Bacon Jam

Bacon jam takes burgers and cheese plates to the next level.

By
Summer Miller
Summer Miller
Summer Miller
Summer has spent the last 12 years working in food media and she's the author of the award-winning book "New Prairie Kitchen."
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated March 31, 2024
Summer Miller
A burger with easy bacon jam on top of sauce, tomato, red onion and lettuce.

Alison Bickel

I was a vegetarian for more than a decade until one fateful camping trip along the rocky hillside of Fort Robinson State Park. After that point, I knew I’d be a carnivore for all the days that lay ahead. Hint: It involved bacon.

Bacon: A Love Story

I’d fallen in love with a hunter, and I’d been dabbling with eating poultry for a few months prior to that trip. My life was quickly changing. All night long, I lay awake in our tent listening to the howls and yips of coyotes coming from every direction.

Consequently, when I finally did fall asleep, I slept late and didn’t notice when my then boyfriend (now husband) left the tent to start breakfast. He brought along unseasoned turkey sausage for me, and bacon—real, smoky crispy bacon—for him.

Bacon Jam on a burger
Sheryl Julian

When I emerged from the tent, he handed me a plate of pale and unappetizing turkey sausage (this was 16 years ago; turkey sausage has come a long way since then). Then, he sat down to eat the crispy strips of bacon he’d fried up for himself.

I couldn’t help myself. I tried a piece and that was the beginning of the end. I ate ALL THE BACON that day. All of it. We hiked all morning, then stopped at a café in a nearby town for lunch. I ate my first BLT since early childhood. Of course, I ordered it with extra bacon.

It was what dreams were made of: smoky, salty, sweet.

I ended up getting terribly sick, probably because my body wasn’t used to it. But I fought my way through. It was another six years before I ate beef, but after letting my body adjust, I started to enjoy bacon in moderation.

Bacon jam on top of an open-faced burger to show what is bacon jam.

Alison Bickel

Bacon Jam for Burgers

I have to say bacon jam on a juicy grilled burger is one of the best things this side of Fort Robinson. It allows me to enjoy the essence of bacon without revisiting my earlier over-indulgences.

Bacon jam balances sweet and salty flavors for a burger topping that takes your backyard barbecue to the next level.

How To Make Bacon Jam

The time it takes to make the recipe is mostly wrapped up in frying the bacon. Once that’s done the rest of it comes together quickly, and in one pan, no less.

Feel free to dice the bacon as small as you like, but I prefer larger 1-inch pieces chunks of bacon. It’s not so big that you can’t bite through it along with the fixings, but it’s still substantial enough that you get a good taste of bacon with every bite.

Think of it like big pieces of smoky, bacon bits floating in a sea of sweet sauce. It takes me back to the bacon and maple syrup flavors of my childhood.

Ways To Use Bacon Jam

This jam pairs well with other burger toppings such as lettuce, mayo, and red onion or our blue cheese burger sauce. Add it to grilled cheese sandwiches, spoon it into soups, add it to a holiday cheese plate, top your salad, or add it to roasted vegetables.

And if you think more bacon is always better, what about bacon jam to a BLT? The possibilities are endless.

More Great Toppings for Burgers!

Can You Can Bacon Jam?

In short, no. According to Healthycanning.com, it is not safe to can bacon jam, even if you adjust the recipe to have more sugar or vinegar. This recipe makes only 2 cups, so it's probably not worth bothering even if it were safe to can. Also, the heat of the canner (whether a water bath or a pressure canner) may encourage the fat in the jam to separate out and create a layer on top of the jar, which would be unappealing.

So make this and freeze it if you need to, but don't can it.

How Long Does Bacon Jam Last?

Store bacon jam in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. If you can't use it all within 4 weeks, freeze it for up to 6 months.

More Ways To Use Bacon Jam

Readers have shared some of their own great ideas for using this bacon jam.

  • Mary spreads it on pizza as a base and tops it with mozzarella cheese.
  • Gail used it on cooked asparagus.
  • You can even think of it as a chunky, savory-sweet version of Better than Bouillon and plop a spoonful into chili, soup, and stew recipes.

What To Do With Bacon Grease

Yes, you'll have leftover bacon grease from making this. Either pour it into a can, let it solidify, and then pitch it...or save it to use in recipes such as refried beans. Never pour bacon fat down the drain, as it can cause clogs.

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Bacon Jam

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 68 mins
Total Time 78 mins
Servings 16 servings
Yield 2 cups

This sauce is chunky, but if you want a smoother sauce either chop the bacon into smaller pieces or pulse the finished jam it in your food processor to reach the desired consistency.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound thick sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (see Recipe Note)

  • 1 large yellow onion, diced small

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Method

  1. Cook the bacon:

    In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon in two batches so as not to crowd the pan. (If your pan is large enough, it's fine to cook all the bacon at once.)

    Stir occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is browned, but not burned or overly crispy. Scoop out the first batch of cooked bacon with a slotted spoon, and drain it on a paper towel-lined plate. Cook the remaining batch.

    This should take about 25 to 30 minutes total for both batches.

    Onion Bacon Jam fry the bacon
    Sheryl Julian
  2. Cook the onions and garlic:

    Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan. You can eyeball it. Add all the bacon back to the skillet.

    Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.

    Best Bacon Jam Recipe cook the onions and garlic
    Sheryl Julian
  3. Reduce the jam:

    Add the vinegar and brown sugar to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Cook stirring and scraping up browned bits from the skillet for 2 minutes

    Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid turns syrupy and almost completely evaporates—this should take about 30 minutes.

  4. Store and reheat if needed:

    Use immediately, or spoon it into an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to four weeks. Serve warm.

    To reheat, zap it in the microwave for about 45 seconds or warm it in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
142 Calories
11g Fat
6g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 142
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 191mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 84mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.