Friday, July 1, 2011

BACON JAM with a little kick


BACON JAM...are you kidding me?
was someone keeping this a secret?
how did i not know about this WONDER SPREAD?!

move over candied bacon...there's a new kid in town


good morning...good afternoon and good night !
i could eat this with every meal...and i think i have.

if you are a bacon fanatic, like myself, i suggest...demand you to try this fabulous easy slow cooker recipe for the sweet savory ride of your life.  it goes with just about anything and everything...wonderful with the apple-peanut butter combo...fabulous with a ripe camembert cheese and a crisp cracker...just the right topping for some toast soldiers and a 3 minute egg...

and on a burger ?  fagetaboutit !


SLOW COOKER BACON JAM
w/chipotle peppers
adapted from Martha Stewart

1 1/2 pound sliced bacon (apple wood smoked is great), cut lengthwise into 1-2 inch pieces
NOTE...if doing it on the stove top i find it much easier to keep the pieces large or whole for easier flipping and even browning.
2 medium yellow onions, diced small
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed peeled
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup brewed coffee
1/2 tsp Mexican chili powder
2-3 chipotle chilies, diced...out of the can with a little of the adobo sauce

1.  cook your bacon until it is browned and the fat is rendered...OVEN or SKILLET...?

NOTE...the 1st time i cooked my bacon, in strips, all at once in the oven...much easier...BUT i lost out on the crispy bacon burnt scrapings that you get from cooking it in the skillet.    the finished product didn't miss the scrapings at all...it was fabulous.  i did a second batch on the stove top to see if there would be a big flavor  difference and i cut the bacon into small pieces...had to do it in 2 batches, took twice as long, kind of messy and kind of a big hassle.  this batch is in the slow cooker RIGHT NOW, so we'll see....i'm leaning towards the oven method and cutting it all into pieces before adding to the pot.

NOTE...i just tried the second batch...the one that i cooked the bacon on the stove top and used all the scrapings.  i did not see any noticeable flavor difference.  i will definitely use the oven method for my bacon from here on out.  i think i could still get some of the delicious scrapings off the jelly roll pan and add them, but like i said, i didn't notice anything worth going through all the trouble of stove top cooking.  i suggest cooking your bacon in whole strips all at once in the oven.

transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.  pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.  save the rest for future use...like these Bacon Fat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies perhaps.

Add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.

add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, coffee, chili powder and chipotle chilies and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet (or not if used oven method) with a wooden spoon.
add bacon and stir to combine.

transfer mixture to a 6 Qt slow cooker and cook on high, UNCOVERED, for 3 1/2 - 4 hours, until liquid is syrupy.

transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks


NOTE...i, obviously, put mine in airtight clip-top jars...try to make sure there are no air bubbles when loading into jars...that's where the spoilage can form first if you are storing a jar for a few weeks. this is very rich, but UNBELIEVABLY FABULOUS so you might use it sparingly...

or YOU MIGHT WANT TO SLATHER IT ON EVERYTHING !!!

i have a new favorite breakfast now that i have discovered this wonder spread...a bacon jam, peanut butter and fresh raspberry quesadilla.  spread the jam on one side, the p-nut better on the other, add the raspberries to one side and flap over like a quesadilla...talk about a delicious out-of-the-ordinary on the go breakfast...YUM !!!



8 comments:

Sue/the view from great island said...

This looks amazing...bacon is amazing! If I made this I'd be eating it 24/7. I was once a vegetarian and bacon brought me back into the fold. The peanut butter apple thing looks...amazing. Have I said amazing enough times? I have to try this.

lynn said...

YES PLEASE!!!

mutfak gazetesi said...

This looks amazing...bacon is amazing

Unknown said...

All I can say is thank you for your blog! I only just discovered it and I am hooked! Got a batch of this bacon jam on right now and hoping it turns out ok. I am in Australia and chipotle chillies are rare indeed ( substituted with Tabasco, chargrilled marinated peppers and a spurt of BBQ sauce) any other substitute suggestions? Will let you know how it goes ...

Jules and Ruby said...

hi Meredith...thanks so much. i think it sounds great. i like the substitution idea of BBQ sauce. i can't wait to hear how it turns out. the main flavor comes from the BACON and the caramelized onion so what ever else you add in is a bonus. i've made this jam so many times...once with kalamata figs, another with dried apricots and also one with diced apples and chipotle. too bad you can't get chipotle in adobo sauce out there...i use it ALLLL the time for all kinds of stuff. hey, thanks again...let me know
by the way...can you get Cholula Hot Sauce with Chipotle? here's a link http://cholula.com/hot_sauce_flavors/chipotle_hot_sauce.php

Unknown said...

It worked out really well! So far today I have eaten it on toast dipped in a soft boiled egg and this afternoon on a chunk of apple with a bit of Nutella -yum! Should I store it in the fridge? Thanks for the link I will check it out. Tonight I make the Nutella fudge!

Jules and Ruby said...

hi meredith...YAY! so glad it turned out great. you have breakfast and lunch covered...maybe slather it on a grilled cheeseburger for dinner this week? i could put it on anything!.
YES it should be kept in the fridge. i divide it into little sterilised jars, give a few away and save a few. sometimes i will put a layer of bacon fat covering the jam surface, then lid on tight. i am NOT the food police, but if unopened, untouched and properly refrigerated it's good for at least 5-6 weeks. my point is...hide a little jar in the fridge.

Anonymous said...

Does this have to be refrigerated?

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