It seems falls is in the air everywhere I turn. It’s hard to even leave the house without tripping over a pumpkin, locking eyes with a decorative front porch scarecrow, or standing up wind of someone’s pumpkin spiced something. *eyeroll* Please note: You will not be seeing many pumpkin spice recipes around here. Football is being watched….much to my dismay. I even cleaned out my closet and swapped all of my summer clothing for alllll the fall and winter clothing. Sigh. Winter is on the horizon.
If you must know, I’m not necessarily a fall person, like so many of you seem to be around here. I grew up in L.A. where we really only had 1 maybe 1.5 seasons a year. There was summer…and then there was another slightly colder season, that wasn’t quite summer. After spending almost 8 years dealing with Chicago winters, the idea of there being a “winter” in L.A. is just preposterous to me. It feels amazing there ANY month of the year if you ask me. Spring and Summer in Chicago will always be my favorite times of the year because they remind me of home.
If there is one thing I do actually love about fall and winter here in Chicago, it is the cozy cooking that comes with it. I live for soups and stews and braising. There is something to be said about coming home to a warm crockpot meals that need nothing more than a bowl and a hungry belly. And eating in front of a roaring fire in our fireplace, yes I suppose that is nice too.
In the coming months you will be seeing lots of recipes for your fall and winter entertaining. There will be tailgating appetizers, dinner party spreads, soups, and stews, and wintery one pan meals a plenty.
Which brings me to this bacon jam. OH MY GAWD IS IT GLORIOUS. It’s sweet and oniony and bacon-y and virtually good on everything. I catered these bacon jam crostini last week at a real estate open house for a beautiful home here in Chicago. Prior to catering any event, I always like to take a guess on what will be the most popular item based on our client’s lineup of small bites they’ve chosen. I had no doubt that these bacon onion jam crostini were going to fly off the platter. No one can ever get enough of them!
This bacon onion jam can be used in so many ways and for so many occasions. It is perfect for tailgating, football on Sunday, or to be served at a dinner party. Throw it on a cheese burger, add it to a charcuterie board, serve it with toast points as a dip, or bring it as a hostess gift. It’s delicious on crostini with goat cheese, camembert cheese, or a good creamy brie. Or just eat it straight from the jar with a spoon.
Let’s get started. All this talk is bacon me hungry.
Step 1: Breakin’ that bacon. Give your bacon a good chop. Peel and dice your onions.
Step 2: Sizzle. Set a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, and add the bacon. Stir occasionally, until the fat is completely rendered and the bacon has started to crisp, approximately 15 minutes.
Step 3: Slow and steady. Drain almost all of the fat from the pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the onions, stone ground mustard, brown sugar, bourbon vanilla extract, balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and lower the heat. Cook the mixture undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove the top, stir again and then partly cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cook until most of the liquid is gone and the onions have achieved a dark brown jamminess, approximately 1 hour.
Step 4: Taste. Taste the jam, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Cool it. Remove mixture from heat, and allow to cool. Spoon into a jar or bowl. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Step 6: Spread em. Spread on toasted crostini with crumbled goat cheese, camembert or melted brie cheese.
We’re Jammin’…Jammin’ Jammin’ Jammin'{bourbon bacon and onion jam}
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon, diced into small cubes
- 4 medium yellow onions peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- 2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's Bourbon Vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Give your bacon a good chop. Peel and dice your onions.
- Set a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, and add the bacon. Stir occasionally, until the fat is completely rendered and the bacon has started to crisp, approximately 15 minutes.
- Drain almost all of the fat from the pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the onions, stone ground mustard, brown sugar, bourbon vanilla extract, balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir to combine. Cover the pot and lower the heat. Cook the mixture undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove the top, stir again and then partly cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cook until most of the liquid is gone and the onions have achieved a dark brown jamminess, approximately 1 hour.
- Taste the jam, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cool it. Remove mixture from heat, and allow to cool. Spoon into a jar or bowl. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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