Bourbon Bacon Jam

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds bacon
• 2 cups shallots

  finely chopped
• 1 cup vidalia onion

  or any sweet onion, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves

  finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ cup bourbon
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup brown sugar

Instructions

• 1 Begin by cooking the bacon in two frying pans to allow for room for it to crisp
  up properly. Cook over medium heat until it browns perfectly. You want the bacon
  a little crisper with as little visible fat as possible. Transfer to paper
  towels to drain excess fat off.
• 2 Pulse your shallots and onions in the food processor or chop with a knife.
• 3 Leave about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the fat in one of the pan. Add shallot and
  onion to the pan, cook over medium heat until they start to caramelize. Then,
  add the garlic and cook for about one more minute.
• 4 Add the chili powder and smoked paprika, stir to combine.
• 5 Increase heat to high and add the bourbon (carefully) and maple syrup. Bring to
  a boil, stir and scrape the pan so all the little bacon bits comes loose.
  Continue boiling for about 2 to 3 minutes.
• 6 Add vinegar and brown sugar, continue to boil for about 3 minutes.
• 7 Using a sharp knife cut the bacon into small pieces. You can also tear it by
  hand so it looks more rustic, not too perfect. Personal choice.
• 8 Toss the bacon into the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes,
  the mixture will thicken and look jam like in the process.
• 9 Turn off the stove top. Drain any excess fat off the bacon jam by pouring it
  through a sieve or use cheesecloth to drain it through.
• 10 Now you have two options, you can pop the mixture into a food processor and
  pulse until it breaks down more. Or you can leave it chunkier (I like the more
  rustic, chunkier look) and don't bother pulsing it. Your choice.
• 11 Transfer to jars and store in the fridge.
• 12 You can heat it up in the microwave whenever you want to top something with the
  jam. I used it over smoked sausages cooked on the grill.
• 13 Serve.

Nutrition Info