I know. Bacon and Cranberry Onion Jam. You’re thinking I’m a pretentious hipster snob that eats jam made with meat and/or vegetables that grow underneath the ground (as if jams made with vegetables grown above the ground are a whole lot better). You think no one in your life would ever eat this. You want to keep scrolling. Don’t. Please. This, on top of some goat cheese on a sourdough baguette, is maybe the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in a long time. People will eat it. And not only will they eat it, they’re going to be your new best friend. If you’re throwing a holiday party, if you’re going to a holiday party, if you have a date with Netflix and your new fuzzy velour joggers (we’re not gonna call them sweat pants), this needs to be on that date.
You’ll need  some bacon, sweet onions, salt, red pepper flakes, sugar, cranberries, and balsamic vinegar.
If you’ve been looking for ways to use our bacon olive oil or one of our awesome vinegars, this is the place! If you want, you could use 1/3 cup of bacon olive oil in place of the bacon and then any of the balsamic vinegars would be perfect–I used raspberry and it was SO delicious!
Wash the cranberries…
and sort through them to remove any that are wilted or moldy.
In a large, heavy pan, cook the bacon
until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving as many drippings in the pan as possible, and drain on a paper towel. When cool, finely chop the bacon.
Add the onions to the drippings in the pan and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently,
until the onions are starting to brown and are softened. Turn heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes.
Remove lid and increase heat to medium. Add the cranberries, bacon, and sugar and stir until the mixture is simmering. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes or until the berries have burst and are syrupy.
Remove from heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
It’s sweet. It’s smoky. It’s tangy. It’s…the best thing going on in my life right now.
Bacon and Cranberry Onion Jam
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bacon
- 4 cups sweet onions halved and thinly sliced (about 2 medium onions)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Pinch red pepper flakes more if desired
- 1 12- ounce bag fresh cranberries
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- In a large, heavy pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving as many drippings in the pan as possible, and drain on a paper towel. When cool, finely chop the bacon.
- Add the onions to the drippings in the pan and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are starting to brown and are softened. Turn heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes.
- Remove lid and increase heat to medium. Add the cranberries, bacon, and sugar and stir until the mixture is simmering. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes or until the berries have burst and are syrupy.
- Remove from heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Questions & Reviews
Whoa, I made this yesterday — it made three small jam jars plus 1/3 cup extra that I could hardly wait to cool down so I could taste it! Delicious — today, for lunch, I had it on multi-grain crackers with Monterrey jack cheese bites and slivers of turkey ham. I used two quite large sweet onions and used just under 1/3 cup of sugar; the balance of tart and sweet was perfect. There seemed to be more onion than cranberries, so the next batch I think I will almost double the cranberries. The bacon, from Costco, amount was perfect. Yum!
It says to serve warm or at room temp, but do you store it in the fridge?
Yes, store it in the fridge and then let it sit out for about an hour or warm it up slightly on the stove or in the microwave before serving. Hope that helps!
Also want to know if you can can this!
Made this over the weekend, and bought enough supplies to make another batch too 🙂 Delish and I put it on my burger Saturday night too-sooo good!
YES! This makes me so happy!!
Sounds fabulous. Bacon in anything is always better. Can this jam be preserved (canned) like other jams and jellies?
I probably wouldn’t…I’m sure some jam experts know how to make it work, but this particular recipe makes me too nervous, haha!
There have been a lot of questions about this—let me consult the pros. 🙂
What do you think about water-bathing these jars of delight for 10-15 minutes to seal like I do with “regular” jams and jellies? Just thinking that if people wanted to save it and open after the holidays. I have added this to my list of gifts for neighbors and friends (and ME)!
We’ve had a lot of questions about this—let me consult with the pros and I’ll get back to you! 🙂
Thanks. I have the bacon, onions and cranberries ready to go. Want to get some pretty printed fabric to place under the screw-on lids and then I’m completely ready. I think I’ll make a double batch if I can water-bath them; a single batch if not. My mouth waters every time I see the recipe sitting on my kitchen island next to the brownies recipe I’m making for more gifts!
From everything i know about canning water bathing is definitely a NO. This has meat so if it’s able to be canned it would need to be pressure canned. Fingers crossed for that option! What a yummy gift that would be!
Do you think this would can well?
We’ve had a lot of questions about this—let me consult with the pros and I’ll get back to you! 🙂
**heavy breathing**
I can’t wait to make this…
This looks amazing! Question: you say sweet onions in your recipe but it looks like your picture is with purple onions which I’ve never considered sweet…. which kind of onion, in your opinion, is the better flavor in this dish? Thanks!
For me, I like the purple onions…super sweet onions (like Mauis) end up being a little cloying. You could cut back on the sugar a little if you use a sweeter onion.
Do you think it would be ok to make a double batch in one pot or do you think each batch should be made separately?
Hmmmmmm…I think you could probably do a double batch if your pot is big enough! 🙂
I just doubled it in a 6 quart stock pot. It’s not done yet, but it seems to be working just fine. 🙂 Can’t wait to taste it!!
Let us know how it goes! 🙂
This is a little piece of Christmas magic! Thank you!
Sounds yummy! I assume you put the bacon pieces back in?
Yes–with the cranberries and the sugar! It’s fixed now; so sorry! 🙂
Do you add the bacon back in? It doesn’t show in the recipe or pictures.
Yes–with the cranberries and the sugar! It’s fixed now; so sorry! 🙂
You don’t add the chopped bacon back into the jam?
Yes–with the cranberries and the sugar! It’s fixed now; so sorry! 🙂
Oh I am so making this. I don’t doubt for a second that it is deeevine. Bacon and sweet onions are my love language. Also gotta say I love reading your posts!! You are hilarious and have such a great writing style!! Maybe I missed it but I can’t see when to add the chopped bacon back in… ? Assuming you do add it back in?
Thank you so much, haha! And yes, you add them back in with the cranberries and the sugar! It’s fixed now; so sorry! 🙂
At what point, or do you, add the chopped bacon back in?
Yes–with the cranberries and the sugar! It’s fixed now; so sorry! 🙂
I just happen to have a giant bag of fresh cranberries in my fridge right now bought on impulse for just such a time as this! And as luck would have it, I have everything else on hand right now to make this. It’s happening today and while I fully anticipate demolishing most of it (in my velour joggers..haha), I’m thinking it would be an awesome little gift.
It would be SO cute, especially with a baguette and a little log of goat cheese! 🙂
I’m eating it now. I think I’m going to have to make another batch for gifting. SO GOOD!!!!!
This makes me so happy!!!! I’m so glad you already made it and that you love it!! 🙂
OMG. I’m in love!!!!!