It might sound odd... but like anything that involves bacon, it’s also delicious... Trust us!

Jon's Bacon Jam

Ingredients:

· 500g smoked bacon

· 4 cloves garlic chopped

· 1 medium onion sliced

· 3 tablespoons brown sugar

· 1 dash tabasco sauce (to taste)

· 1 double shot of espresso (60ml) or a small cup of fresh coffee,

· 60ml apple cider vinegar

· 60ml maple syrup

· Black pepper to taste

· Extra water as needed.

Method:

1.     Cut the bacon up into 1 inch pieces and fry off in a non stick pan until lightly browned and starting to crisp up. Put the fried bacon into a dish to one side.

2.     Using the same pan, fry the onion and garlic in the bacon fat on medium heat until translucent and softened

3.     Transfer the bacon, onion and garlic into a cast iron pot large saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients except for the water. Simmer for 2 hrs adding 60ml of water every 25-30 mins or so and stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn at the bottom.

4.     After a couple of hours it’s going to look like a weird brown mess and you’re going to wonder why you started this. Stick with it!

5.     Cool for about 15-20 mins. While waiting place the glass jars and lids in a 120 degree oven for 10 mins to sterilise them. When you take them out, avoid touching the insides.

6.     Place the cooked bacon mix in a food processor. Pulse for 2-3 secs at a time, so you get a smooth-ish paste that’s easily spreadable. Spoon into the jars, seal and refrigerate.

Top tip: Delicious straight away, but the flavour will develop further over a few days.