Bourbon Bacon Jam Food

BOURBON BACON JAM

Steps:

• Preheat heavyweight saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat. The pot's capacity should be around 3-quarts.
• Prep work: Cut bacon into 1-inch strips. Cut onion in half, and then cut each half into 1/4-inch slices. Dice jalapeno pepper (for less heat, remove ribs and seeds). Chop garlic cloves.
• Add bacon to pot. Fry until fat renders and bacon is lightly browned and beginning to crisp. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels and let drain. Pour off all but one tablespoon of bacon fat.
• Add sliced onions and jalapeno peppers to pot. Sauté on medium heat until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
• To onion, jalapeno and garlic mixture, add dark brown sugar, brewed coffee, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, bourbon, water, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine and deglaze pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add bacon and stir to combine. Mixture will be soupy. Reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until liquid becomes thick and syrupy.
• Remove pan from stove. Cool for about 30 minutes.
• Spoon mixture into food processor bowl. Pulse 3 times in 1-second pulses. Taste the jam. If it's too chunky, pulse 1 to 2 more times. Do not over-process. The jam should have chewy bits of bacon throughout.
• Spoon bacon jam into glass jars with tight lids. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

BOURBON STYLE BACON JAM

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to crisp at the edges buy are still soft in the center. Set aside to drain. Leave one tablespoon of the drippings in the pan.
• Lower heat to med-low and add the onions and brown sugar. Cook until the onions are well caramelized (~20 min.). Add the garlic and spices and cook an additional five minutes.
• Add the liquid ingredients and the bacon back to the pan. Increase the heat to medium bringing the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for about two hours. Check the mixture every 30 minutes. If it becomes too dry, add a few tablespoons of water. You want the final mixture to be moist and very sticky.
• Let the mixture cool slightly then put it into the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 20 times, or until it reaches your preferred consistency.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

HONEY-BOURBON GLAZED BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the honey and bourbon in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Lay the bacon on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Brush with some of the honey-bourbon syrup. Continue roasting until deeply caramelized and crispy, another 10 to 15 minutes--the bacon will really crisp as it cools. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and serve.

BACON-BOURBON JAM

Steps:

• Divide bacon between two large skillets and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned and starting to crisp, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat and discard remainder. Add bacon fat, onions and garlic to one skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and translucent, about five minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, coffee, and bourbon. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes, stirring and scraping browned bits from bottom of skillet with wooden spoon. Add bacon and stir to combine.
• Transfer mixture to a six-quart slow-cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid has reduced and thickened slightly and bacon is a deep burnished brown, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Transfer mixture to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then transfer to airtight jars. Store in refrigerator for up to one month.

BACON JAM

Steps:

• Start with a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and shallots, and cook until the shallots are slightly translucent and give off a nice fragrance, about 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar, honey and crushed red pepper; stir until well mixed. Now add the crumbled bacon, and stir. Turn the heat down to low, add the beer, and bring to a simmer.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by half and you have a shimmery, glossy mixture, about 2 hours.

BACON JAM

Steps:

• Fry the bacon in a large non-stick pan for 5-10 mins mins until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
• Turn the heat to low and cook the onion in the bacon fat for 15-20 mins until soft and starting to brown. Stir in the garlic, sugar, cider vinegar, bourbon, maple syrup, coffee and the bacon.
• Cook slowly for 25-30 mins, stirring occasionally until thick and syrupy. Turn off the heat, leave to cool for a few mins, then carefully tip everything into a food processor. Pulse briefly to chop into small pieces, then leave the mixture to cool before packing it into two sterilised jars. Will keep for up to one month in the fridge.