Bacon makes everything better, so why not try it with peaches. Bacon jam recipe adds a sweet and salty flavor to a burger, sandwich or add some to goat cheese on a crostini for the best appetizer out there. Easy to make and not greasy at all.
Add something extra to your next cookout or BBQ, your burgers will never be the same.
Why you’ll love it
- Natural sweetness from the peaches reduces the amount of sugar needed in your jam
- This jam can be served as an appetizer or a condiment
- It makes a great DIY gift
While on my jam kick this summer, I decided that I should branch out into the savory jams. I absolutely love the tomato jam I’ve had on burgers at restaurants but it sounded like a lot of work. However, with peaches doing so well this year, and my success with Peach Vanilla Jam, I wanted to give bacon jam a try but with peaches instead of tomatoes.
The addition of peaches adds a natural sweetness to my bacon jam recipe so you don’t need to add as much brown sugar. Make sure your peaches are at their best, if not, here’s some tips to ripen peaches.
This is a recipe that you need to taste as you go along because some peaches are sweeter then others. Start with about ½ cup of brown sugar and add more if needed. I didn’t can the first batch but shared it with several friends who are still raving about how good it is.
Mike wasn’t happy when he learned I had given it all away until I told him I had made another batch and canned it so we would could have more anytime we wanted.
What you’ll need
- Thick sliced bacon – you want to use thick slices of bacon so they hold up when you cook the ½ pieces perfectly for your jam. Pepper bacon is a good option if available.
- Peaches – you’ll need about 4 large ripe peaches for this recipe.
- Vidalia onion – this type of onion is perfect for jam because it’s mild in flavor but also has a higher sugar content, if you can’t find a Vidalia then use a yellow onion.
- Dark brown sugar – you can easily substitute light brown sugar, but the rich molasses flavor is great with the peaches. If you prefer your jam less sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar.
- Chipotle pepper – you can purchase these in a can in the Hispanic section of your grocery story. Pull one of the peppers in its sauce and dice it up. The rest can be transferred to an air tight container or ziploc, frozen and used in another dish.
- Hot sauce – use your favorite spicy sauce to add some zest to compliment the sweetness.
- Bourbon – you can use any bourbon brand you like. Hibiki is a mild flavored bourbon that I like to use in baking but feel free to use what you have on hand.
- Pantry staples – Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and black pepper.
PRO TIP: If you don’t have bourbon on hand or don’t regularly use bourbon, grab small miniatures from your liquor store.
How to make bacon jam with peaches
Step 1: In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.
Step 2: Add onions and continue to cook over medium heat until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Peel, slice and chop peaches and add to the pot along with bacon, brown sugar, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and bourbon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until it begins to thicken, about 30 minutes depending on how juicy the peaches are. Add chipotle pepper and hot sauce to taste.
Step 3: Remove from heat and either can or freeze what you’re not going to eat. Serve at room temperature.
If it has been refrigerated, warm it slightly in the microwave or let it come to room temperature before serving. My jam was not greasy at all. I don’t really like cold bacon so I think room temperature works great. If you want to serve it right away, you can heat the jar in the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off.
How to serve bacon jam
Bacon Jam is both sweet and salty so it can go with so many things. We first tried this with goat cheese on a crostini. The sweet and salty flavor with the goat cheese was amazing!
One of my friends tried hers on a grilled cheese which will upgrade your grilled cheese sandwich to an all new level.
It’s also pretty tasty on a burger. We are still experimenting with ways to enjoy this wonderful jam. I think it would be great on any meat to jazz things up a bit.
If you’re thinking of Christmas gifts or a hostess gift, anyone would love to receive this. Of course you’ll need to can it which is so simple. Check out the easy instructions in the Peach Vanilla Jam post if you haven’t canned before. I used the same technique here. You can also use frozen peaches if it’s past peach season where you are.
FAQ and tips
Jam is similar to jelly in that it is a condiment used to serve on toast and many other foods. Jam uses the pulp of the fruit to create the texture for the sauce and jelly focuses on the juice of the fruit to create a smoother sauce.
Bacon jam is an artisanal jam that is cooked with fried bacon pieces, sugars and spices until it’s the consistency of the condiment you’d like to serve. Often bacon is accompanied by a sweet fruit for a sweet and salty complimenting sauce.
Once you place your bacon jam in an airtight container, you can place it in the fridge for 2-4 weeks.
Yes, you can freeze bacon jam. It is good for about 6 mos. When you’re ready to use it, place it in the fridge to thaw before using.
More Jam Recipes
What else can you make with peaches
Adapted from Striped Spatula
Bacon Jam Recipe with Peaches
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs thick sliced bacon cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 large vidalia onion chopped
- 3 cup peaches about 4 peaches
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle pepper
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
Equipment
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.
- In the same pot, add onions and continue to cook over medium heat until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Peel, slice and chop peaches and add to pot along with bacon, brown sugar, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and bourbon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until it begins to thicken, about 30 minutes depending on how juicy the peaches are. Add chipotle pepper and hot sauce to taste.
- Remove from heat and either can or freeze what you are not going to eat. Serve at room temperature. If it has been refrigerated, warm it slightly in the microwave or let it come to room temperature before serving.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Serve on crostini with goat cheese or on sandwiches or burgers.
- It makes about 2 cups of jam.
- This will save in the refrigerator for several weeks.
- To store it, either freeze or can it like you would with any jam.
- You may not need all of the brown sugar depending on how sweet the peaches are, taste as you go.
- If you can find pepper bacon, it will add even more flavor.
Nutrition
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This recipe sounds very tasty. I would like to make some for Christmas gifts. Since it contains bacon I understand it needs to he processed in a pressure cooker canner. What canner is best for this? And how is it done? Help!!
I would can this just like I can jam. I have a full description along with the products I use here.
How many jars does this make??
About four 4 ounce jars.