Bacon and onion jam is a sweet and savory treat that’s popular in the American South. It adds a salty, smoky, and sweet punch to everything from breakfast toast to grilled cheeseburgers.
In this version of bacon and onion jam, I’ve dialed the onion flavor back a bit and amped up the bacon flavor. The addition of balsamic vinegar adds an acidic kick to offset the fattiness without adding the fruitiness that the typical apple cider vinegar would add.

Remember, unlike a typical jam, this is a meat product, so you need to store it in refrigeration. It’ll last a couple of weeks kept cold.
There isn’t much else to add to this recipe, so I’ll spare your scrolling finger and let you get right into the instructions.

Bacon and Onion Jam
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. bacon - smoked (don't use maple)
- 1 large yellow onion - diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock - divided
- 5 tbsp. dark brown sugar - packed
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
Instructions
- Fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool, cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Discard all but 2 tbsp. of the bacon grease. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the diced onions and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any stuck-on bits. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove lid and increase heat to medium. Cook onions for about 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are starting to brown.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the brown sugar, remaining 1 cup of chicken stock, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, thyme, and bacon, stir until fully combined. Simmer uncovered on low, stirring often, until reduced to a jam consistency. About 20 minutes. Let cool and add to a resealable container. Refrigerate.
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