Bacon jam, I've never heard of such a wondrous thing until three weeks ago. And I owe the whole revelation to Martha Stewart (and an internet search for a 'pork in a slow cooker' recipe). You'd think a woman such as myself, with such a deep love for pork and condiments, would have already jumped on, and commandeered, the bacon jam wagon, but I was a babe in the bacon woods. I did a little research on the internet and realized it's really more of a bacon chutney, is ridiculously easy to make and even more ridiculously easy to eat with a spoon straight out of the jar. Martha's recipe was a little austere for my tastes but after I added pancetta, cranberries, thyme and maple sugar— it was Mavenized and ready to take a place of pride in the condiment section of my refrigerator.
Bacon & Pancetta Jam
1 pound good bacon (I used Jim's Meat Market bacon)
1 pound pancetta (I used Northern Waters Smokehaus)
1 cup very strong brewed coffee (I used Big Water's Sea Smoke)
2 cups yellow onion, chopped
1 cup shallots, chopped
3/4 cup maple syrup ( I used 219 syrup)
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup maple sugar (substitute brown sugar, if you can't find maple sugar)
1 cup fresh cranberries
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
Preparation
Chop the pancetta and bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and sauté in a dutch oven over medium heat until it's crispy and browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings and return the pan to medium heat. Add the onions, shallots, salt and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes, or until softened. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add all the other ingredients to the dutch oven (including the bacon and pancetta), lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool down for 10 minutes and pulse in a food processor until it's a spreadable consistency. The bacon jam will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator in a covered container.
