Ingredients For A Fabulous Life
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WILD TURKEY MAPLE BACON ONION JAM
Sweet and jammy carmelized onions, salty, chewy bacon with a hint of maple, this combination will knock your guests’ socks off! Wild Turkey Maple Bacon Onion Jam is a delicious appetizer and makes a fabulous homemade gift for the holidays!
With the coming of colder weather comes crinkly brown leaves raked into giant piles begging to be jump in. More time spent in front of a fabulous crackling fire streaming our fave shows. And our appetites turning from craving fresh salads, to the desire for our favorite comfort foods.
My Wild Turkey Maple Bacon Onion Jam recipe just might land on your favorite comfort food list after just one bite! I know it’s an audacious claim, but I’m that confident that one of my classic favorites will become one of yours too.
THE SMELL OF BACON IN THE MORNING
Who doesn’t love to wake up to the sounds and aroma of bacon frying on the griddle. It pulls you from your cozy covers once you realize yesterday’s cinnamon buns and French press coffee is waiting too!
I developed this recipe after tasting a wonderful maple bacon onion jam at a little bistro in Palm Springs, CA. After having a nice chat 
with the owner, I had an idea how they made their lovely smoky spreadable. They serve theirs with a fresh basket of rolls while patrons peruse the menus.
I KEEP FIDDLIN’ TILL I’M SATISFIED!
Being one of those people that just can’t leave well enough alone, I came home and started “fiddling” with the bistro’s maple bacon onion jam recipe. I didn’t just want to recreate it, I wanted to re-invent it!
After several iterations, this is the recipe that has my final stamp of approval.
It does use one ingredient that’s a little harder to find. But it’s really worth getting, even if you have to order it from Amazon like I did.
Maple Sugar is the secret to adding a wonderful maple undertone to the jam, while not adding more moisture to the recipe. I also tested one version using a touch of maple syrup too.
It didn’t taste any more “mapley” (?) to us though. Feel free to add the tablespoon of syrup that’s optional on the printable recipe card. But, that’s IN ADDITION TO the amount of maple sugar called for in the recipe!
Maple sugar is the secret to having the sweetness of maple syrup and brown sugar all rolled into one!
After discovering this lovely sweetener, I have since made it one of my pantry staples. I purchased it at Amazon from A&A Maple, 8 ounces for $8.75. I know, I know, it’s pricey, but a little goes a long way, and this recipe only uses 2/3 cup!
SWEET CARAMELIZED ONIONS, SALTY BACON, SWEET MAPLE SUGAR…
Now, how to give my maple bacon onion jam recipe a little twist? What goes with all these flavors, and can stay in the background, without taking over the delicate combination already in play.
It took a few days of thinking to come up with a suitable idea. But when I started contemplating adding some alcohol, bourbon popped into my brain. That’s what I’d try, why not add a little Wild Turkey to the recipe?
As it turns out, including a shot of Wild Turkey Bourbon gives a lovely depth of flavor to the jam. And it stays in the background, so no one can tell what’s exactly lending all that deliciousness. I love a little mystery, don’t you?
This recipe does take some time to make. The onions need to cook down until they’re caramelized, and that takes a bit of time. But I like to toss them into the slow cooker the evening before and have them ready when I wake up! (I confess I did get up once during the night to visit the restroom and peeked in to give the onions a quick stir!)
CRISPY SWEET CORN FRITTERS and WILD TURKEY MAPLE BACON ONION JAM
I personally love to serve my Wild Turkey Maple Bacon Onion Jam as a condiment on my Crispy Sweet Corn Fritters. Together they 
combine to make an outstanding appetizer or light lunch!
Here’s a few more great ways to serve this smoky-sweet concoction!
- Slather it on thick slices of toasted brioche, topped with a sprinkling of Smoked Gouda. Pop it under the broiler for a few moments… it’s absolutely divine!
- Use it on pan-fried pork chops or chicken for a real taste treat! Why not blend a few tablespoons into your mashed potatoes too?
- Stir it into soups and casseroles to add extra flavor.
WILD TURKEY MAPLE BACON ONION JAM MAKES A FABULOUS HOLIDAY GIFT
I don’t want to you wait too long before trying this fabulous condiment! It lasts about 3 weeks in the refrigerator, so you’ll have plenty of time to use it up!
Or if you’re like me, package it up and give it as a homemade gift when the holidays roll around. Now I’ve got you thinking and planning, don’t I?
Why not show us how you’ve used your Wild Turkey Maple Bacon Jam over at The Fab Life, our Facebook community. I’d love to see how you use your creativity to package some up for gifts too!
WILD TURKEY MAPLE BACON ONION JAM RECIPE CARD DUO
ONE FOR YOU AND ONE TO GIVE WITH YOUR GIFT JAR – or, print as many as you need!
Don’t you just love it when you get a homemade gift from a friend or co-worker’s kitchen? It’s the finest expression of giving around the holidays, isn’t it? Someone took the time to handmake a gift for you. How thoughtful is that?
And what can make that homemade gift even better? Including a custom-printed recipe card attached to the container, that’s what! Why wait for them to ask you for your recipe?
How about taking an afternoon to make up a batch to have in the refrigerator for a quick snack for family or guests. And then, package up the rest to give as your own thoughtful holiday gifts this season! (this recipe makes 6 cups!)
Wild Turkey Maple Bacon Onion Jam makes the perfect gift for everyone on your ” give a little-something” holiday list.
- Download and print the FREE PDF on white card stock using a color printer
- Cut out individual recipe cards
- Using a hole-puncher, make a hole in the upper left hand corner
- Pull a length of ribbon, twine or raffia through the hole and attach to your gift container
- Refrigerate your gifts until it’s time to give them away
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Wild Turkey Maple Bacon Onion Jam
Sweet and jammy carmelized onions, salty, chewy bacon with a hint of maple, this combination with knock your guests' socks off! It's a fabulous appetizer and makes an even better homemade gift item when the holidays roll around!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. sweet onions
- 8 Tbsp. butter, melted (1 stick)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 shallots (small, or 6 large)
- 1 tsp. cardamon, or more to taste
- 2 tsp. cinnamon, or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 lbs. thick sliced bacon
- 2/3 cup maple sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup (optional)
- 2 Tbsp. Wild Turkey Whiskey (or your favorite)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Peel and chop onions and shallots roughly in food processor.
- Place butter in bottom of slow cooker, add onions, shallots, garlic, cardamon, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours, stirring once half way through. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Preheat broiler on high. Place bacon slices on broiler pan (line bottom with foil for easy cleanup) in a single layer.
- Broil bacon until browned, flip and continue cooking until it is almost crisp. (you want it to be a little chewy in jam)
- Repeat with remaining bacon, drain on paper toweling and crumble.
- In a large pot, combine the onion mixture, bacon, sugar, syrup and whiskey. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the jam cooks down into a thick mixture. About 15-10 minutes.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, stir to combine well and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Jam will keep in a tightly covered container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
If you don't want to use your slow cooker, just carmelize the onions in butter on your stove top for about an hour.
This recipe can easily be halved if you want a smaller quantity.
You may omit the alcohol if desired.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 40 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 166Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 30mgSodium 465mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gSugar 6gProtein 9g
Calorie and fat counts will vary according to ingredients used and size of portions.
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