Bacon Jam Burgers

What is bacon jam, you ask? Well, Bacon Jam is a delicious, syrupy combo of bacon, onions, raisins, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

It is a great condiment for classic hamburgers, or it would be really amazing on top of these Grilled Pork Burgers! Put a huge dollop on top of your morning eggs, or pour warm bacon jam on top of some room temp cream cheese for an amazing appetizer.

If eating ALL the bacon has you feeling guilty, check out these other burger recipes: Healthy Chili Lime Turkey Burgers and Greek Turkey Burgers with Raspberry Aioli.

Is it really Jam?

The word “jam” is a little misleading. I don’t want you to think this recipe is going to come out like a jelly with bacon in it. This recipe is more of a relish with chunks of bacon and onion coated in a sweet and salty syrupy glaze. Yum!

Bacon Jam Burgers

There may be a lot of ways to use bacon jam, however, eating it on top of a burger is my #1 favorite way!

To make this burger exactly like I make it you will need: romaine or arugula, boursin cheese, a slicing tomato sprinkled with garlic powder, salt and pepper, warm bacon jam, and of course a great hamburger.

How to Make Bacon Jam

Start by chopping 1 pound of bacon into 1 inch chunks. Then in a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat, I cook the bacon in two batches until it is crispy. Using a slotted spoon I dish the crispy bacon onto a paper towel lined plate.

Reserve 3 tablespoon bacon grease. Make sure to reserve the bacon grease in a heat safe bowl.

Slice 2 small yellow onions in very thin slices. Then rough chop the slices so that you do not have any long strands of onion remaining. See the photo below as a visual reference:

Next cook the onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease, over medium low heat, until the onions are very soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.

Chop through the crispy cooked bacon, so you end up with smaller bits.

Add the bacon and brown sugar to the onion mixture, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes.

Next add the raisins, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, and water to the bacon mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes until the mixture has thickened and looks syrupy.

Storing Bacon Jam

To store any leftover bacon jam simply place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.

To reheat it place in in a skillet and heat through over medium low heat. You may need to add a splash or two of water to reconstitute.

How to Make the Perfect Burger

There are a lot of burger recipes out there but this is how I like to make my burgers for the grill. Now unfortunately, I never measure when I make my burgers so it is just a dash of this and a sprinkle of that. This “recipe” will make 4 burgers:

• 1-1.5 lb. ground beef
• Couple dashes of Worcestershire
• One egg yolk
• Sprinkle in a little garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, black pepper, and salt.
• If you really want a juicy burger put a small pat of cold butter in the center of each burger and then form the patty around the butter.

I like to grill these burgers for 5 minutes on the first side and 4-5 minutes on the second side. That makes a medium well burger.

Additional Ways to Serve Bacon Jam

• Make a great appetizer by spreading a little cream cheese on a cracker and then top with warm Bacon Jam.
• Use as a condiment for pulled pork sandwiches or grilled chicken sandwiches.
• Spread on a pizza crust and top with gouda, fresh mozzarella, brie, or your favorite melty cheese. Put it in the oven or place on the grill to warm thru and melt the cheese.
• Fill mini phyllo cups with brie, bake in the oven until the cheese is melted. Top with warm Bacon Jam.
• Top a room temp. block of cream cheese with warm Bacon Jam. Serve it with Ritz crackers for a great appetizer. Tip: Add a few sprinkles of cayenne pepper for a Spicy Bacon Jam & Cream Cheese appetizer.

Bacon Jam Recipe

Original Post 5-27-17. Updated on 4-25-18, Photos and copy updated 3/11/2020