In this recipe, thick-cut bacon is cooked with sweet onions until meltingly tender, then spiked with a bit of cayenne and a splash of balsamic. It’s a natural on morning toast, but it’s also a must-try on eggs, grilled cheese, burgers and pork chops.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 50 min |
| Active: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 2 cups |
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 sweet onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup water, as needed
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Toast, for serving
- Chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until it’s just starting to brown slightly and render its fat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the chopped onions and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and almost melting into the bacon fat, 30 to 40 minutes. If the pan starts to look dry or is browning too much, add a splash of water to deglaze.
- Stir in the brown sugar, cayenne pepper and grated garlic, then add the balsamic vinegar. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the mixture to a food processor. Pulse until the bacon is chopped slightly finer, 5 to 6 pulses.
- To serve, top the toast with the bacon jam and garnish with chopped chives.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 225 |
| Total Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 30 mg |
| Sodium | 363 mg |
Reviews
I make the bacon jam and put it on muffins and then I put her soft scrambled eggs on top of it and I put hollandaise sauce over that that is the most decadent breakfast I’ve ever had. it’s so craveable i never want to stop eating it!!
We love this for brunch. Serve it on toast with a hard boiled egg. Delicious!!!
Love bacon and onions, but jam? I took a chance and it was really good. I cut down on the cayenne because I’m a sissy and it still had a good kick to it. Added a touch more brown sugar and definitely mopped up a LOT of the bacon grease – there was wayyy too much from my bacon. Had it on a burger and YUM! Need to try it on a scrambled egg sandwich next! Thanks Valerie!
I made this and it came out incredible. Changed the recipe a little. Added siracha and worschestire, also drained most of the bacon fat that was in the pan.
Delicious and easy to make! The amount of cayenne is perfect. Topped blue cheese burgers and the two paired very well. I will definitely be making this again! I will probably make it next time without processing.
I’m sorry to say I was disappointed with this recipe. I followed the instructions exactly. Served the bacon jam on sourdough toast with scrambled eggs (saw Valerie serve it the same way on her show) on top. Was mediocre at best. But! I do think the bacon jam would be wonderful on a burger!
Who doesn’t love bacon. I only had 3/4 of a package of bacon and kept the other ingredients as listed. Probably should have cut them a little, but either way, it was great on toast and no complaints from anyone eating it. Also love the kick from the cayenne. I only gave it four stars because bacon is so expensive and one pound of bacon is probably not enough. Next time I will double the recipe and enjoy it for a few days during the week.
I made this today and though a little time consuming it is way worth it! I made it exactly as the recipe states. The only change I would make for my tastes is a little less balsamic vinegar.. maybe a touch more brown sugar.. but that is my personal preference.. my husband loves it as is. I’d definitely make this again and again!
Delicious! I did mop up some of the fat before blending as my bacon was pretty fatty.
But excellent flavor! Served on toast with scrambled eggs…yum!
But excellent flavor! Served on toast with scrambled eggs…yum!
The bacon Jam was wonderful. We put it between the cheese for the grill cheese sandwich.
My husband loved it !!! Now he wants all his grill cheese sandwiches that way. Try Val you will love it ,too!
My husband loved it !!! Now he wants all his grill cheese sandwiches that way. Try Val you will love it ,too!