Bacon Jam is one of my favorite appetizers – perfect on a cracker or a burger, it is such a treat. The balsamic flavor is deep and rich, the caramelized onions give off such a sweet flavor, and of course, the taste of bacon is always amazing.
I love to make this bacon jam recipe as an appetizer for Thanksgiving or Christmas – guests always love it and it packs really small if you have to travel with it.
It is really delicious served nice and warm – spread on a cracker, crostini, or flat pretzel with a piece of smoked Gouda or some sharp cheddar – it’s perfection. It is the perfect addition to a charcuterie board.
I like to make it in advance and freeze it – then pop it in the fridge a day or two before the holiday. Heat it up right before serving!
You can even make a double-batch to save some for yourself for burgers or grilled cheese (freeze small portions in Souper Cubes to defrost perfect individual servings!) It is great on burgers!
Bacon Jam Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for the best bacon jam recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Bacon – I like to use very thick-cut, smoky bacon. Do not use turkey bacon.
- Onions – I like to use Sweet Onions to bring out a deeper sweetness – Vidalia will work as well.
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Dried Thyme
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
Special Equipment Needed
- A Cast-iron Pan or Large Skillet with a heavy bottom (since it cooks for a long time, this will prevent burning)
- A Food Processor or Blender
How to Make Bacon Jam
Begin by cutting the bacon into bite-sized pieces. (It cooks much faster this way.)
Cook it in a large skillet (cast iron works great) over medium heat, until it is crispy, but not burnt. (Pictures 1-5) If the bacon is really fatty, I will spoon some of the grease out into my bacon grease jar.
While the bacon is cooking, thinly slice onions.
Once the bacon is finished cooking, pour it into a strainer over a bowl to drain the bacon fat out, then return 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease to the skillet to cook the onions. (Picture 6)
Reduce the heat to low or medium-low and add the onions. Let them cook and cook, and cook, and cook for what seems like forever, stirring every 10-15 minutes. (Pictures 7-10) The longer the onions cook, the more caramelization and sweet flavor they will have.
Once the onions basically look like a pile of brown noodles, add a splash of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape any crispy bits off the bottom of the pan. (Pictures 11-12)
Then add the remaining balsamic vinegar (Picture 13), then brown sugar (Pictures 14-15), followed by salt, pepper, and thyme (Pictures 16-17).
Stir until fully mixed and let this mixture caramelize and bubble for a few minutes. It will smell like onion soup and bacon made a baby. (Picture 18)
Once it starts to thicken, turn off the heat and mix the strained bacon back in. Let this cool for about 10 minutes. (Pictures 19-20)
Pour the cooled bacon and onion mixture into a food processor or blender and chop it until it is your desired consistency.
I like it to be thick enough so that you can differentiate what is onion and what is bacon, but you can also puree it into oblivion and make it into a spreadable paste. It won’t be syrupy like traditional fruit jam, it’s more of a sweet bacon jammy spread.
Transfer the bacon jam to an air tight container (I like to use a mason jar) and let it cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. Reheat before serving.
Recipe Yield
The yield for this recipe is about 2 ½ cups depending on how finely you puree it.
What to Serve with Bacon Onion Jam
- An Appetizer for Parties – Football parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or really just any evening where you want a sweet condiment to add to a delicious spread.
- Served on a Cracker – It can really stand alone. It is over-the-top good when served with cheese and crackers or a crostini. I love it with white cheddar and smoked Gouda. It is also really good with a melty brie or with cream cheese! (I also like to serve it with beer bread.)
- On a Burger with Sharp Cheddar Cheese – The sweet and savory combination of cheese, onions, and bacon is the perfect topping for burgers.
- On a Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Bacon, caramelized onions, and cheese – need I say more?
How to Store Homemade Bacon Jam
This jam is NOT shelf-stable.
Once cooled, bacon jam should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container. It will last about a week in the refrigerator and a few months in the freezer.
How to Reheat It
When serving, reheat over low heat and serve warm.
Helpful Tips to Make this Recipe
- Use really thick-cut bacon if you can find it – it will make the bacon flavor more prominent and extra bacon-y.
- Be sure to use Sweet or Vidalia Onions – as they caramelize, the natural sweetness of the onions comes through.
- Make this bacon jam ahead of time and freeze it in a straight-sided mason jar or freezer-safe container. Defrost in the fridge a day before serving and heat in a small saucepan or the microwave right before serving.
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
The Very Best Bacon Jam (Balsamic, Onion, and Thyme)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds bacon
- 2 sweet onions , thinly sliced
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 10 tablespoons balsamic vinegar this is equal to ½ cup + 2 tablespoons
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ – 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Begin by cutting bacon into bite-sized pieces. (It cooks much faster this way.)1 ½ pounds bacon
- Cook it in a large skillet (cast iron works great) over medium heat, until it is crispy, but not burnt. If the bacon is really fatty, I will spoon some of the grease out into my bacon jar.
- While the bacon is cooking, thinly slice onions.2 sweet onions
- Once the bacon is finished cooking, pour it into a strainer over a bowl to drain the fat out, then return 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease to the skillet to cook the onions.
- Reduce the heat to low or medium-low and add the onions. Let them cook and cook, and cook, and cook for what seems like forever, stirring every 5 – 10 minutes. The longer the onions cook, the more caramelization and sweet flavor they will have.2 sweet onions
- Once the onions basically look like a pile of brown noodles, add a splash of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and scrape any crispy bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Then add the remaining balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir until fully mixed and let this mixture caramelize and bubble for a few minutes. It will smell like onion soup and bacon made a baby.½ cup light brown sugar, 10 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ – 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Once it starts to thicken, turn off the heat and mix the strained bacon back in. Let this cool for about 10 minutes.1 ½ pounds bacon
- Pour the cooled bacon and onion mixture into a food processor or blender and chop it is your desired consistency. I like it to be thick enough so that you can differentiate between onion and bacon, but you can also puree it into a spreadable paste.
- Transfer bacon jam to an airtight container like a mason jar and let cool. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Reheat before serving.
Notes
Tips
- Use really thick-cut bacon if you can find it – it will make the bacon flavor more prominent and extra bacon-y.
- Be sure to use Sweet or Vidalia Onions – as they caramelize, the natural sweetness of the onions comes through.
- Make this bacon jam ahead of time and freeze it in a straight-sided mason jar or freezer-safe container. Defrost in the fridge a day before serving and heat in a small saucepan or the microwave right before serving.
Storage
Once cooled, bacon jam should be stored in the fridge or freezer. It will last about a week in the fridge and a few months in the freezer. Freeze small portions in Souper Cubes to defrost perfect individual servings!Reheat
Reheat over low heat or in the microwave and serve warm.What to Serve with Bacon Onion Jam
- An Appetizer for Parties – Football parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or really just any evening where you want a sweet condiment to add to a delicious spread.
- On a Cracker – Serve with cheese and crackers or a crostini. White cheddar, smoked Gouda, melty brie, or cream cheese!
- A Burger with Sharp Cheddar Cheese – The sweet and savory combination of cheese, onions, and bacon is the perfect topping for burgers.
- On a Grilled Cheese Sandwich – Bacon, caramelized onions, and cheese.
Special Equipment Needeed
- two tablespoon Souper Cubes for freezing leftovers
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
More Appetizers & Snacks
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Southern Recipes
This recipe is so delicious and a real crowd pleaser at holidays or on Game Day.