Smoked Bacon and Caramelised Onion Relish, or more commonly known as Onion Bacon Jam, is not your average preserve that you’d find just anywhere, but it is sure to delight you with its sweet and savoury charm!
The pungent onion flavour is complemented by the saltiness of the bacon, and the brown sugar adds a sweet and syrupy flavour and texture to the bacon bits. This recipe only takes 35 minutes and uses simple ingredients. A great tip for making this relish is to really let the onions caramelize, this will add extra sweetness and will complement the salty bacon. When the ingredients are in the pan, make sure to keep them cooking until the mixture becomes thick and of a syrupy consistency. The sauce will however still thicken as it cools, creating the perfect consistency for your Smoked Bacon and Caramelised Onion Relish.
Serve this Onion and Bacon Relish with a cheese and charcuterie board paired with some savoury crackers. You could even enjoy this relish as a sauce on your favourite burger, totally taking it to the next level!
No matter what food you include this relish in, it is sure to stand out and complement it perfectly.
Onion Bacon Jam is not your traditional sweet preserve, but it’s definitely worth trying! This savory, rich, and appitizing condiment brings a unique twist to your favourite dishes. With the deep, caramelized taste of onions balanced by the smoky saltiness of bacon, this relish is an absolute game-changer.
Serving Suggestions: Enjoy this relish as a topping for burgers, sandwiches, or grilled meats. It also pairs beautifully with cheese platters and roasted vegetables.
📌 Storage Tip: Keep refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 500g smoked bacon cut in small pieces
- 4 medium red onions thinly sliced
- 1 white onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 10ml mustard seeds
- 125ml brown sugar
- 125ml Turkish fig balsamic reduction or any balsamic vinegar
- 100ml old brown sherry
- 4 bay leaves
- 5ml cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Crisp the Bacon: In a frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until golden and crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Using the same pan, sauté the onions, garlic, and mustard seeds in the rendered bacon fat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits.
- Deglaze & Reduce: Pour in the sherry and stir in the brown sugar. Let the mixture reduce by half, allowing the sugar to dissolve completely.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the balsamic reduction, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Stir well.
- Finish Cooking: Return the bacon to the pan and let the mixture simmer until thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes.
- Store & Serve: Transfer the relish to a sterilized 500ml jar, allow it to cool, then refrigerate to let the flavours meld.
Enjoy!
Onion and Bacon Relish
Ingredients
Method
- Stir-fry the bacon on medium heat until crispy and golden brown, set aside.
- In the same frying pan add the onions, garlic, and mustard seeds together in the bacon fat for about 10 minutes, scraping all the bits of bacon as you stir-fry.
- Stir in the sherry and sugar, and let the liquid reduce by half and the sugar has dissolved. Stir in all the leftover ingredients.
- Add the bacon back into the pan and cook until thick and syrupy for another 10 minutes or more.
- Spoon out the relish in a 500ml sterilized jar, let it cool then refrigerate, that allows the flavors to marry.
- *Serve with bread, sausage, cheese, or avocado.