Over the past decade or so, America has had an over the top obsession with the cured pork belly known as bacon. It’s smoky salty flavor pairs well with most american classics from the humble hamburger to doughnuts and even apple pie! I have recently fell in love with the versatility and unique flavor that bacon possesses. I recently needed to find a way to incorporate bacon into an amuse bouche for a private event I recently catered. The one way I decided would work best was to turn it into something spreadable that would retain the integral flavors of that amazing smoked pork while transforming it into something new all together. I stumbled upon bacon jam while researching summer produce that pairs well together. Varieties from peach to jalapeno came across my screen so I decided i needed something richer and has hints of crisp fruit. I decided to go with a Smoked Bacon jam w/ apples. This recipe includes rendering bacon fat, removing the bacon and cooking the remaining ingredients down in the bacon fat, adding back the remaining bacon and pureeing it into an amazing spread packed with flavor! I kept my recipe simple and allowed the bacon to be the hero and the apples to take on the role of secondary flavor.
Recipe:
- 1 lb Bacon (diced up)
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup Granny smith apples
- 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 Yellow onion (sliced thin)
- Kosher Salt (to taste-if needed)
- Black Pepper ( to taste)
- Heat a medium pot over medium high heat and add the bacon
- render the bacon fat off until the meat begins to crisp
- remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the oil
- add the onion and cook until it begins to caramelize
- add the apples and cook until slightly tender
- add the brown sugar and bacon and cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat
- add the vinegar and cook for another 30 minutes
- when tender, add all contents to blender and pulse until it has a spreadable consistancy
- season with salt and pepper if needed and serve!
