This Bacon Jam recipe is literally the best in the world. I know that's a HUGE statement, but I've been told that so many times that I have to believe it. It's made by slowly simmering bacon, onions, brown sugar, and spices until they become thick and jam-like. We love to serve it as an easy to make appetizer with cheese and crackers.
So guess what, guys. I think I might have just made the most insanely delicious jam/condiment/cheese plate accouterment ever. Like, The Best Ever. It's so good that I want to climb to my rooftop and scream it out loud. I know this whole bacon jam thing is borderline insanity (which I can't believe I'm saying cause I LOVE bacon), but bear with me for a moment.
I know this whole bacon jam thing is borderline insanity (which I can't believe I'm saying cause I LOVE bacon), but bear with me for a moment.
I've tried a few bacon jams before (but never tried making one), and they've all been pretty darn tasty. I guess it's hard to mess up bacon + onions + sugar. But I hadn't tried one that was extraordinary, until last week.
Early last week, the handsome man and I took a trip up to the Okanagan. That's wine country up here; often nicknamed Napa Valley North. We visited 13 different wineries and by the time we arrived at the restaurant at Hester Creek Winery (after skipping lunch in favor of more wine tasting), we were starving.
The first dish we shared was a burrata cheese plate with this bacon jam. There were a few other things on that plate too, but who's kidding, it was all about the jam. Even the burrata took the backstage, for once in its life.
It was so different than any other bacon jam I have tried. The onions were sliced thick, and there were chunks of chewy bacon. Before we even stepped foot outside the restaurant, I had heard, “Can we, I mean, you (insert big pleading smile) make this as soon as we get home?” at least four times.
Last night, I served this as a light starter for Thanksgiving dinner (we celebrate that a little earlier here in Canada). The room went quiet. Like, eery quiet. Like, everyone had their faces stuffed full of bacon jam quiet. I took it as a good sign. 🙂
UPDATE: Since making this bacon jam recipe back in 2013, I have now officially made it 152,385 times. Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. But I have made it many times and it is always met with rave reviews.
There's something about the sweet onions and the smoky bacon that make this jam totally irresistible. If you're looking for compliments, bring this bacon jam to your next party. Your friends will LOVE you for it!
Your Bacon Jam Game Plan:
♡ Slice and cook the bacon until just before it turns crispy. Remove it, and a little of the fat, from the pan.
♡ Add the onions and let them cook until they're soft. Add the sugar and let those delicious onions caramelize and turn dark brown.
♡ Add a splash of your leftover morning coffee (I'm not joking!), some water, and the cooked bacon and let everything simmer until it becomes a ridiculously delicious jam.
♡ Stir a little balsamic into the jam then grab some cheese and crackers and dig in!
If you make The Best Bacon Jam make sure to snap a pic and tag #theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create.
- 1 lb. thick cut bacon
- 2 extra large sweet onions, quartered and thickly sliced
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup strong brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Cut the bacon into half-inch slices and add them to a large frying pan. Don't worry if the bacon pieces stick together, they will come apart as they cook. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the bacon is cooked but still quite chewy. A few crispy bit are ok.
- Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings and reserve for another use.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook for about 8-10 minutes then reduce the heat to low. Add the sugar and stir. Continue to cook until the onions have caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add the coffee, ½ cup of water and the reserved bacon and increase the heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring about every five minutes, until the onions are thick and jam-like, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir through the balsamic. Taste for seasoning and salt if necessary.
- Use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week. Bring back to room temperature before serving. There will be little spots of white fat when you take it out of the fridge. As the jam comes to room temperature, these will disappear.
- Enjoy!
More awesome appetizer recipes:
Sweet and Sticky Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Wings
Chorizo Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Mini Chicken Satay Skewer with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Red Wine Chorizo Bites
Pesto Hummus with Easy Homemade Pita Chips
Loaded Mexican Nacho Fries
Bacon Deviled Eggs with Caramelized Onions and Cheddar Cheese
Mini Chipotle BLT Appetizer Bites
Sweet Hoisin Meatballs
Thai Coconut Curried Beef in Crispy Wonton Cups
Baked Sriracha Buffalo Wings
Crispy Eggplant Fries with Chipotle Aioli
Crispy Boursin Arancini
Sticky Thai Peanut Chicken Wings
Kristen Stevens
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Kristen is the person working behind the scenes at The Endless Meal. She takes all the pics, creates all the recipes and eats all the leftovers. 
Can this jam be frozen, thawed and then refrozen? I want to extend the life of the jar past 2-4 weeks.
I definitely wouldn’t thaw and refreeze it. Once you take something (anything) out of the freezer you should never refreeze it. It’s a food safety thing.
But … you could freeze small portions and only thaw what you need. If you lined a baking sheet with parchment paper and then scooped some of the jam into little mounds you could freeze it that way. Once it’s frozen you could take them off of the baking sheet and put them together in a plastic freezer bag. 🙂
Oh this looks SOOO good. I was thinking of making this for a party next week. How should I serve it? Maybe on top of little crostini with goat cheese? Thoughts?
Oh yes, that would be delicious! I often put it out on a cheese plate and let guests serve themselves. It goes great with brie!
I loved looking through your recipes. I too live in BC….just out of Salmon Arm, on Shuswap Lake. Just a quick question, do you put out a newsletter. I tried to search the whole page, but just kept going back to new recipes!!! Thanks very much, and by the way, your site is wonderful.
I love Salmon Arm! It’s so beautiful there!
I’ve added your name to my newsletter list. Have a great rest of your long weekend!
This looks sooooo good.. Just wondering, would I be able to sterilise some jars and put the jam in them? Even if you can’t, I’m still gorging into it when I make it 😉
While it’s definitely possible to can meat, I don’t know enough about the specifics of it to be able to recommend it. The jam does last a while in your fridge without proper canning though … if you can stop yourself from eating it all right away! 🙂
I am allergic to onions, but love bacon! What else can I use instead of onions?
That’s a tough one! If you can handle leeks, they might work. I wouldn’t cook them as long, though. 🙂
Hi. I’m wondering if the final product could be put in a water bath and canned. Has anyone tried this? If so, how long would the water bath need to be? It sounds amazing!
I haven’t tried it as I’m a little leery about canning meat. I know my grandmother used to do it on the farm all the time without issues, but I guess all the modern day food safety concerns have worn off on me a bit. It does freeze well, though!
Since you want to use meat in the canning process it will have to be pressure canned. If you do it will have to be done for about 85 minutes,not quite sure what it will do to the onions. You might want to under cook it so some of the cooking process is done in the canning.
Canning bacon, of any kind, is not advised under the NCHFP guidelines. As Kristen says though, this recipe can be frozen. I know many people do can this. However, safety s utmost in my canning. And besides, this simply doesn’t last long enough! You can eat a jar in minutes!!
Thanks for this great recipe Kristen!!
Thanks for the input! And yes, mine never lasts long enough to have to think about storing it either. 🙂
Hello from Australia, I have made this recipe many times and always forget to add the extra 1/2 cup water. It turns out brilliantly every time. I have used brown, dark brown and a mixture of both sugars. The onions, I have used all sorts and combinations. The result -delicious. We eat it all the time. Beautiful with cabbage or fried brussel sprouts, YUMMY
Love the suggestion to use it with cabbage or Brussels. I’ve actually got some in the fridge right now so I’m going to try it on Brussels tomorrow. 🙂
Followed this recipe pretty much to a “t”. Delicious! Used applewood smoked bacon and made burgers with sharp cheddar, the jam, lettuce, tomato and a roasted garlic aioli. Amazing and was a hit! Thanks for sharing.
Damn that sounds good! I think I’ll have to try your magical sounding burger myself!
Hi Kristen! I found your site searching for a easy and delicious recipe for bacon jam, and I just have to say-YUM!! Loved your recipe sooo much! I just want to pass on a little tip: if for some strange reason you happen to have any bacon jam left over and need a super speedy dip/spread, you can mix this bacon jam with an 8 oz. tub of sour cream or softened spreadable cream cheese in proportions to taste, and enjoy. I would recommend starting with a small amount and stirring then taste, repeating as needed to desired taste. Works well as tea sandwich filling (cream cheese version), dip for crudite/chips, etc. Anyway, love your easy and yummy recipes, thank you so much!
I’m so happy you like the recipe!
Great idea about adding some cream cheese. You can guarantee I’ll be trying that!
Absolutely delicious! Easy to make but full of flavor and… Simply yummy! I’d been looking for the right recipe for a long time and couldn’t have found a better one. Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m so happy you like it! Hooray!
Valentine’s Brunch sorted – thanks!! Quick question, would I be able to substitute espresso for the coffee? I only own an Espresso maker, so I could pull 2 shots (about 60mL) – or would that be too strong? Or would it be better to put the espresso grind in a french press and make normal coffee?
My next challenge will be finding the right bacon – originally from Vancouver, I’m now in Australia, and it’s hard to find the bacon we’re used to here. I’ve been searching for a bacon jam recipe ever since I had the best one of my life at a little bar doing a beer & brunch pairing event in Kits…and I remember their secret ingredient was coffee, so I have high hopes for this one!
I think it would be ok, but maybe err on the side of caution and use half the quantity of coffee.
I had no idea that bacon is different in different parts of the world! I’ll cross my fingers for you that you’re able to find some!
Coles has streaky bacon which is the same as American style 🙂
hello Kristen,
a local couple down here in Adelaide South Australia started making bacon jam as gifts and now have an International business – just with Bacon Jam – amazing – It is called the Bacon Jam Company – but guess what – ? I DONT EVEN LIKE IT _ I love yours !!!!!
Wow … what a compliment! And what a cool job to have, too. 🙂
On that comment I now have to try this recipe, cause I like there product, (brought some at a market) so this must be amazing… 🙂
Oh my goodness, Kristen, this is just ridiculously good.! I tripled the batch for Xmas presents and am wishing I’d made more! Absolutely the best – thank you SO much for sharing this recipe. I refer people to your blog as much as possible since your work here is fantastic.
I have never heard of bacon jam before (might be because I am from New Zealand) but love all things Bacon and was delighted to find this recipe. I gave it a go, and added a dessertspoon of garlic because I cannot comprehend any savoury recipe without garlic.
I was a little bit doubtful about the coffee in it, but I really like the idea of the balance of the four flavours – sweet, salty, sour and bitter, so put it in anyway and think it worked out well – no odd coffee flavour at the end.
I also added about 1/4 cup maple syrup (though I did not reduce the brown sugar amount) added more balsamic and seasoned with salt and pepper.
I also didn’t see the 1/2 cup water bit, but it turned out fine, not too liquidy or drippy at all and is really delicious – we had it with an egg and tomato sauce in a split cheese muffin and it was yummy, hubby LOVED it. Planning to freeze some and try serving it with a cheese platter for my birthday in a couple of weeks.
Thank you for sharing, really appreciate this 🙂
I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe! Adding garlic is a great idea … I think I’ll do that next time too. 🙂
I used DARK brown sugar, replaced the coffee with TIA MARIA and the water with maple syrup No. 1 medium. FANTASTIC
Great idea with the Tai Maria! Nicely done 🙂
The first time I had bacon marmalade, I purchased it as a gift for my husband. He of course is a bacon-olic. To my surprise, he hasn’t touched it. I opened it & ate the whole thing this summer. I made myself a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich every morning for breakfast until it was gone. I toasted my bread. Spread one piece with mayo, the other with a very liberal helping of bacon jam, then tomato & lettuce. Mmmm. So easy to have one of my favorite sandwiches whenever I wanted. I’m going to make your recipe. I like the look of it (larger, more recognizable chunks), plus like the ingredients you used. I like the idea of not using maple syrup. Going to make a batch for myself, then hopefully can some for gifts. Thank you for sharing.
I made this tonight, but we don’t do coffee in this house, so replaced the water/coffee with Coca Cola… So good!!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/1888711_711715082242618_2425934648051866876_n.jpg?oh=cbe382e1be1b2a9ca65db225776a3679&oe=54B5C062&__gda__=1420735139_56eed119dec8856ca72a1cbcc4cbb98c
That’s a great idea! I actually made it last night to for the first time in ages. I was thinking that a delicious dark stout or porter would be great instead of the coffee too 🙂
If you liked it with Coca-Cola, try it with Dr. Pepper.. Down here in Texas where Dr. Pepper was invented, people have come up with some interesting uses for it, a common one being in barbecue sauce. It has an even more complex flavor than coke that really adds something.
my bacon jam has about 15 minutes left in the final step and i did not add the extra water, yet it is very runny. Any suggestions or will the water cook down in the end?
Hi Brandon,
I add the water because I like to give the jam extra time to cook and and soften without becoming dry. The time it takes for the water to evaporate will depend mostly on the temperature of your stove. If you think the onions are soft and caramelized enough feel free to omit the water!
Just made a batch, I’m struggling to stop eating it. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. Surely going to be a regular in our house.
Hi Kristen, I made this tonight for the first time and it is absolutely devine!!! My only regret is that I didn’t make a double batch!! I also added about 1/3 cup of sweet chilli sauce to this near the end and it gave the jam an extra punch. I am having a “Girls Weekend” this weekend and I know my girlfriends are going to just love this with cheese and crackers and a splash of wine. I have printed off some copies of the recipe to add to their “Goodies Bag” as I know they will be all asking me for it! Thank you sooo much for posting this!! Yum Yum
Love the idea of adding the chili sauce for a little punch. I think I’ll have to try spicing it up next time I make it 🙂
Have a great girls weekend!
I would also add that I did not add the extra water, and I simmered it on low for 3+ hours. By the end the balance was perfect when I added in the balsamic. The maple syrup idea is intriguing, but I think I liked the basic recipe as above. Will experiment… Thanks, again, Kristen. Will definitely check out your other recipes.
Thanks,
Seana
You are DA JAM! Made this tonight whilst (a tribute to my British Friends) I was hosting up BBQ. No one would leave my damned kitchen long enough to enjoy my new deck furniture. They all wanted to “help” stir my (er, YOUR) bacon jam. I am glad I made a double batch. Everyone had a spoonful on their hamburgers and I have enough to serve tomorrow on crostini at my best friend’s bridal shower. Thanks for helping me out! Ps. The only change I made was to add a hit of Cayenne pepper… Next time I might mince a scotch bonnet in there…
My husband was afraid I would leave him for you. Just sayin’…
Seana
You just made me actually laugh out loud with your husband’s comment. Love it!
This sounds great and I can’t wait to try it. My question is about the bread in the picture. Do you have the recipe? It looks fantastic and I would like to try it with other things, like breakfast!!
Hi Stacie,
The crackers are from Costco. They’re a knock-off of Leslie Stowe’s Rainforest Crisps
I’m hoping to try this recipe, but wanted to incorporate pure maple syrup as well. Any suggestions for what to substitute, or if I should just add a quarter of a cup? Maybe less brown sugar or water or both? I’m not much of a cook, so my instincts are lacking… Thanks!
I think maple syrup would be a great addition! I would reduce the amount of liquid by about as much maple syrup as you add. Also, reduce the amount of brown sugar. You can always add some more close to the end if you want it a little sweeter. 🙂
This. Was. Amazing!!! Perfect proportions. Thank you thank you thank you!
You are so welcome!!
I have never heard of bacon jam, and I love bacon. So excited to try this.
This sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Sounds yummy, can’t wait to try it but will substitute the brown super for a paleo friendly alternative I think. Can you tell me what the cracker/bread that you have in the image is please?
C
Hey Chris,
The crackers are some fruit and nut crackers from Costco. They’re knockoff’s of Lesley Stowe’s Rainforest Crisps.
I’d love to hear what you used to make this paleo friendly and how it turned out!
Thank you SO much for posting this recipe! I moved away from Osoyoos (to Cranbrook, BC) in September. I was looking for a bacon jam recipe because I missed the very same bacon jam that you fell in love with at Hester Creek. You’re my hero!
Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try this, what do you typically serve this with?
Hi Eve,
The bacon jam goes awesome on a cheese plate … especially on top of some creamy brie. I’ve put it on sandwiches and the other day someone recommend I try it with peanut butter, although I haven’t been that brave yet 🙂
I made this today for Christmas gifts. I noticed it took about 2 hours for it to thicken up to a jam-like consistency, but maybe it took me longer because I doubled the recipe?? FYI: this can be canned in a pressure canner. I used 10lb of pressure (but it depends on your altitude) for 75 minutes. Tasted great and all the jars sealed just fine. Thanks for the recipe!
Also, by doubling the recipe, I was able to get 6 half-pint jars.
A friend made this recipe and shared it with us , which is how I found my way here: delicious!
I personally wouldn’t pressure can it (and definitely not water bath it) because I’d be worried about density / heat penetration issues and as of spring 2015 there are no tested, documented pressure canning times for bacon jam from reputable sources such as NCHFP, USDA or Ball who have done lab testing on heat penetration in this mixture. I would definitely do what Kristen does and treat this as a refrigerated product, or freeze it. It’s delicious as is, and it’s nice to share food products worry free with friends knowing the products are 110% safe :}
Thanks for your input about canning this. When it comes to meat and canning I always err on the side of caution. Looking forward to seeing your website!
This sounds delicious. My friend has insisted I freeze some for when she visits in a couple of weeks. Will it be ok to freeze?
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Gemma,
I haven’t tried freezing it yet but my hunch is that it would be just fine. If you try it I would love to hear your feedback!
I bought bacon jam in London a while back and it was disgusting. This, on the other hand sounds absolutely divine! Thanks!
I just now finished making your Bacon Jam. It was an easy recipe to follow, fun to make and here is the part I like most, it is delicious. I can’t wait until my bacon loving sons get home to try it. Thank you for sharing.
I’m about to make batch #2 of this stuff right now. It’s YUMMY.
Awesome! So great to hear 🙂
Have you considered canning this for future use? Would that work out well?
Hi Jenni,
I’ve canned things many times before but never any meat. I would do a little further investigation to see if there area any specific requirements when cooking meat.
I do gift baskets for Christmas presents. Do u think
I could can this?
I think people would love to get this for Christmas. Just remember that it does need to be kept cold so I wouldn’t put it in until just before you give it.
I LOVE bacon jam, like.. stupid love. I had some in a pizzelle at this event, and it was just ridiculously good. I just started an “indulgence” themed linkup, and I’d lovelovelove for you to submit this so I could feature it!
I’m a big fan of your blog as I’m sure you can tell by my frequent, often less than cohesive comments. There’s a submit your link button at the post: http://thestylistquo.com/treat-yo-self-linky-party/
Thank you!
Cheryl
http://thestylistquo.com
Just finished making it, but the onions are black. I think they’re partly burned and it’s partly from the sugar caramelizing and maybe from the espresso I used for the coffee. It doesn’t look like much, but it tastes good!
They definitely get very dark by the end of cooking and do taste a whole lot better than they look 🙂
Hubby love bacon but is intolerable to onions. Any bright ideas to make the jam with any other vegetable?
There was that foodnetwork star who lost – they did that “best thing I ever ate” and his burger choice was one made in a hotel that did bacon/onion jam. Theirs looked more cohesive (great word, huh?), and was a secret recipe (bla bla). For me, I would cut the onions not as thick, and use two types red/vidalia, likely. I am not sure about the brown sugar – perhaps some honey but definitely the balsamic!
Hi Kristen,
is there a 1/2 cup of water plus 1/3 cup strong coffee? I noticed the 1/2 cup of water in the instructions but not in the ingredients list ( I am anal☺) so I just want to make sure as I would like to make this, it looks yummy!
Hi Natascha,
Sorry it has taken me so long to answer your question!
Yes, it is both 1/2 cup of water and 1/3 cup of strong coffee 🙂
when you add the bacon back into the jam?
Hi Arianna,
Oops … looks like I missed that! Thank you for pointing it out 🙂
I’ve corrected the recipe now. You add the bacon back in at step 3. Thank you again for letting me know about the error!
This is definitely on the must-try-soon list. Thank you for the recipe!
I make bacon jam before but chopped it really fine. I like that this recipe has more texture in it. Really yummy!
Fantastic. Simply fantastic.
Have I been living under a rock for my whole life? I’ve never heard of bacon jam before. It sounds amazing. Going to make this recipe tonight!