Rosemary maple bacon jam. Yes, I said bacon jam.
What happens, when you take that wonderfully complex flavour and turn it into jam? True bliss. Recently I featured my recipe for rosemary maple bacon jam at a local fair, and the popularity of this recipe was overwhelming.
The best tip I can give you is to use premium bacon from a butcher for best results. This is not a recipe for your run-of-the-mill grocery store brand. The results are much better with premium bacon. This recipe is not a place for dried rosemary. Fresh rosemary full of wonderful essential oils is the way to go. Use pure maple syrup and not regular pancake syrup.
This jam is awesome on crackers with goat cheese, pizzas, bruscetta, sandwiches and almost anywhere you would like a sweet and savoury concoction.
Rosemary maple bacon jam is the perfect topping for almost any appetizers you may be thinking of offering to your guests, like bruscetta, cheese crackers and canapés. My favourite is with soft unripened goat cheese (chevre), as the creamy tanginess is the perfect match for this sweet complex concoction.
Recipe: Rosemary Maple Bacon Jam
1 pound bacon slices, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 medium onions, quartered and sliced thin
6 to 8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup black coffee
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
Add the bacon pieces to a large heavy bottomed pan or dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium/high and cook the bacon until almost crisp (browned and cooked but not crisp), reducing the heat to medium as it starts to turn brown, stirring occasionally, approximately 20 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to drain.
Remove all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Turn the heat to medium and stir in the onions to the tablespoon of bacon fat followed by the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until this onion/garlic mixture is softened and slightly browned, approximately five to seven minutes.
Add the coffee, brown sugar, maple syrup, vinegar, rosemary and reserved bacon. Stir to combine and increase the heat to medium/high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer uncovered for approximately 90 minutes until the mixture is syrupy and has a jam like texture.
Transfer this mixture to a food processor and pulse until the consistency and texture are what you desire. Will last up to three weeks in your refrigerator. Makes approximately two cups
Visit Chef Dez’s website at www.chefdez.com.
