Bacon lovers, rejoice—this Bourbon Bacon Onion Jam recipe is about to blow your minds! This savory spread features salty bacon, sweet caramelized onions, and a splash of bourbon, making it the perfect addition to cheese boards, burgers, and so much more.
When most people think of jam, sweet fruit spreads typically come to mind—things like strawberry preserves, apple butter, or peach jam are deliciously familiar. But maple bacon onion jam? It’s a whole new beast that I think you’re gonna love.
While it might not be your first choice for making a PB&J, this boozy bacon jam is a true crowd pleaser. It hits all the right notes—salty-sweet, a little bit spicy, and deliciously umami—making it a welcome addition to everything from charcuterie plates and roasted veggies to grilled cheese sandwiches and baked brie.
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Why You’ll Love This Bourbon Bacon Jam Recipe
- Deliciously Different - I can almost guarantee that if you put some of this savory jam out on your next grazing board or add a little bit to your favorite sandwich, anyone who tastes a bite will be begging for the recipe.
- Splendidly Simple - Despite being packed the brim with rich flavors, fewer than 10 ingredients are needed to make a batch.
- Super Versatile - Whether you make a batch for a yummy homemade gift (my brothers always love it!) or want to add a some pizazz to your plate, bacon bourbon jam is always a good idea. Read on below for tons of ideas to put it to use!!
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you don’t need a ton of stuff to make this fancy gourmet spread at home. Here’s what to grab:
- Bacon - I used regular supermarket bacon, but you're welcome to use any kind of specialty or thick cut bacon you prefer.
- Diced Onions - I recommend reaching for a sweet onion variety like Maui or Walla Walla for the best caramelization. Regular yellow onions, red onions, or shallots will work perfectly well, too. You can also use white onions, but you’ll want to add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the pot with them to aid in coloring. You may also need to add a splash of water and cover the pot to steam them after sautéing, as white onions tend to retain more of their “bite” than other varieties.
- Garlic - I like using thin slices of garlic (it looks extra good on the plate), but you’re welcome to use jarred minced garlic to reduce prep time. Alternatively, use a whole head of roasted garlic for another layer of sweet allium goodness.
- Ground Chipotle Powder - Adding a bit of heat and smokiness gives this whiskey bacon jam a little extra je ne sais quois. Feel free to swap in cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or the chili powder of your choice. Black pepper works, too! Alternatively, add a minced canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
- Bourbon - Using a bit of good quality bourbon to deglaze the pan adds a whole new layer of rich flavor. You can also swap in another variety of whisky or use brandy instead.
- Pure Maple Syrup - For sweetness and moisture. Make sure to get the real stuff, not the colored HFCS parading as maple. Feel free to use the liquid sweetener (e.g. honey, agave nectar, brown rice syrup) of your choice.
- Brown Sugar - For adding caramel-y sweetness. Feel free to use either light brown or dark brown sugar depending on how much you like the flavor of molasses. Grated piloncillo or jaggery also work!
- Kosher Salt & Water - Basics for getting the seasoning and viscosity right. Fine sea salt works just as well. Use filtered water if possible to avoid any unpleasant chlorinated undertones.
How To Make Bourbon Bacon Onion Jam
This sweet n’ savory spread is a snap to make. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Render Bacon. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, render the bacon until cooked but not crispy—about 8-10 minutes.
Step 2: Sauté Aromatics. Add the diced onion, garlic, salt, and chipotle powder to the pot with the cooked bacon, sautéing until the onions become softened and translucent and are just beginning to take on color—about 8 minutes.
Step 3: Deglaze. Add the bourbon, then cook off until evaporated, stirring often. Use this time to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan
Step 4: Simmer. Add the remaining ingredients (maple syrup, water, and brown sugar) to the pot, stirring to combine. Let the mixture cook at a simmer until thick and jammy, stirring occasionally. This takes about 40-45 minutes.
Step 5: Store & Chill. Transfer the jam to clean glass jars or an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set up. Some of the fat will rise to the top—you can either scrape it off, or mix it in. I usually mix it in before serving for added richness. It should keep well in the fridge for about 4 weeks.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Pork-Free - Feel free to use either beef bacon or turkey bacon if pork is a dietary no-no. (Beef bacon is so good.) If you use turkey bacon, note that you might need to add a bit of olive oil or avocado oil to the pan for sautéing the onions.
- Booze-Free - Don’t like to keep alcohol in the house? Swap in a tablespoon of vanilla extract diluted with water to make ⅓ cup, or use apple juice, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar instead.
- More or Less Spicy - Chipotles are actually dried and smoked jalapeños, so they have a decent bit of kick. While this bacon onion jam isn’t spicy per se, it does have a bit of heat. You can easily dial that back by using smoked sweet paprika or another sweet ground chile. Increase the heat by adding more ground chipotle and/or adding some cayenne or red pepper flakes to the mix, or adding a minced hot pepper of your choice to the pot with the aromatics.
Serving Suggestions
Y’all, this onion bourbon bacon jam is tasty enough to eat by the spoonful. I have zero doubts you’ll have trouble using your jar, but here are just a few of my favorite ways to put it to use:
- Charcuterie Star. Gussy up your grazing board with a small bowl of this savory spread. It goes great with all sorts of bread, cheese and cured meats!
- Cracker Attack. Make a super simple snack by spreading some cream cheese or goat cheese on your favorite crackers, then top with a dollop of bacon jam. Sweet, salty, tangy, creamy, crunchy perfection!
- Bacon Jam Brussels Sprouts. Halve and roast brussels sprouts until golden brown and lightly crisp, spread with a bit of savory jam, and serve with toothpicks for a spectacularly simple appetizer the whole family will love.
- Sandwich Spread. Smear on a thick layer of this jam inside your next grilled cheese sandwich for an instant upgrade. It’ll make basic sourdough sandwich bread and American cheese taste like a million bucks!
- Better Burgers. Transform a humble burger patty on a plain bun into a gastropub-inspired stunner by adding a dollop of bacon whiskey jam. Or, go a step further and stuff your burger patties with cheese to make a Juicy Lucy, then top it with some bacon-y goodness and a runny fried egg—perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Expert Tips
- Tool Tips. While the recipe technically calls for “chopped bacon,” using sharp kitchen scissors is the easiest way to get your bacon into small, uniform pieces. If you don’t have kitchen shears, use a non-wooden cutting board to prevent microbial contamination.
- Brown Sugar Hack. If you're out of brown sugar, you can easily make your own using white sugar and molasses. Simply use a ratio of 1 cup of sugar to 1-2 tablespoons of molasses (less for light brown sugar, more for dark brown).
- Fat Control. You’re welcome to drain off some of the bacon fat after rendering; just make sure there are at least 1-2 tablespoons in there for caramelizing the onions. Note that any excess fat will rise to the top in the fridge, making it easy to scrape off after the fact. I used center-cut bacon, so there was barely a light film atop mine—I just stirred it back in!
- Storage Smarts. Make sure to use clean airtight jars for storage; you don’t want all the savory bacon and onion scents to invade more delicate items (e.g. cream or butter).
FAQs
It depends on the recipe! Here we use a mix of bacon, onion, garlic, chile powder, bourbon, maple syrup, brown sugar, and salt.
Oh man, that list is long. Toast, crackers, biscuits, sandwiches, burgers, cheese or charcuterie plates, quesadillas, roasted veggies, and breakfast scrambles are all good places to start. But, a good rule to keep in mind: if the meal would taste good with either bacon or caramelized onions, it’ll taste good with this whiskey bacon jam.
Since bacon is typically preserved with nitrates or nitrites, and both salt and sugar are natural preservatives, this boozy, meaty spread will last longer than you might expect—if you don’t eat it all first, that is. It should keep well in the fridge for upwards of 4 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months. Just make sure to keep it in an airtight container under constant refrigeration or freezing, and don’t refreeze after defrosting.
While it’ll depend on the recipe, you can expect any bacon jam to have a jam-like consistency and savory flavors on account of the porky bacon. My recipe also has a touch of sweetness thanks to the natural sugars in the onions, which are bolstered by the brown sugar, maple syrup, and sweet bourbon, as well as a touch of heat on account of the ground chipotle chiles.
More DIY Condiment Recipes
Bourbon Bacon Onion Jam
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or heavy bottomed pot
- Sterilized Mason Jars
Ingredients
- 1 pound Bacon chopped small; scissors help!
- 1.5 pounds Yellow Onion small dice
- 1 head Garlic sliced thinly
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Chipotle Powder or smoked paprika
- ⅓ C Bourbon or whisky, brandy
- ½ C Maple Syrup
- ¼ C Water
- ¼ C Brown Sugar
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, render the bacon until cooked but not crispy—about 8-10 minutes.1 pound Bacon
- Add the onion, garlic, salt, and chipotle powder to the pot, sautéing until the onions become softened and translucent and are just beginning to take on color—about 8 minutes.1.5 pounds Yellow Onion, 1 head Garlic, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1 teaspoon Ground Chipotle Powder
- Add the bourbon, then cook off until evaporated, stirring often.⅓ C Bourbon
- Add the maple syrup, water, and brown sugar to the pot, stirring to combine. Allow to simmer until thick and jammy, stirring occasionally. This takes about 40-45 minutes.½ C Maple Syrup, ¼ C Water, ¼ C Brown Sugar
- Transfer the jam to a large, clean mason jar and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Some of the fat will rise to the top—you can either scrape it off, or mix it in. I usually mix it in before serving.
- Serve bourbon bacon onion jam on a cheese/charcuterie plate, with roasted brussels sprouts as an easy appetizer, on grilled cheese sandwiches, or on burgers!
Notes
- Storage: Bacon jam should keep well in the fridge for upwards of a month; you can also freeze it for up to a year.
- A note on onions: I recommend reaching for a sweet onion variety like Maui or Walla Walla for the best caramelization. Regular yellow onions, red onions, or shallots will work perfectly well, too. You can also use white onions, but you’ll want to add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the pot with them to aid in coloring. You may also need to add a splash of water and cover the pot to steam them after sautéing, as white onions tend to retain more of their “bite” than other varieties.
- Tool Tips: While the recipe technically calls for “chopped bacon,” using sharp kitchen scissors is the easiest way to get your bacon into small, uniform pieces. If you don’t have kitchen shears, use a non-wooden cutting board to prevent microbial contamination.
- Serving Suggestion: Bacon Jam Brussels Sprouts. Halve and roast brussels sprouts until golden brown and lightly crisp, spread with a bit of savory jam, and serve with toothpicks for a spectacularly simple appetizer the whole family will love.
- Other Serving Suggestions: This savory spread goes great with all sorts of cheese and cured meats—perfect for charcuterie boards! It's also great on sandwiches (particularly grilled cheese), burgers, and toast. For a simple snack, spread cream cheese or goat cheese on a cracker and top with some jam.
- Pork-Free - Feel free to use either beef bacon or turkey bacon if pork is a dietary no-no. (Beef bacon is so good.) If you use turkey bacon, note that you might need to add a bit of olive oil or avocado oil to the pan for sautéing the onions.
- Booze-Free - Don’t like to keep alcohol in the house? Swap in a tablespoon of vanilla extract diluted with water to make ⅓ cup, or use apple juice, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar instead.
- More or Less Spicy - Chipotles are actually dried and smoked jalapeños, so they have a decent bit of kick. While this bacon onion jam isn’t spicy per se, it does have a bit of heat. You can easily dial that back by using smoked sweet paprika or another sweet ground chile. Increase the heat by adding more ground chipotle and/or adding some cayenne or red pepper flakes to the mix, or adding a minced hot pepper of your choice to the pot with the aromatics.
Nutrition
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