Jalapeno Bacon Jam

Walking out of a big box store having just spent half of your monthly budget on maybe a week of groceries is painful.

I could have spent less. Much less.

At one point the thought crossed my mind that I should buy this prepared already breadcrumbed-dredged chicken tender because it works out to $2 per pound, and the unprepared work-dredged organic chicken breast is more like $6 million per pound.

I may be exaggerating on that last part.

But just in case you meet anyone who says it’s cheaper to eat healthy, well, you can laugh and show them my receipt. 

Cooking food is now like sewing clothes—it’s more expensive to make your own than buy them premade.

Well, I’ll tell you, it’s worth it anyway.

Jalapeno Bacon Jam

(Makes about 1 ½ Cups)

• · 7 slices bacon, about ½ lb.
• · 3 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed
• · ½ onion
• · ½ green bell pepper
• · 1 C sugar
• · ½ C brown sugar
• · 1/3 C apple cider vinegar
• · ¼ C maple syrup
• · 1 tsp salt
• · 2/3 C strong coffee or coffee substitute (the prepared liquid drink, not the grounds)

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, and fry the bacon until cooked, but not too dark or crispy. While the bacon is cooking, put the jalapeno, onion, and green bell pepper in a food processor and pulse until minced, about 10 1-second pulses. You can use half the amount of jalapeno if you want it to be less spicy.

2. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Pour off all but a Tablespoon of the bacon fat and sauté the peppers until softened and the onions are golden.

3. Dice the bacon into ¼” pieces. Add the bacon, sugar, brown sugar, vinegar, syrup, and salt back into the pan. Stir constantly over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the coffee or coffee substitute and stir again.

4. Simmer the jam until it thickens and gets sticky, about 20 minutes. It will stiffen more as it cools, and even more so in the fridge, so make sure it is very syrupy.

5. Let the jam cool for about 20 minutes and transfer to the food processor. Pulse until the pieces are smaller and the jam is smoother and melds together better, about 5 1-second pulses. It should be of a spreadable consistency.

6. Use immediately or store in the fridge for an undetermined amount of time. If your jar makes it past three days, let me know and I’ll come finish it for you. If for some reason it is too thick to spread, you can heat it up in the microwave to soften it.