Who's up for trying this with me?
