Can you can bacon jam?
The short answer is that you should not water-bath can bacon jam, and as far as we are aware, there is no tested home-canning procedure for it. Bacon jam contains cooked meat and rendered fat along with onion, garlic, and peppers, which are all low-acid foods. Low-acid and meat-containing foods are the category that home canning guidance treats most cautiously, because the risk of botulism is higher when they are processed incorrectly.
If you came here looking to put bacon jam in a boiling-water canner, the safe options are to treat it as a fresh product: make a batch, refrigerate what you will use soon, and freeze the rest. If shelf-stable jars are what you want, jump to the section on alternatives below.
For authoritative information on safe home canning, see the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP).
Why bacon jam is not a canning recipe
A tested canning recipe has been checked in a lab for the heat it takes to reach the center of the jar and for the acidity needed to prevent spores from growing. Bacon jam has several problems for that approach:
- Meat and fat. These foods are dense and low in acid. Home canning guidance for meat generally calls for pressure canning with tested times, and no such guidance exists for a jam-style mix of bacon, onion, and sugar.
- Variable thickness and fat. Fat can coat spores and slow heat penetration, and different batches vary a lot in how much fat remains.
- Little added acid. A splash of vinegar is typically used for flavor, not as a measured amount that has been validated for safety.
- Recipes that “can” bacon jam are untested. A jar that sealed does not mean the contents are safe. A sealed jar is not proof of safe storage.
When in doubt, keep it cold.
Jalapeno bacon jam recipe
This stovetop version uses a common method: crisp bacon, cook the vegetables in a little of the fat, then simmer with sugar and vinegar. It makes about 2 cups.
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 large sweet or yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 to 3 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
Method
- Cook the bacon. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat.
- Soften the vegetables. Add the onion and jalapenos to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Build the sauce. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, maple syrup, water, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Scrape up any browned bits.
- Simmer. Return the bacon to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes. The jam is done when it is thick and glossy, about the consistency of a thick syrup that coats a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools. Add water by the tablespoon if it gets too dry.
- Cool promptly. Cool, then transfer to clean containers and refrigerate within two hours of cooking.
Wear gloves for the jalapenos, and wash your hands and cutting board afterward. The more seeds and white ribs you leave, the hotter the jam.
How to store bacon jam
- Refrigerator. Store in a clean, airtight container. USDA guidance for cooked leftovers is three to four days refrigerated, so plan on eating it within 3 to 4 days and freeze the rest.
- Freezer. Freezing is the best way to hold a big batch. Portion into small containers or ice cube trays, freeze, then transfer to freezer bags or containers. Leave a little room for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator, and use within a few days of thawing. Quality is best within a few months.
- Never leave it on the counter. Do not store bacon jam at room temperature, and do not leave it out for more than two hours. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Reheat. Warm it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving, which loosens the jam.
Is jalapeno jam the same as pepper jelly?
Not quite. Pepper jelly is a smooth, translucent gel made from chopped peppers cooked with vinegar, sugar, and pectin, with little bits of pepper suspended in it. Jalapeno jam is a general term for a thicker, chunkier cooked mixture, and it can be made with or without pectin. Bacon jam is a different thing again: a savory condiment more like a relish or chutney, where bacon and onion are the stars.
For canning-safe pepper preserves, see our tested-style guide to jalapeno jelly with Sure-Jell.
Can you make jalapeno jam without pectin?
Yes. Bacon jam does not use pectin at all, since it thickens by simmering. For a sweet, pepper-forward jam with no pectin, see our jalapeno jam without pectin.
Serving ideas
- On a cheeseburger or breakfast sandwich.
- Over cream cheese with crackers.
- Spooned over baked brie or a block of smoked cream cheese.
- Stirred into baked beans or mashed sweet potatoes.
- As a topping for pizza, flatbreads, or grilled cheese.
About Dunkin’-style bacon jam
Chain restaurants that sell bacon jam sandwiches use their own commercial formulas, and the exact recipes are not public. The general flavor profile, which is sweet, smoky, and slightly tangy, is similar to the homemade recipe above. Commercial products are made and preserved under controlled conditions that do not apply at home, so a home batch should always be kept cold.
Shelf-stable alternatives for jalapeno lovers
If you want jalapeno flavor in jars that can sit in the pantry, use a tested pepper jelly or jam instead:
- Our jalapeno jelly with Sure-Jell is a classic powdered-pectin recipe that is processed in a boiling-water canner.
- A Fresno chili jam gives a similar sweet-hot spread in red.
- A drizzle of either over cream cheese gives you the same appetizer without the meat.
Pair a jar of pepper jelly from the pantry with a fresh batch of bacon jam from the freezer and you get both.