Cranberry Sauce Bacon Jam
Okay all you serious foodies out there. You know who you are. This one is for you. Who isn’t in love with bacon jam? I know I am. I’ve been thinking about bacon jam….a lot. I wondered how I could incorporate this favorite condiment into the traditional holiday menu. And then I had an ‘aha’ moment! Cranberry sauce bacon jam. Makes perfect sense right?
This recipe starts with a really flavorful cranberry sauce cooked with port wine and orange zest. I cook it a bit longer than a regular cranberry sauce because I want to achieve a smoother consistency so all those berries need to burst open. And I added more liquids to help with the pureeing process. Then, I make separate bacon jam that starts with caramelizing the onions and shallots in bacon fat and then adding in a balance of vinegar and sweetness with brown sugar and maple syrup. It’s the perfect condiment for Thanksgiving leftovers. A turkey sandwich with cream cheese is fine but with cream cheese and cranberry bacon jam? Well you might as well just skip the meal and go straight to leftovers. And the best part? This doesn’t need to be made on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a do-ahead, which makes it even better because don’t you have enough to do on Thanksgiving? So make it 3-4 days ahead of time and store well in the fridge and just gently reheat. It’s a great item to have on hand for the Christmas season, too. This with a little cream cheese on crackers and you have a fantastic appetizer.
This recipe starts with a really flavorful cranberry sauce cooked with port wine and orange zest. I cook it a bit longer than a regular cranberry sauce because I want to achieve a smoother consistency so all those berries need to burst open. And I added more liquids to help with the pureeing process. Then, I make separate bacon jam that starts with caramelizing the onions and shallots in bacon fat and then adding in a balance of vinegar and sweetness with brown sugar and maple syrup. It’s the perfect condiment for Thanksgiving leftovers. A turkey sandwich with cream cheese is fine but with cream cheese and cranberry bacon jam? Well you might as well just skip the meal and go straight to leftovers. And the best part? This doesn’t need to be made on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a do-ahead, which makes it even better because don’t you have enough to do on Thanksgiving? So make it 3-4 days ahead of time and store well in the fridge and just gently reheat. It’s a great item to have on hand for the Christmas season, too. This with a little cream cheese on crackers and you have a fantastic appetizer.
Cranberry Sauce
Bacon Jam
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Cranberry Sauce
1 12oz bag of cranberries 1 cup sugar Zest and juice of 2 naval oranges 3/4 cups port 3/4 cup water divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup Pinch of salt Bacon Jam |