Cranberry Bacon Jam Recipe

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A pot of cranberry and bacon jam on a marble board with a sprig of thyme

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This indulgent cranberry bacon jam is a wonderful relish to add to a festive table, make stunning canapes or just jazz up your favourite sandwich.

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

Ingredients

50 g dried cranberries - or 100 g cranberry sauce
1 tsp oil - olive or vegetable
200 g smoked back bacon - 6–7 rashers
3 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
100 g soft brown sugar - light or dark
60 ml coffee
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Metric - USA Cups

Instructions

Sterilize small sealable jars ready for the jam and soak the cranberries, leaving them to plump up as you cook the bacon and onions.
50 g dried cranberries
Heat a little oil in the pan and snip the bacon into it with a pair of kitchen scissors. Fry gently until the bacon is golden, draining off any liquid that emerges. This will take about 15 minutes.
1 tsp oil, 200 g smoked back bacon
When cooked, remove the bacon from the pan and set to one side. Leave a little of the rendered fat in the pan to cook the onions and discard the rest.
Add the onions to the pan and fry slowly and gently over a lowish heat until soft and golden.
3 medium onions
Return the bacon to the pan, adding the drained cranberries and the remaining ingredients. Stir well.
2 cloves garlic, 100 g soft brown sugar, 60 ml coffee, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Gently simmer over a low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar, vinegar and coffee have formed a syrup and reduced slightly. (It will continue to thicken as it cools, so don't reduce too far.)
Transfer your cranberry bacon jam to small, sterilized jars, and then seal. I like to use a jam funnel to do this, as it saves mess and waste.

Notes

Storage

Fridge – Store your cranberry bacon jam in the jar with the lid on for up to three weeks. Take what you need out before serving, to bring it up to room temperature. Remember that cranberry bacon jam is not a jam in the traditional sense of a preserve. You need to keep it in the fridge and use it fairly quickly.

Freezer – Cranberry bacon jam can be frozen and you can keep it in the freezer for three months. It has the advantage that it will not freeze solid, so you can scoop it from the jar straight from the freezer. The downside to this is that you need to make sure the lid is on tight and keep it upright to avoid leaks.

Hints and tips

Use good bacon.

You can add a little oil at the start. You will drain off any excess fat once the bacon is cooked.

Fry both the bacon and onion gently over a medium heat and take your time. Never rush them.

Serve at room temperature to get the best flavour.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.