The Best Bacon Peach Jam | Sweet and Savory

Why Make This Recipe?

There are plenty of recipes out there for making bacon jams–I even have one on my site, linked in the introduction to this post.

What makes this bacon peach jam stand apart? A few things:

• The meaty sweetness of peaches as well as the two whole onions mellows the sharp, salty, fattiness of the bacon. That makes this spread work across many more types of recipes than straight-up bacon jam.
• It is beautifully spreadable and more approachable cold (although I still like to warm mine up in the microwave briefly)
• It is spicy from the candied jalapenos, but not overly so. People who don’t like super hot, spicy foods will still be able to enjoy this jam.
• You can vary the texture by leaving it chunky and rustic or pulsing it in your food processor for a more refined texture. This is all dependent on how you want to serve it.

Please trust me here. If you are even a little bit intrigued by the idea of a bacon and peach jam, consider making a half recipe before you go all in. It really is delicious, and your cheese and crackers will thank you!

How To Make Bacon Peach Jam

As with all the jams on my site, there’s no pectin involved in making this guy. Just some chopping, cooking, and reducing.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients and Substitutions

• bacon: Use good quality bacon. You’ll need a pound
• onion: I call for one each sweet onion and red onion. You may use two of either if that’s what you have on hand
• peaches: 3 ripe peaches. If you have frozen peaches, you’ll need about 18-24 sections. You may also substitute other stone fruit such as nectarines or plums. Peel the fruit with a sharp paring knife.
• candied jalapenos: also called “cowboy candy,” you’re in luck if you make your own or know someone who does. You can also find cowboy candy online. If you prefer, you can substitute fresh, chopped jalapenos, pickled jalapenos, or even serranos if you like a bit more heat
• garlic: you can use fresh garlic or garlic paste. I call for 3 cloves, so mince up 3 fresh or use about a tablespoon of garlic paste.
• red wine vinegar: helps to balance out all the sweetness and fattiness. If you’d like your finished jam to be a darker color, go with balsamic or cane vinegar.
• honey, sorghum: I call for some of each. You may use all of one or the other. Good substitutes are maple syrup or date syrup. If you use date syrup, your finished jam will be darker in color.
• mustard: I call for powdered mustard. You may also use whole mustard seeds or prepared whole grain mustard
• lime juice: If all you have is bottled lime juice, that works fine. The recipe calls for the juice of 1 juicy lime, so about 3 Tablespoons should do it. This adds a bit more zing than vinegar alone. If you don’t have lime juice at all, substitute with an extra 3 Tablespoons of vinegar
• salt: brings all the flavors into focus. Yes, bacon is already salty, but the onions and peaches need a touch as well.
• water: Added at the end, the water allows you to cook everything down without burning anything

Procedure

Making the jam is pretty straightforward.

You will have to pour off bacon fat at two points during the cooking. Otherwise, it’s all about putting the ingredients together, cooking them down, and then pulsing it in the food processor.

Here’s the rundown:

• Chop the bacon into pieces and cook until about 3/4 done.
• Pour off almost all the accumulated fat.
• Add the chopped onions and peaches, and cook until the onions start to caramelize and the peaches are breaking down.
• Pour off any additional fat that you can.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and cook the mixture down until everything is very jammy and soft.
• Pulse in the food processor to get it as smooth as you like, or leave it as is for a more rustic jam.

Equipment Recommendations

While I cook my fruit-based jam in a saucier, I cook these heartier, bacon-based jams in my 12″ cast iron skillet. It does a wonderful job, heats evenly, and holds all the ingredients with room to spare.

The only downside is it’s a bit heavy, so if you’re concerned, use a 12″ anodized skillet, which weighs 5 pounds less.

I find the best appliance for adjusting the texture of my finished jam is a food processor. Pulse once or twice for a rustic jam, or pulse several times for a smoother, more refined consistency.

If you don’t have a food processor or don’t think you’ll use it frequently enough to warrant the storage space, consider an immersion blender. I stash mine in my kitchen towel drawer when I’m not using it.

Tips and Tricks for Success

• If you don’t have fresh peaches, or your peaches don’t have much flavor, your best bet is to use frozen. No need to thaw.
• Vary the sweetness of your jam by adding more or less honey or sorghum.
• Vary the spiciness by adding more or less cowboy candy/jalapenos.
• Do NOT try to can this jam. Canning meats requires specialized equipment, and this jam has not been optimized for canning safety.

Bacon and Peach Jam Q & A

Serving Suggestions

There’s not much that doesn’t benefit from a schmear of bacon peach jam, you guys.

I can confirm it is delicious when served with broiled goat cheese, or spread on a spent grain English muffin or sprouted English muffin as part of a breakfast sandwich.

It’s also really delicious in combination with other savory jams, chutney, and ketchups, so give it a try with my tomato jam or cranberry ketchup along with cheese and crackers.

You could also blend some into a ground beef or ground pork mixture for burger patties or meatloaf.

It lends a lovely smoky flavor to almost any vegetable side dish you can think of, too. Just stir in a spoonful or two to your succotash or use in place of ham hocks in your charro beans or collard greens.

If you have any questions about this or any other recipe or post on the site, there are a few ways to get in touch.

You can leave a comment on the post, and I’ll be back in touch within 24 hours.

If your question is more pressing, don’t hesitate to email me, and I should be back in touch within 4 hours (unless I’m asleep) or often much more quickly than that.

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And there you have it, friends. I hope you love this bacon and peach jam!

Thanks for spending some time with me. Take care, and have a lovely day.