Maple Bourbon Bacon Jam

Ingredients

• 1 pound thick smoked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup coffee (brewed)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1-2 chipotle chilis in adobo, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large sauce pan an over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon starts to get crispy and set aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of the grease in the pan.
2. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan.
5. Add the coffee, brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, bacon, chipotle chilies, cumin and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 1-2 hours.
6. Process the jam in a food processor to smooth it out a bit but not too much as you want to have the texture of the bacon.
7. If you do not finish it all in one sitting, store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

Tip: Chipotles chili peppers in adobo can be hot and everyone hase their own preferences for heat. I recommend that you add the chipotles in adobo a bit at a time, taste testing as you go, to bring the heat up to the point where it is a nice undertone without overwhelming.

Tip: I prefer the bacon jam warm so I take out what I need and give it a few seconds in the microwave before using it.