Bacon jam

Media: Bacon jam

Bacon jam is a bacon-based relish, similar to the Austrian starter Verhackertes. It is made through a process of slow cooking the bacon, along with onions, vinegar, brown sugar and spices, before mixing in a food processor. In 2015, Martin and Suzie Cowley of Wales claimed to have invented Bacon Jam,^[1] however, Chef Mike Oraschewsky stated they started making Bacon Jams since 2013.^[2] Josh Henderson of Skillet Street Foods has been selling Bacon Jam as of 2010. ^[3]

Bacon jam, like fruit jams, requires a certain level of sugars to be officially labelled 'jam'.

Recipe

Bacon jam is made by slow cooking a combination of bacon, onions, brown sugar and vinegar, then placing the mixture in a food processor and putting it into jars. Variations on this recipe include altering the cooking time between two and six hours, and adding other ingredients such as maple syrup, garlic, a variety of spices and bourbon.

Ingredients:

1 lb. bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder^[4]

Verhackert

Without the sweeteners the recipe bears some similarity to the Austrian dish, Verhackert. Verhackert is a spread of minced bacon, combined with garlic and salt. A traditional dish, the preparation of bacon takes place over two months, which includes freezing the meat two to three times. Once the meat is ready, it is minced with the other ingredients and pressed into a terrine.^[5] Verhackert is served cold with bread as an appetizer.

Notable producers

Skillet Street Food, a gourmet burger van in Seattle.^[6]
The Bacon Jams, a gourmet food producer in the Philadelphia area, which sells at festivals and nationwide online.^[7]
Martin and Suzie Cowley, who run a fine food business in Rhondda, South Wales, introduced a variant of bacon jam containing Jack Daniel's in 2015.^[8]

References

^ Day, Liz (8 August 2015). "A couple have invented bacon jam and it's flying off the shelves. Yes, BACON jam". WalesOnline. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
^ "The Bacon Jams: An Origin Story". TBJ Gourmet. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
^ "We've Got It Covered". Seattle Met. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Bacon Jam Makes EVERYTHING Taste Better". Delish. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
^ "Food in Styria". Austrian Foreign Ministry. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
^ "Skillet Street Food". Seattle Weekly. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
^ "Local Foodies Use Kickstarter to Bring Home The Bacon". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
^ "Bacon Jam". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 8 August 2015.