Tinhateats

Maple Bacon Jam Recipe

Decadently delicious, surprisingly simple: This maple bacon jam delivers a rich and satisfying flavor experience with minimal effort. You'll be amazed at how quickly it comes together, and even more amazed at how many ways you'll find to enjoy it.
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Maple Bacon Jam Overview

  • Sweet meets smoky: The rich, caramelized notes of maple and onion are perfectly intertwined with the savory depth of bacon, creating a flavor explosion you won’t soon forget. 

  • Endless uses: Seriously the uses are endless: Burgers, salads, deviled eggs…You’ll want to put this jam on EVERYTHING—it’s that irresistibly good!

  • Effortless preparation: This recipe is much easier than you think and comes together in just about 30 minutes.

Slow-cooked bacon, rendered to crispy-edged perfection, mingles with the rich, caramelized onions and notes of pure maple sugar. A touch of Balsamic vinegar adds a subtle tang, cutting through the sweetness and balancing the smoky depth of the bacon. The result is a sticky, glossy jam, a decadent spread that elevates everything it touches, from breakfast toast to gourmet burgers, offering a tantalizing dance of contrasting flavors in every bite.

Table of Contents

What do you put bacon jam on?

For deviled eggs that truly stand out, try my Pickle Jalapeño Deviled Eggs with Bacon Jam Recipe. The unexpected combination of pickled heat and sweet, smoky bacon is absolutely irresistible.

pickle jalapeno deviled eggs with maple bacon jam

Ingredients needed for Maple Bacon Jam

  • Bacon- This is the star of the show, providing a deep, smoky, and salty base. The rendered bacon fat also contributes richness and a silky texture to the jam.

  • Onion & Garlic- These aromatics, often caramelized, add layers of savory depth and complexity. They balance the sweetness and saltiness, preventing the jam from being one-dimensional.

  • Balsamic Vinegar- The addition of balsamic vinegar brings a robust tang and acidity, allowing this jam’s complex flavors to fully develop. I prefer this over apple cider vinegar. 

  • Coconut aminos- A soy sauce alternative, It balances out the balsamic vinegar. 

  • Maple Sugar- Balances the acidity with sweetness, creates a more complex flavor profile and thickens the sauce creating a jam like consistency. 

Tips

Warm Jam or at room temperature: For the best consistency slightly warm chilled bacon jam prior to serving. The goal is to warm it just enough to melt the solidified fat, not to make it hot. This can also be served at room temperature. 

How to chop bacon: Place the bacon in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. This will firm up the fat, making it much easier to cut cleanly and prevent it from sliding around. Don’t freeze it solid.

Drain excessive bacon fat: After cooking the bacon, drain off most of the fat (leaving about 2 tablespoons to sauté onions in) before adding the maple sugar, balsamic vinegar, and coconut aminos. Too much fat will prevent the jam from thickening properly and can result in an oily separation instead of a Jammy texture. 

 

Step By Step Directions-How to make bacon jam

Cook bacon & render fat

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until Fat has rendered and bacon is slightly crispy.

Saute Aromatics

Remove bacon with a slotted spoon reserving about 2 tbsp of bacon fat. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook in the bacon fat until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Combine ingredients

Stir in the balsamic vinegar, coconut aminos and maple sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Simmer & thicken

Reduce the heat to low, add the cooked bacon back into the skillet, and simmer uncovered for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam is ready when the liquid has reduced significantly and the mixture has thickened into a syrupy, chunky consistency. Remember that the jam will thicken further as it cools.

Enjoy

Serve warm or at room temperature on your favorite foods. Store leftover jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

FAQs

Bacon jam is a versatile condiment that brings a sweet and savory flavor to many meals. Spread it on sourdough toast for a delicious breakfast or top your burgers at dinner for an instant flavor upgrade. For a unique pancakes or waffles, brunch, try it on and personally, I love it on salads with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.

Airtight Container: Once the bacon jam has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container, preferably glass. Keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

No, due to the fat content, it’s not safe for home canning. Always store it chilled.

It lasts up to 1 week in the fridge in a sealed container. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.

Yes, substitute it as a 1:1 replacement. If using maple syrup, reduce the mixture for an additional 10–15 minutes to achieve the same consistency.

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Maple bacon jam

Maple Bacon Jam

tinhateats
This recipe creates a sweet and savory maple bacon jam that's delicious on burgers, toast, deviled eggs, and more!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 8 ounces

Equipment

  • 1 Skillet or sauté pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 8 oz Package bacon chopped into small squares
  • 1 med Yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Coconut aminos
  • 1/2 Cup Maple sugar

Instructions
 

  • Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until Fat has rendered and bacon is slightly crispy.
  • Render Fat: Remove the crispy bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet. Should be about 2 tablespoons. You may need to drain some bacon fat if it is more than a couple tablespoons.
  • Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook in the bacon fat until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  • Combine Ingredients: Stir in the balsamic vinegar, coconut aminos and maple sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  • Simmer and Thicken: Reduce the heat to low, add the cooked bacon back into the skillet, and simmer uncovered for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam is ready when the liquid has reduced significantly and the mixture has thickened into a syrupy, chunky consistency. Remember that the jam will thicken further as it cools.
  • Enjoy: Serve warm or at room temperature on your favorite foods. Store leftover jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Keyword Bacon, Bacon jam, jam, maple, maple bacon jam, maple sugar bacon jam, maple syrup bacon jam
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6 Responses

  1. This recipe looks incredible and I’ve already dreamed up a long list of ways I could use the jam. 😂 I’m dying to make this, but I don’t have maple sugar on hand and can’t get it at any local grocery stores. Could I use maple syrup in lieu of the maple sugar? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Steph,
      Thank you so much! I haven’t tested the recipe with maple syrup, but it should still work. Just a heads-up — maple sugar is a bit sweeter than maple syrup, and syrup also has more moisture (water), so you’ll need to cook it longer to evaporate that extra liquid. That will likely increase the time needed to reach a jammy consistency, probably by about 15 minutes or so extra. If you do try it, I would love to know how it turns out.

      Reply

      1. 5 stars
        Whoa. Quite possibly one of the best and easiest things I’ve ever made! I just finished it and took a bite and it’s heavenly. Perfect balance of flavors. I subbed the maple syrup for the maple sugar and it jammed up perfectly! I can’t wait until tonight to have with our burgers. And to try on egg sandwiches. And on a turkey wrap. And over deviled eggs. And in an omelet. And on eggs Benedict. And mixed with freshly roasted Brussels sprouts or broccoli. And just to have to try with almost everything. Thanks for the recipe and the quick response!

  2. I made this. Sampled it after making. Liked it. Then after 4 hrs later for dinner. Put on the burgers. Fantastic. Let set for a spell. So the flavors can marry. Can’t wait to introduce to a few friends.. thanks.

    Reply
5 from 1 vote

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Hi! I’m Jenn. Welcome to Tinhateats. Most my recipes are a mix of gluten free, paleo and whole30 with a special focus on einkorn flour. I like to recreate recipes that are made healthier and I hope my recipes inspire you to try something new! Follow along for real food recipes!

 

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