Easy Preserves: The Best Bacon Jam with Caramelized Onion Recipe

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Recipe Summary

Easy to make, small-batch drip jam, Bacon Jam with Caramelized Onions recipe! So decadent and goes well with so many foods from hamburgers to grilled cheese sandwiches to pizza, it's a must try preserving and canning recipe.

Prep15m

Cook1h

Total1h 15m

8gCarb 7gFat 7gProtein

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Bacon and jam all at one time? Yes! Smoky bacon, onions, and brown sugar – sounds like a pretty decadent combination, doesn’t it? Well, I definitely think it is if I might say so.

The best of savory and sweet come together in this recipe, Bacon Onion Jam!

When you slow cook all of those yummy ingredients together, allowing the layers of flavor to mellow, you get an even richer flavor out of them! This simple bacon jam recipe with caramelized onions is packed with a decadent combination of flavors. Once you make this simple small-batch jam recipe, you’re going to want to prepare it often so you can enjoy it day after day.

If you’ve never had bacon onion jam, you’re in for a treat! It is a quick or drip jam recipe, made in small batches. You can easily double the recipe or as in my case, make it frequently to have fresh on hand in the refrigerator. Try it, share it, love it!

What to Put Bacon Jam On

The short answer is almost everything. The longer answer is this.

Burgers. This is the obvious one and it earns its reputation. A spoonful of bacon jam on a burger in place of ketchup and mustard is one of those upgrades that’s hard to go back from. Sharp cheddar, bacon jam, done.

Baked potatoes. One of the best things you can do to a baked potato. A dollop alongside sour cream and chives turns a simple side into something worth talking about. If you’re putting together a full baked potato bar, bacon jam belongs on the table without question.

Crackers and charcuterie boards. Bacon jam is a natural on a board alongside aged cheeses, cornichons, and good crackers. It pairs particularly well with sharp cheddar, brie, and aged gouda. Set it out in a small jar with a spoon and it will be the first thing gone.

Grilled cheese. Spread a thin layer on the inside of the bread before grilling. It caramelizes slightly against the pan and adds a sweet smoky depth that takes a basic grilled cheese somewhere much more interesting.

Steak. A small spoonful on a resting steak melts into the meat as it sits. Rich, savory, and slightly sweet against the char of a good piece of beef. Trust this one.

Eggs. Scrambled, fried, in an omelette. Bacon jam alongside eggs in any form is a very good morning.

What You’ll Need to Make Bacon Jam:

• Smoky bacon
• Sweet yellow onions
• Brown mustard seeds
• Bay leaves
• Dark brown sugar
• White wine vinegar 

How to Make Bacon Onion Jam:

Step One:

• In a large Dutch oven, add the bacon and brown until it’s crispy, which usually takes about 15 minutes. If necessary, make in batches if keeping the bacon strips whole, then crumble once cooled. Reserve one tablespoon of the bacon fat and discard the rest. 

Step Two:

• Add the diced onions, mustard seeds, brown sugar, bay leaves, white wine vinegar, and a few tablespoons of water to the pot along with the bacon. Stir the ingredients until well combined. Place a lid on top to cover the pot and cook the ingredients over low heat for about 20 minutes, undisturbed.

Step Three:

• Remove the lid and stir the ingredients, then set the lid askew and continue to cook for about 45 minutes to an hour until the mixture is dark and has a jam texture. If needed, more water can be added to the pot to keep the ingredients from scorching on the bottom of the pan.

Step Four:

• Transfer the bacon mixture to a sterilized jar, seal, and allow to cool. Once cooled, keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 – 2 cups of jam.

What Does Bacon Jam Taste Like?

When you hear the word jam, the thought of a sweet, fruity spread probably comes to mind. And while bacon jam does have the consistency of other jams, it is more of a savory-sweet flavor. The addition of the brown sugar not only adds to the deep rich color but also enhances the flavor of the bacon and helps create a jam-like consistency.

Its flavor and texture are more like a chutney than a traditional sweet jelly spread. If you like candied bacon or are a bacon lover, this bacon onion jam has the goodness you’ll love. Pairing well with so many dishes, it’s definitely worth making!

What Do You Eat With Savory Sweet Jams?

The delicious, smoky flavor of bacon jam is the perfect topper for a variety of different recipes! You can use it as a topping, chutney, or spread, making it a great choice for layering flavor in all your meals!

Try these bacon jam recipe ideas to use your jam in a variety of different ways:

• Use it as a sandwich spread to add flavor to plain deli meat
• Spread some bacon jam on a burger bun to top your cheeseburger
• Add it to your next grilled cheese sandwich to take it up a notch
• Spread it on top of crackers for a quick snack
• Make bruschetta, simply spread on toasted baguette slices
• Add it to your next pizza, instead of a traditional pizza, use this as the “sauce”, then add brie, and sliced apples for a brilliant tasting appetizer pizza
• Top your favorite BBQ meat with a spoonful of bacon jam
• Top off a hot baked brie with a few spoonfuls of this caramelized and bacon jam
• Spoon it over a baked potato at my baked potato bar and it instantly becomes the topping everyone fights over. Trust me on this one.

Tips and Tricks

You won’t believe how easy this jam recipe is to make! Follow these tips and tricks, and you’ll be able to whip up a jar of bacon jam in no time.

• Chop the bacon for faster cooking. To speed up the cook time of your bacon, try chopping the raw bacon into smaller pieces before adding it to the pot. This will allow the bacon to cook faster and more evenly.
• Pulse in a food processer for smoother consistency. After cooking the jam according to the recipe instructions, you’ll end up with a chunky sauce. If you prefer your bacon jam to have a smoother, more jam-like consistency, just put the cooled jam in the food processor. Pulse the ingredients a few times until they’re smooth, then transfer the mixture to your jar to store it.
• Refrigerate your jam after it’s cool. Allow the jam to cool completely before transferring it to a sterile jar. After that, hand tighten the seal and store it in the refrigerator to extend its life. When refrigerated, your bacon jam can be kept for up to a week.

How to Store Bacon Jam

Bacon jam keeps well and is worth making in a big batch precisely because it stores so easily.

Refrigerator. Transfer to a clean jar or airtight container and keep refrigerated. It will stay good for 2 to 3 weeks. The fat from the bacon will solidify when cold, which is normal. Let it come to room temperature for a few minutes before serving or give it a quick warm in a small saucepan over low heat to loosen it back up.

Freezer. Bacon jam freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Portion it into small freezer-safe containers or an ice cube tray before freezing so you can pull out exactly what you need without thawing the whole batch. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently before serving.

Canning. Due to the meat content, bacon jam is not safe for water bath canning at home. If you want to preserve it longer term, the freezer is the way to go. Any recipe suggesting standard home canning for bacon jam is one to approach with caution.

Other Preserving and Canning Recipes to Try:

• Toasted Almond and Peach Jam
• Jalapeno and Cranberry Jam
• Fermented Jalapeno Hot Sauce
• Fig Rosemary and Red Wine Jam
• Small Batch Pepper Peach Jam
• Homemade Fig Jam

How to Make Small Batch Caramelized Onion and Bacon Jam:

Stacey Doyle

The Best Bacon Jam with Caramelized Onion Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Easy to make, small-batch drip jam, Bacon Jam with Caramelized Onions recipe! So decadent and goes well with so many foods from hamburgers to grilled cheese sandwiches to pizza, it's a must try preserving and canning recipe.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 10 – 12 ounces

Calories: 118

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 pound bacon
• 3 large or 4 medium sweet yellow onions diced
• 1 ½ teaspoons brown mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 3 – 6 tablespoons water

Method

 

1. In a large Dutch oven, add bacon, diced or left whole, and brown until crispy, about 15 – 18 minutes.
2. If you leave the bacon whole, remove it and crumble it into large pieces. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the fat and discard the rest. Return the bacon to the Dutch oven.
3. Add the diced onions, brown mustard seeds, brown sugar, bay leaves, white wine vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until well combined. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, undisturbed.
4. Stir and then set the lid askew and continue to cook for about 45 minutes to an hour or until the mixture is dark and has a jam texture. If needed, more water can be added to keep it from scorching.
5. Transfer jam mixture to a sterilized jar, seal and allow to cool. Once cooled, keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 7gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 324mgSugar: 6g

Notes

Any smoked bacon works great, I prefer to use applewood smoked and thick-cut bacon in this recipe.

If unable to find brown mustard seeds, simply substitute with yellow mustard seeds, or use 1 teaspoon of ground yellow mustard.

You can substitute the white wine vinegar for white balsamic or dark balsamic vinegar if preferred.

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