Martha Stewart's Slow-Cooker Bacon Jam Makes Summer Sandwiches Sing
There are some foods that become huge trends and no one understands why, but there are others that make total sense. Yes, we’re talking about bacon. Sure, it had a huge moment about a decade ago, with everything from bacon-flavored lip gloss to bacon-themed t-shirts popping up at every store, but there’s a reason why […]
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There are some foods that become huge trends and no one understands why, but there are others that make total sense. Yes, we’re talking about bacon. Sure, it had a huge moment about a decade ago, with everything from bacon-flavored lip gloss to bacon-themed t-shirts popping up at every store, but there’s a reason why it got so popular. Who can resist that salty, savory, utterly craveable flavor? And while bacon may not be the cultural icon it once was, it definitely still has a place in most foodies’ hearts. So, bacon lovers, get ready, because Martha Stewart just shared a recipe that makes it easy to bacon-ify just about everything you eat. It’s a slow-cooker bacon jam with a savory, sweet, smoky flavor, and you’ll be spreading it on everything you add to your plate this summer.
If you’ve ever had candied bacon, or just taken a bite of crispy bacon that was sitting in a pool of maple syrup from your pancakes, then you already know how well the pairing of salty, smoky pork and sugar works. In Martha Stewart’s bacon jam recipe, she concentrates that experience to create a spread that can be used to amp up the flavor of burgers, biscuits, sandwiches, pizza, cheese plates, and so many other foods.
To start with, the bacon gets crisped up in a skillet. The slow cooker can’t do this step, so don’t be tempted to skip it, or your jam will end up an oily mess. Once the bacon is crisped up, it’s set aside, and most of the bacon fat is reserved for another use (biscuits, anyone?). Then, onions and garlic are cooked in a tablespoon of the bacon fat, and the liquid ingredients are added and everything gets brought to a boil.
But that’s where your stovetop time ends, so you don’t have to worry about this recipe steaming up the kitchen for too long. Everything gets transferred to the slow cooker for the rest of the time, until the liquid has thickened and is syrupy and infused with smoky bacon flavor.
What are the liquid ingredients Stewart calls for? She uses apple cider vinegar to add some much-needed acidity to the recipe, along with dark brown sugar and maple syrup for some nuanced sweetness. Then comes the secret ingredient: brewed coffee, which adds an even richer, roasted flavor to the jam.
When the jam is done cooking, it gets chopped up in a food processor so it can take on a more spreadable consistency, and once it’s jarred, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. But we have a feeling Martha Stewart’s slow-cooker bacon jam won’t last that long — whether it’s simply getting spread on toast, or being used as the filler for stuffed chicken breasts along with some cheese, there are about a million ways to use this culinary gold. Bacon, a passing fad? Nah, we didn’t think so!
Before you go, check out our slideshow below:
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