It’s Da Jam – Bacon Jam To Be Precise

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I know.

I know.

Oh. I know.

Have you ever had bacon jam? I had had it two times in the last ten years before I decided to make my own. I just kept waiting for a restaurant near me to have it on the menu or wait to stumble upon it in a store. But it never happened. And my soul was sad from the wanting of it. It tastes like a sweet and smoky intense bacon spread. It is slap-your-own face-as-you-drool good.

So, the other day I decided to just google a recipe. It turns out that bacon jam is a snap to make. If you can manage to not eat all of the bacon before putting it into your crock pot. I do believe that is why this recipe calls for one and a half pounds of bacon. We all know bacon comes in one pound packages. So, you will need to buy two packages. Little Miss Martha Stewart (from whom this recipe is from, I just changed a few ingredients and altered a few steps) must have not been able to resist that other half a pound of bacon, either. And who can blame her?

The best part about this recipe, besides the heavenly taste, is that it is made in the crockpot. Can I hear a hallelujah? Or is your throat still sore from the delightful screams of the very idea of bacon jam? I hear ya. It is pretty darn wonderful.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of bacon
1 diced onion
1 minced clove of garlic (or 1 of those frozen packets)
2 Tbsp. of red pepper spread (Trader Joe’s carries one and most grocery stores carry a version)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup brewed coffee
1 Tbsp. Brandy
1/4 cup good maple syrup

Directions:

This recipe is going to take about six hours to make. It is definitely not hard. Basically, you just need to be able to stir it every so often in the crockpot. But plan to be home during the time of its creation. You cannot leave it and go.

Line a baking sheet with foil and line the foil with one layer of bacon closely touching each other but not overlapping. Place in a cold oven. Turn oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the bacon for 20-23 minutes. You want it crunchy but not burnt. Once the bacon is done, remove to a paper towel-lined towel. Repeat until all of the bacon is cooked.

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In a small skillet add three tablespoons of the bacon grease. Turn stovetop burner to medium heat. Add diced onion. Sauté for seven minutes. Add garlic. Cook an additional minute. Drain bacon fat from cooked onions and garlic. Add onions and garlic to the crockpot.

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Add coffee, brown sugar, vinegar, maple syrup, brandy, and red pepper spread to the crockpot. Crumble bacon pieces into the crockpot. Add red pepper flakes. Stir.

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Cover crockpot and cook mixture for two hours on high (stirring every thirty to forty five minutes).

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Uncover and cook an additional two and a half hours uncovered (stirring every thirty minutes) until thick.

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Turn off the crockpot. Skim any fat off of the top of the bacon jam. I just take a spoon and quickly go over it. At this point you can add the jam to your food processor to blend it or just use a handy dandy immersion blender like me. I just pulse it directly in the crockpot with my immersion blender for about a minute. Stir. If there is more grease on top, skim it off. Let jam cool. And now put it in an air tight container.

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It fits perfectly in a 16 oz. container or you can put it in cute little glass jars. I reuse my pimento jars, starbucks frappucino jugs, and sundried tomato jars for such purposes. I like to quickly make a label with old scrap paper and mark it with a sharpie when I start the jam with the date on it so I know when I need to use it by. These would make great little gifts. Put the jar of jam in the refrigerator until ready to use. I use mine within two weeks stored in the refrigerator (although Martha Stewart suggests it might keep for four weeks, I worry about food safety).

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This is amazing on crostini, turkey sandwiches (my favorite thing in the world, recipe below), hamburgers, as a pizza sauce, with brie on crackers, on steaks, eggs, biscuits, fingers… You name it. It is delicious on it. I just reheat a little of it in the microwave for twenty to thirty seconds when I am ready to use it.

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For the turkey sandwich that I love, I heat up the amount of bacon jam I want for fifteen to thirty seconds depending upon how many sandwiches I am making. I layer bacon jam on both sides of a Chibatta roll I have cut in half. Layer a good amount of good quality turkey on the bottom part of the roll (I use shaved honey turkey from the deli). Place a scattering of sundried tomatoes that were in oil on the turkey. Lay one slice of havarti cheese on top. Close up that baby and enjoy! If your throat is still raw from the screams, bacon jam will soothe it. It is kind of miraculous stuff. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Hallelujah!

Barbecamole! Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches

Barbecue chicken sandwiches are one of my favorite things to eat. I previously blogged about the recipe I use, here. They are just the easiest things to make. The chicken is simply made in a crockpot. Then it is shredded. Easy peasy! Lazy Dayzy!

This is the same recipe but I just added a little twist.

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I had some guacamole in my refrigerator that needed to be eaten before it expired the other day.

I had some leftover shredded barbecue chicken that was suffering from the same timed fate.

And I had an epiphany.

Oh, man. Barbecue. Chicken. Guacamole. Barbecue. Guacamole.

Barbecamole!

I had had a guacamole barbecue sauce at an event in October and could not get the flavor out of my mind.

And that is how the following recipe was formed.

And that is how a new word was formed.

And that is why my thighs. Are formed. From gluttonous decisions.

Ingredients:

Shredded Barbecue Chicken from this recipe
One pack of chibatta rolls
A slice of havarti cheese for each sandwich you plan to make
One bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
Container of guacamole
3 Tbsp. Chopped cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to broil at 500 degrees.

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MaKe the barbecue chicken according to the linked recipe.

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Take the chibatta rolls (I have also used regular rolls and they work fine, too. The chibatta is easier, because it makes a flatter sandwich. This makes it easier to eat) and cut them in half. Add the shredded barbecue chicken to the bottom half of the roll and leave the top half open. Place a slice of havarti cheese on top of the barbecue chicken and then place the tops and bottoms on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet into the oven underneath the broiler for thirty seconds to one minute depending on your broiler. You just want the top half lightly toasted and the havarti cheese melted.

Remove the baking tray from the oven. Pour a little barbecue sauce onto the melted cheese. Sprinkle chopped cilantro onto the barbecue chicken. On the top half of the roll, spread a generous layer of guacamole.

Put the guacamole top bun onto the bottom bun that is covered in barbecue chicken.

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Serve.

And listen to your happy thighs humming.

Oh, yum! Enjoy!

Barbecamole Chicken Sandwiches are my favorite.

I will be making this recipe instead of traditional shredded barbecue chicken sandwiches from this point forth.

Now I’m off to raid my refrigerator. What else can I combine? What do we think of ham and feta?

Hafeta?

Nah.

What about Jenni and McConaughey?

McJenniahey?

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!”

I like the sound of that.

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P.S. I shared this on Cozy Little House.

And Savvy Southern Style.

And My Romantic Home.

Crockpot Shredded Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

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Sometimes Pinterest can bring about miraculous things. It brought me my Moroccan Chest. It has provided hours of entertainment. And countless delicious recipes.

This is one of them.

It is called Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue Sandwiches.

This is so easy. And just really good.

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use tenders)
12 ounces of barbecue sauce (a typical bottle is larger than this. I use the remainder to top the sandwiches with.)
1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon Knorr Chicken Seasoning (this is not in the original recipe. I just like to add it.)
Package of rolls (I use Hawaiian rolls. The chicken is also good heated up and served over rice with chopped cilantro and barbecue sauce the next day for leftovers.)

Optional sides:

Salad
Chips
Cole slaw

Spray crockpot with nonstick spray. Place chicken in crockpot.

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Combine ingredients in a Measuring glass. I use a fork.

Pour over chicken.

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Cook on high for four hours.

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Remove chicken from crockpot to a separate bowl. Shred chicken. Pour some of the cooking juices in until moist again.

Serve in rolls. I use Hawaiian Rolls. Top with barbecue sauce. And cole slaw (if you like that sort of thing).

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I always make this salad. It is so easy to make. One package of pre-washed romaine lettuce or baby spinach with 1/3 cup crumbled feta and 1/3 cup italian dressing. Done!

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I also serve mine with chips.

Now partake in your meal. No one needs to know how very easy it was to make.

Have you made anything from Pinterest? What has been your favorite?

* For an updated twist on this recipe, please click here..