This Bacon Jam Recipe is a bacon lover's dream! This delicious bacon jam can transform so many things. I mean, bacon is one of my top joys in life... I know I am not alone on that, right??
When I was a kid growing up in Philly, I would often stay overnight at my Grammy's. When I woke she would give me all the bacon I could eat. ALL-the-bacon-I-could-eat!
As the oldest of 5 kids growing up in Philly, THAT was monumental!
At home, I could maybe snag 3 strips... if I was lucky! I still smile at the thought of those lazy weekend mornings at my Grammy's...and all of that glorious bacon. Food memories are some of my favorite memories!
Bacon makes everything better or so the saying goes. BUT this Bacon Jam Recipe...really, really does!
Table of Contents
Besides burgers, what do I put bacon jam on?
IF you can stop yourself from gobbling this up spoonful after spoonful... you will love it spread on:
- hot biscuits
- place atop a round or wedge of warmed Brie or Camembert cheese (so incredible)
- toast
- eggs
- steamed or sautéed veggies
- pancakes
- BLT'S
- grilled cheese sandwiches
- burgers (I mean...OMG!!!)
- pierogis and so much more!
The list can go on and on! Homemade Bacon Jam is a fantastic offering to put out for a Burger Bar at a BBQ.
Why you will love this recipe
Besides being a fabulous topping for burgers, vegetables, biscuits eggs and more. Homemade Bacon Jam is an amazing food gift during the holiday season (or any time of the year).
Make a batch for you and one for a friend, scrape it into a 4, 6 or 8 oz. jar, wrap some ribbon around it, attach the recipe and you will have a happy friend or loved one.
I'm all about food gifts. You can view my best homemade food gifts post for even more options.
I would totally be your BFF if you gifted me with a jar of Bacon Jam!
What bacon should I use to make Bacon Jam?
Of course, the number one ingredient is BACON. It's the most important ingredient and my favorite bacon to date is Hatfield bacon (AND they are local to me).
Hatfield is a 120-year-old business. Before the roads had cars on them, Hatfield was delivering meats to the doors of Pennsylvanians. Today, they produce quality meats for far more than just Pennsylvania.
Turn bacon into Bacon Jam.
Check out my 1 minute TikTok video on how to make this easy recipe for Bacon Jam
Ingredients for Bacon Jam
- Bacon
- Vidalia onion
- Garlic
- Brown sugar
- Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Water (you could also add in a TBS or two of bourbon vs water)
- Fresh thyme
- Black pepper
- Optional: Cayenne red pepper / maple syrup
Bacon Jam is not one of those things you can walk away from as it cooks. Taste as you go and adjust to your liking. Once you make this a couple of times, it's a piece of cake. Soon it'll be a signature dish or food gift of yours.
Tips
- If you want a more sticky gooey jam, add in a ½ cup to 1 cup of fig jam after you remove what you made from the heat, just stir until its mixed in. It complements the bacon perfectly. I have made this both with and without.
- The addition of the fig jam makes the Bacon Jam sweeter. You can counter that (if you wish) by adding in some Cayenne pepper, which I do in the written recipe. I typically like some heat.
- The trick to making it is having your ingredients prepped and organized and then as the mixture cooks down into jam that you pay attention to taste and texture. You don't want it to burn.
Storage
Store in a mason Jar for up to a week. I like to gently reheat this before using.
Love Bacon as much as I do? Try one of my top 6 Bacon dishes:
- Bacon Cheese Jalapeno Quick Bread!
- Glazed Bacon Wrapped Sausage Bites
- Grilled Bacon Wrapped Chicken Skewers
- Steamed Green Beans With Bacon Jam
- Sriracha Candied Bacon (Pig Candy)
- Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle Glaze
This recipe originally published on December 13, 2016. Updated April 26, 2022, to reflect changes in the recipe which I think make it better and easier.
You may also enjoy
Enjoy! -Colleen
Recipe for Bacon Jam
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Bacon
- 1 ½ cups of chopped Vidalia onion
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced or 3 TBS garlic paste
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup water (you could also add in a TBS or two of bourbon vs water)
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- Black pepper
- Optional: a couple of dashes Cayenne red pepper IF you like heat and sometimes I add in 2 TBS of maple syrup towards the end
Instructions
- Chop your bacon and cook until almost crisp, stirring it around often.
- Drain all but ½ TBS or so of the bacon grease out.
- Add in the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Next, add in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring the whole time.
- Add in brown sugar, vinegars and water. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add in Thyme sprigs and pepper and continue simmering another few minutes, stirring often, being careful not to burn.
- Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference if necessary.
- Remove Thyme sprigs and allow the mixture to cool.
- You can then pulse the jam a few times in your food processor for a finer jam or leave it as is. Up to you.
- Once completely cool, store in airtight jars in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- Heat it up a bit to enjoy on whatever you like. If you need to after reheating adding a TBS or so of water if the jam is too thick.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy!!
Since I am not a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionist, I use a WordPress plug-in to calculate the nutritional information provided in the recipe card.
LaNeshe says
I love the Hattfield Applewood bacon. Cool recipe!
Jo-Lynne Shane says
YUM. I mean, bacon!!! But I'd never have thought to make jam with it. So cool.
Colleen says
Bacon Jam can change your life for the better!!
T Jackson says
Just wait till you try it. It is amazing.
Scott C says
Made it yesterday, and again today as some will be given away
Colleen says
Hope people love it!
mike says
Just made today for burgers, always wanted to try. Added a little of my smoker rub and a touch of bbq sauce, it was so good.
Colleen says
Woot! Sounds amazing Mike!
Wendy Lichti says
Can you freeze this?
Colleen says
I have not tried to. I would say no, however I am just not sure.
Rachel says
Perfect for Christmas morning!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I loooooooooove bacon jam and this looks perfect!!
Kim Beaulieu says
We love bacon jam. It's good on everything. Or solo. Eating right out of the jar is totally acceptable. This is gorgeous.
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
ooo I am so making some of this for Thomas! oooo A perfect Christmas gift!
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
I would SO be your BFF if you gave me a jar of bacon jam for Christmas. Slathering this on toasted bread for a BLT sammie is nothing short of brilliance. It's nice that you have a business like Hatfield that is committed to animal welfare and sustainable farming practices in your area.
Bekah says
I added a dash of cayenne pepper and about a half teaspoon of ginger paste... omg it's all I can do not to eat it straight from the pan with a spoon!! I will be using this on chicken and waffle sliders 😋🤤. So Good!!!
Colleen says
100% yes, sounds delicious Bekah! It is so easy to customize!
Karyn Granrud says
Whoa!! What a tasty and totally unique gift to give to the neighbors! I bet your house was smelling amazing after cooking up all that bacon!
Nora Barnum says
Looks amazing...I plan to make some! I have a couple of questions:
If I wanted to can this for later use...how long would you suggest I put it in a hot water bath?
Your picture shows the jam in a 16 oz. mason jar. The recipe says it makes 12 oz., so quantity-
wise, how much do you actually end up with?
I'm just trying to figure out how much I'd need to make 4 - 16 oz. canning jars.
Thank you!
Martha says
As a home economist I would not recommend trying to can this type of item . Because of the high fat and the densities of the ingredients it would be very difficult to kill all of the potential bacteria. This would not insure a safe product. It should be stored in the refrigerator as listed.
ANNA M HOELSKEN says
I haven't made it yet. Wanting more information like canning.
Tess says
I would refer to the ball canning book for canning meat. It would need to be pressure canned at 90 minutes or so depending on altitude and size. But there are no ingredients in it that suggests it cannot be canned.
Nadine Reedy says
I am also wonder about quantity. Seems like a lot of bacon & expensive for just 12oz of jam. Also would like to can.
Robin says
Yeah but its homemade bacon jam... cant really put a price on that🥓🥓🥓
Karen Napholz says
Can this be frozen like “freezer jam”?
Colleen says
I have not tried that...It's always gone!
Kelley says
Yes. I fill small jars then store in the freezer. Works great
Mike Workman says
Sounds like a great recipe which I would like to try but Vidalia onions are not available in the UK. Any suggestions for a suitable replacement?
Laura says
Vidalia onion is a sweet onion; any sweet onion would do.
Janet says
I live in northern part of the US. Vidalia don't have a long shelf-life, so the onions often are mushy by the time they get to our stores. I stopped using them long ago.
Yelllow-skinned onions are fine to use, IMO. If the onions you are using are eye-watering, nose-burning strong, use a bit less, and saute a bit longer being careful not to burn or over brown.
Colleen says
Great answer, thanks Janet!
Pamela Carnley says
I just made this recipe this morning. We will be using tonight for our 4th of July hamburgers! This recipe is so yummy!
Anna says
Too sweet for my taste. To fix it I had to add another pound of bacon and another cup of onion. To cut on the sweet taste I added a cup of coffee. Next tune I would decrease the sugar to 1/3 of the amount. I would add more if needed.
Laura says
I just pinned this recipe because I am certainly going to make it.
Colleen says
I give it as gifts during the holidays (as now some of the past recipients do as well, lol)!
Linda says
We don't like onions but use a lot of onion powder, can this be used instead? Or any recommendations for something other than onions?
Colleen says
Hi Linda, It's traditionally made with onions, if you like things spicy...sweet and spicy...maybe use a couple jalapenos or a mix of poblanos and jalapenos? Just an idea. Let me know what you come up with.
Anne Lawton says
This is the perfect addition to a burger! Pinned to make this real soon.
Colleen says
YES! Amazing on burgers! Enjoy!
Jersey Girl Cooks says
I want to put this on everything!
Colleen says
Haha! Do it! I seriously goes with SO many things! Even ice cream!
Terri says
ALL THE BACON?! You lucky girl! I had to move out before I could get all the bacon. Wow - this bacon jam sounds like it's right up my alley - I could get all the bacon this way 🙂
Carlos at Spoonabilities says
A couple of years back I thought it was crazy the idea of bacon jam but after I tasted I got totally hooked! I'm pretty sure that homemade bacon jam will taste even better.
Colleen says
Bacon...anything makes me happy! I literally eat this off the spoon lol!
Eileen Kelly says
I can't get enough of this bacon jam. It is great on a toasted baguette and perfect added to a charcuterie platter.
Colleen says
You and me both!! Lol! Bacon is one of the best parts of life!
Javier Carvajal says
Hi, did you tweak the recipe? Thought it mentions using dried apricots before?
Colleen says
I did, I found it to be better this way.
Jo says
Can the bacon jam be canned so it will last longer.
Sylvia LaCost says
Is the thyme a necessary ingredient? I never have fresh thyme on hand.
Colleen says
No, it is not necessary. I just like the subtle flavor. I grow it along with oregano in a pot so I always have it on-hand.
Kathaleen Harris says
Brought this bacon jam and some red onion jam to hunt camp. Both are great on burgers. Can’t get a lot of fresh stuff out there but these jams MADE the hamburgers!
Colleen says
Fantastic!! Thanks for the rating & glad you enjoyed!
Kay says
Can’t wait to make this! Sounds absolutely delicious! Can’t seem to find Sherry vinegar, can I use white wine vinegar ?
Colleen says
Yes, you can sub that out, no problem. Enjoy!
Colleen says
Nice, love that! And yes...Bacon is LIFE!! Thanks for the comment Marie!!
Michelle says
Holy smokes this is so delicious!! Just when you thought everything was better with bacon... you learn about bacon jam!!!
Colleen says
Yesss, life is better with Bacon Jam in it! so glad you enjoyed it!
DTAG says
How much dried thyme if you don't have fresh?
Colleen says
Start with 1/4 teaspoon, then taste and adjust.
Mike says
I have not made this yet but have already made some mental note changes. For the bacon I am going to use the ends and pieces they sell in bulk, and chop it up. With all the other ingredients the brand will not make a big difference. In place of brown sugar I am going to use pure maple sugar, and also add a couple Tbs of real maple syrup. Instead of grd black pepper I'm going to use cracked black pepper.
Colleen says
Sounds good! When I first began making this years ago, I would go to the Amish farmers market by me and get the bacon ends, works perfectly!
Peggy Davison says
Can you freeze or can the jam?
Colleen says
I can't see why you can't freeze it. I have never done it myself, but it should freeze well.
I have no experience with traditional canning.
Shirley Baxter says
Can't wait to try it my husband lovesbacon. I have heard of it I'm from Texas so canning is popular, but have never had revipe,thanks.
Colleen says
Enjoy!!
Robert Mertens says
Cannot view the recipe a window pops up over the recipe and it blocks the recipe from being viewed. No way to move or close the window.
Colleen says
I have no idea why that is happening, apologies! Is that on a PC, tablet or phone? I just checked on PC and iphone and it was fine. Hit the jump to recipe button up top and then scroll slightly. I will put recipe here as well for you. 2 pounds Bacon
1 ½ cups of chopped Vidalia onion
4 large cloves garlic, minced or 3 TBS garlic paste
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
¼ cup water (you could also add in a TBS or two of bourbon vs water)
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
Black pepper
Optional: a couple of dashes Cayenne red pepper IF you like heat and sometimes I add in 2 TBS of maple syrup towards the end
INSTRUCTIONS
Chop your bacon and cook until almost crisp, stirring it around often.
Drain all but ½ TBS or so of the bacon grease out.
Add in the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Next, add in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring the whole time.
Add in brown sugar, vinegars and water. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Add in Thyme sprigs and pepper and continue simmering another few minutes, stirring often, being careful not to burn.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference if necessary.
Remove Thyme sprigs and allow the mixture to cool.
You can then pulse the jam a few times in your food processor for a finer jam or leave it as is. Up to you.
Once completely cool, store in airtight jars in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Heat it up a bit to enjoy on whatever you like. If you need to after reheating adding a TBS or so of water if the jam is too thick.
NOTES
You can tinker withy the flavors in the easy to make condiment. Add in some minced jalapenos if you enjoy spicy. Add in a TBS or two of Bourbon (in place of part of the water) for a different flavor.
Swap out shallots for onions, change up the type of vinegar you use etc. Make it your own.
Jadd says
I just had this on salmon patties. Sooooooo delicious.
Colleen says
What a combo! Yum!!
Monique Whitcomb says
Best bacon jam ever!!! Now I will make it for gifts.
Colleen says
YAY!!!! Love hearing that!!
Tom guess says
Excellent, l make it monthly ❤️👍🏻
Colleen says
Woot! Love that! Thanks for the starts Tom!
Marilyn Neufield says
I've been wanting to make bacon jam and just wondering you used bourbon what else could you use in place of that and ideas?
Colleen says
You can leave bourbon out completely. The water will be enough. If you want a "jammier" jam, add in 2 TBS apricot preserves, fig jam, or marmalade. Enjoy!
Bud says
Do you have to use vinegar some of my people will not eat it if they can taste vinegar in it
Colleen says
You cant taste the vinegar. Aci9d is need however for balanced flavor. You could swap for rice wine vinegar, or balsamic (will be darker), If you swapped for lemon juice it would be too tangy IMO.
Christian Taylor says
Oh my gosh! I just made this recipe, and the jam is still cooling, but such complex flavours! You have the sweetness of the brown sugar, the acidity of the vinegars, the kick of the bourbon (I added a little extra), and I added a little maple flavoring. Dang!
Colleen says
Woot! So glad you enjoyed Christian! I am not joking when I say I can eat it off the spoon, lol!
Kelly says
Can you cann this jam?
Colleen says
I am not a canner (would love to learn from a pro however). So if you know how to can, I would assume you can. Good luck!
Linda says
Saw this on Pinterest with all the good reviews, so I made a small batch with the ingredients I had on hand yesterday. OMG - so, so good on our smash burgers! Now I'll get the ingredients to make a big batch!
Colleen says
Woot! So glad you enjoyed! It's so tasty on so many things! Thanks for the comment!
Allison A says
Did you change this recipe? I recall using dried apricots before, I'm sure of it. haven't made it for a few years. I used to have a paper copy, its buried in boxes from moving.
we all really loved the recipe with dried apricots.
Colleen says
I did update it. Yes, you can totally add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of chopped dried apricots to this or apricot jam. I personally just drifted towards making it the way I show now. Either way works.
Marilyn says
made the bacon jam yesterday it's so delicious will be putting it on some brie cheese for a appy
Colleen says
Fantastic! Glad y'all enjoyed Marilyn!
Erlinda says
I live all things bacon! Can’t wait to make this!
Colleen says
Enjoy!
Candi Baird says
Awesome! I tossed in some pure maple syrup with the cayenne. So easy, so glad I looked it up!
Colleen says
Fantastic!!
Billington Nancy says
Amazing! Great instructions and recipe is wonderful. I used whiskey instead of bourbon.
Colleen says
TY! Glad you enjoyed!